LL-L "Traditions" 2004.10.25 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 25.OCT.2004 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
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From: Thomas <t.mcrae at uq.net.au>
Subject: FOLKLORE Halloween Customs in Scotland

Halloween fast approaches and I start thinking back ondays of yore.
Nowadays the traditional customs are nearly dead with even Scotland's own
Guysing giving way to American Trick or Treat.
I think back to 1930's days before WW2 when I can recall Halloween Pairties
my parents and their friends organised each year. I was under five but the
memories are still there.
Unlike Hogmanay here was never much booze at those gatherings and
traditional games were played. Mashed potatoes were served all round with
little charms mixed in with the mash and a few lucky silver threepenny bits.
A right messy game the adults played was The Treakul Skoan. A huge flat
scone dripping with black treacle was suspended by one edge from a string
attached to the light fitting. Players vied with one another to get a bite
off the scone while keeping their hands behind their backs, the fact that
another string was pulled to keep the scone moving did not help. I still
recall all those black faces. Of course an old sheet was placed on the floor
for obvious reasons.
Dookin fur aipples was another fun thing. A tin bath of water was set on the
sheet and apples and nuts were set afloat in it. Participants had to kneel,
hands ahint again and try catching fruit or nut with their teeth. this got
quite boisterous with some men pushing players heads under the water.
The game was altered for us wee yins. A chair was set up by the bath and
we'd take turns standing on this dropping a fork down trying to spear an
apple.
With a bit of luck The Guysers would knock on the door, be admitted, and
entertain us with songs and recitations. Their reward was some coins and
seasonal fruits and cakes. Some years passed, war broke out, and the men
were all away. The pairties soon faded away as well but Guysing persisted
and I was now old enough to participate. We'd blacken our faces from soot in
the lum, put on old jackets back to front, or Mum's old dresses, and go
a'Guysin from around 28th October until Halloween Night itself. At that time
it was still a tradition of entertaining for just reward.
Guyser (Guiser ?) where did the word come from ? Was it due to us going
round in disguise, the most probable theory ? Rather far out though could it
have been a memory of Marie de Guise's Regency when the French had regular
masques ? Whatever, within a few years this good old custom had degenerated
into door to door begging which soon spread to the streets. The Guysing
season got progressively earlier eventually starting around August. At least
in urban areas it's long gone in its wonderful original form and it was such
fun for everybody in earlier, less grasping times.

Regards
Tom
Tom Mc Rae PSOC
Brisbane Australia
"The masonnis suld mak housis stark and rude,
To keep the pepill frome the stormes strang,
And he that fals, the craft it gois all wrang."
>>From 15th century Scots Poem 'The Buke of the Chess'

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