Named after the ship of the infamous children's cartoon character,
Captain Pugwash, Black Pig Border
was formed in 1986 in Langley Mill/Eastwood on the Nottingham and Derby
border. Over the
years we have developed our own style of Border Morris performing both
traditional dances and some of our own invention.
We are a mixed group of both female and male dancers and musicians. We
wear brightly coloured tailcoats and top hats festooned with
feathers, flowers, ribbons and bells.
We uphold the Border Morris tradition by painting our faces as a
disguise.
The Black Pig Border Morris are
Corporate members of the
Official Monster Raving Loony Party
If you want to know more about what and how we do things, or what to expect if
you join us, then download the
leaflets below:
(Either open and download or right-click and choose download. All leaflets are
designed to be printed double-sided on A4 paper and then folded to create an A5
booklet)
Firstly, this introductory leaflet on
"The Prospects Before Us..."
and this one for
"Your First Dance-out..."
and this one on
"Why We Paint Our Faces"
(NB. As of 2019 we have changed our rulings on face painting and the updated
leaflets reflect these changes) This was not because
we see a link between 'English' blackface (done for disguise and similar
reasons) and 'American' blackface (done to mimic negro minstrel shows - with
perceived overtones of slavery) but because we finally had to accept that the
distinction remains misunderstood.