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The South West Film & Television Archive collection holds many films illustrating the rich history of folklore, rural cultural heritage and tradition in the region. The May Day ‘Obby Oss’ (or hobby horse) tradition in Padstow has its origins in a spring fertility festival and is an annual custom that continues to this day. This celebration involving traditional song, dance and costume is a closely protected event and has rarely been filmed, however, the archive holds amateur filmed material from 1928 onwards, television footage from 1961 onwards and this unique footage dating from 1953. This documentary is unique in that the production team were allowed unparalleled access to the people involved in the event, capturing the music, dances, and folklore surrounding the tradition. The film was shot by Peter Kennedy, who from the 1950s has made hundreds of sound recordings, and later films, of regional folksongs, music, dancing, story telling, folklore events and customs around Britain and Ireland. Another example of his work in the South West is 'Shanty Man' (1950s), recording the work of the men of the Portland Stone quarries who used song and rhymes to help their work. The Archive holds moving image of virtually every folklore and cultural tradition in its area, including harvest rites (such as corn dollies), ship blessings, Helston Floral Day, the Cerne Abbas Giant, and midsummer eve bonfires. Folk music and dance particular to the South West region such as Dartmoor step dancing was recorded by both Westward Television and BBC South West from the 1960s onward and is now held in the Archive, and Broom dancing was also captured on film by Peter Kennedy. Amateur film maker Major Gill also made films illustrating the lives of people and communities in the South West region although he also focused on working practices and industry; both cottage and heavy. |
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