23/01/2017 Inside Out South West

It's had a rebrand, but is it racist?

Tonight, the townspeople who black up For Mummer's Day,

the Cornish tradition that some celebrate, and others condemn.

I'd never dream of being racist, we're all equal.

we join Nick Baker for a water wildlife watch.

We have a pod of common dolphins, right underneath the bow.

And as the weather bites, I go in search of snow,

but are we seeing less and less of the white stuff?

We dig into the archives, and even mine our memories to discover

Hello, I'm Jemma Woodman, and welcome to Inside Out South West.

Different places have different traditions -

Bog-snorkling, nettle eating - but blacking up?

Can it ever really be acceptable today's society?

The winter festival Mummer's Day, was once called Darkie Day,

but some locals in Padstow argue that isn't offensive,

We sent Artha Ahmad to investigate one of Britain's

It's Mummers Day in this Cornish seaside town. My day job's reporting

for the BBC's Asian Network. This is the first time I've worked in

Cornwall, and it's turning out to be quite an experience.

Hello, can I ask you a few questions?

No, you can't, at all. On Boxing Day and New Year's Day,

some locals here paint their faces black and parade through the

for more than 100 years. Some say for more than 100 years. Some say

goes back to pagan times. I'm hoping to find out all about Padstow and

its tradition blacking up - is it just a harmless old custom or

is it too offensive to survive without major changes being made?

Blacking up doesn't just happen in Cornwall, there's a handful of folk

groups across the country who like to slap on the paint.

Good chance to dress up in crazy clothes and go out, happy dance, and

a couple of beers afterwards your friends.

What you think? I think it also generates

mysterious, pagan energies that infuse the atmosphere. If you test

that scientifically, you may have trouble finding evidence.

Not everybody appreciates it. The man on the left is having a go at a

group of Morris dancers in Birmingham.

Blacktop reformers have some high-profile fans, including a then

Prime Minister, and the community -- Communities Secretary Sajid Javid,

who said he was proud of the Morris dancers involved in the Birmingham

confrontation. Back in Padstow, the party's in full swing. For eight

outsider like me, it feels a bit surreal. This is not something

usually see in London, in I am surprised to see yet actually, in

2017. I was exciting people to be blacktop, but didn't expect them to

be blacked up in entirety. That's quite surprising to see. Some of the

songs are also pretty surprising. The original lyrics of this one

includes the N-word. Thankfully, there's been a bit of a rewrite.

So, they're singing a song in there, but they've changed the lyrics and

replaced a racist term it, so now it says, where do the good Mummers go?

I really want to talk to the people here, but feels like they've been

gagged. Can I ask you a few questions?

I'm not glad to say nothing, sorry. A few people ask us not a film,

which is a bit strange seeing how anyone can come and watch. One man,

not one of the Mummers themselves, told me if I didn't like it, I

should go back to my own country. I'm not the only one who has

questions. We asked them, and asked them what

it was for, and they said it was my great secrets and wouldn't tell us.

They said it wasn't racist. But other than that...

What were your first thoughts when you've saw it?

That it was. You thought it was racist? You're

seen you're from Watford? Do think something like this could ever

happen of there? No! You wouldn't get away with that.

Maybe this man can tell us? What is it about?

Gordon, due to tell us what it's about?

No. This is what we get as a response.

Everyone we took two sees it differently.

I don't want to make of it, it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I'm

sure that anybody that came here visiting with probably find it quite

offensive. I wasn't sure if it was a racial

thing or what the intent of it was. Certainly, in the United States, it

wouldn't be acceptable. I don't find it offensive, I'm part

of it. I've lived in Cornwall 12 years...

And we love you! I've been doing it for many years. I

don't find it offensive. Just let it be.

One idea that keeps coming up is that it all goes back to be slaving

days. Darkie Day and the ship came into

the harbour and they let the slaves off the ship and they ran around

town, are currently left a few black babies behind.

You can see it's not racist. There were coloured people, they came off

the boats, there are also autumn colours around. They landed the

boats here, went out on the streets, they celebrated the fact they were

on land and getting fresh air and have a party.

The story goes that people in Padstow partied with slaves who

arrived on these shores were stopped and even helped them to escape. But

is any of that drew? Defined, we've come to meet Merv Davey, the grand

Bard of Cornwall, a title direct lasers were preserving Cornish

culture. He thinks the slave boat story is a bit of harmless for

Clara. When people are asked why they

dressed like this, are you mocking people, no. The story that was

went past oriented Padstow, and they went past oriented Padstow, and they

dressed up to rescue the slaves. It made sense to them, it made sense of

the story, and no way it's quite nice thing, because we can

demonstrate as far as the history books go, no slavers went anywhere

near Padstow, but the story's not nice, and it makes sense to the

people. And what about the parade's all

blame, Darkie Day? Merv reckons that has an innocent explanation too.

Document get on just meant disguising yourself in Cornish. I

was privileged to take part of it, went down, blacking my face

at no part in the proceedings did I at no part in the proceedings did I

find it from ugly racist or demeaning of anybody.

There are more close to the parade's history and copies of the local

paper. It turns out the tradition almost died out and was revised in

the 1960s as a children's event. There's her letter for one of the

people credited with reviving the event. She wrote a letter thanking

the darkies. This editor was quite a job to back-up all the faces, but

job done. job done.

Cilla Black face paint was brought Cilla Black face paint was brought

back for the kids, and since then the event has evolved into some kind

of musical pub crawl. But is a time for some other change two Merv

thinks yes, but may be the Mummers could bring a dash of white into the

black and celebrate the Cornish flag.

The problem is for everyone you find who is offended another person finds

it enormous fun. If I was from Padstow, I would put a white cross

across the black faces, but it's not for me to say that. In most places

so easy to paint your face. I've so easy to paint your face. I've

been somewhere with the paint is read, it is so easy to change that.

It's about the skies, not just blackface.

Back in Padstow, we've had a breakthrough, some of the Mummers

broken ranks and are up for a chat. It's everything to us. It's

tradition. Christmas means nothing to me, the

only thing I look forward to is Boxing Day and New Year's Day. It's

the only thing I look forward to. I think because so many people take

it as read says, the older people are Padstow do it. I think, why

should we talk about it if we're went to become racist.

I wouldn't dream of being racist, I'm a carer, skin colour's nothing

to me. , can I talk to you?

We've change the words... Suddenly, it's all over. The Mummers

are keeping mum again. I couldn't help but notice that some of the

younger people were less blacktop than the older ones. Maybe that's

just this year's style, what we can say is that some see this as a

tradition that should die out, others would take to see at last. I

certainly won't be forgetting about it sooner.

Coming up, Nick Baker will be all let's see having a whale

When you see dolphins you know there is still hope in the world.

These animals need a reasonably healthy ecosystem in order

Is anywhere more beautiful than Dartmoor in the snow? And a light

dusting at least is pretty much guaranteed up here come winter. But

if you think you remember a time when he only had to walk out your

front door to the knee-deep interests, then you're probably not

alone. The older you are, the more likely you are to say, we don't get

snow likely used it. But is that drew? Or just faded memories,

wrapped up in nostalgia. -- is that true? Time to dip into the archives

to find out. In 1963, the South West bore the brunt of a series of mighty

blizzards. ARCHIVE: Dartmoor was like Siberia,

a large-scale rescue operation. The one good train on Dartmoor got

completely buried. Two other engines were rescued were snowploughs, they

got buried too. This Devon farmer and his mother

remember it's like yesterday. Within is go to school for three

weeks! That was short lived. On the farms

were rapidly pressed into service as extra farm labourers. Nobody could

get their milk out to the factory. It was all churns. We had to take

the churns to our neighbours, they couldn't get there. We hadn't seen

anything like it before. And we haven't had it as bad sense, really.

But in 2010, the same thing happened again. This time, it was McTaggart

getting stuck on the roads in what proved to be the coldest winter in

30 years. -- milk tankers getting stuck in roads. To not get caught

out again, there was a salt spreading scheme.

This is this year's delivery, we're hopefully well-prepared should we

need it. need it.

But your salt spread hasn't seen much action since 2010?

No, it hasn't. One or two goes, but nowhere near the amount of snow that

we had in 2010 and 2011. And he has the mountains of salt

stocks to prove it. Actually, the footage shows that

cold or snow. But there is one went cold or snow. But there is one went

to McDonald's, and it happened 70 years ago. -- winter that does, and

it happened. We had to go way back it happened. We had to go way back

into the archives, before many of you were born, and regional TV

didn't exist. Mike at the film and television archive has had a good

look. I've to good look, there's very

little of 1947, but think I've find you a little gem.

Hope Cove, looking more like Antarctica and the usually clement

south coast. This, lifeboat brings food supplies to the ruined

villagers. In 1947, January the villagers. In 1947, January the

22nd, the snow started to fall, and fell every day, somewhere in the UK,

for over 70 days. That's even more than 1963. The bitter cold was

compounded by fuel and food shortages in post-war Britain. But

the spirit of the blades sought some keep smiling through. Surely yet

more proof that we don't get snow like we used to. -- the spirit of

the Blitz. So, will today's owners of the Cottage Hotel, seen in that

footage, have any memory of the big snow of 1947? Is this the right

place? This is deathly the right place,

that is the hotel. Come to the right place, let's see

if anyone remember is 1947? But it's not the winter of 47 that

this former hotelier remembers. Does this look familiar to you?

It does look familiar, but wasn't here at this time.

Have you seen a winter like it? It was pretty bad in 78-79, not much

difference, I would think. It's true, something I did see

buckets of snow. We were worried, we do know how long

the snow would go on for. We had 75 people, plus the staff to feed and

look after. That was a worry. There were 15-foot deep drifts everywhere.

Parts of the South West were left without electricity or running water

for three days. Supplies of food and what a retro look at it in, and once

again, many didn't have milk for breakfast. -- helicoptered in. I

remembered as the very worst winter we ever had, but then I was only

five. Time to head to the Met office and find out whether they can tell

us if we don't get snow like we used to.

When we look back through records of snow, meteorological records, you do

see these big spikes. They result from a particular weather pattern

that crops up every so often. It's not regular. It doesn't follow every

so many years that we will get this. But this particular pattern dries

excess of in the UK. Adam's data shows that in the last exteriors,

the worst winter for snow was in fact 1963, then 2010, then 1979. And

these spikes are down to free weather patterns. But is climate

change impacting on our snowfall? Before we answer that, time to one

up with Doris, Joan and John from Salcombe, who remember the snow of

1947, radiating official Met Office records. Was it like that?

Yes, it was! The snow was that the?

It was absolutely unbelievable. I looked at the window, and father

said, yes, there is no. I couldn't believe it! We'd never seen snow in

Salcombe before, not to that extent. I'd actually just left school, I was

just 14. I started work. But John was the lucky one, he was still at

nearly three weeks. He'll Terry nearly three weeks. He'll Terry

about that! He had three weeks of school!

Three whole weeks off. My father was a labourer for the

Council, and all I remember is that he was out dead as the tiny digging

roads. Alongside the council workers,

POW camp in Salcombe. It was all POW camp in Salcombe. It was all

hands on deck during the big White out of 47.

I recall this large snowman it being built outside the shop it.

Did you feel sorry for them in the show?

I did, yes. I did, yes.

That was quite incredible, people were on skis.

Skiing? A must have been like being in the

It was, yeah. We don't get snow like It was, yeah. We don't get snow like

that any more, but don't critically want it!

Is that the case? Back to the Met Office to find out.

An interesting thing to think about is, if the winds and weather

patterns are exactly the same today as they were 19 623, which we have

as much snow. The answer is, we wouldn't. -- as they were in 1963,

so with milder wins in this area, we're not likely to see the same

crippling snow conditions. Still, as long as you can do this!

Good shot! You might think that this

is the worst time of Surely all the animals

hunker down and hibernate? But as Nick Baker discovers,

head out onto the water It's a bright and crisp autumnal

morning, and we're in Falmouth, we're going whale watching.

When it catching a ride with Falmouth-based skipper Keith, and

joining me is marine biologist, Dr Simon Ingram. You might think it's a

crazy idea to be going out to look for whales at this time of year, but

given the right weather conditions and sea conditions, as can be a much

more fruitful time to see whales, dolphins and porpoises.

My interest in taking this trip out to sea was sparked by the dead fin

whale which washed up on the beach in dollars this autumn. The

conclusion was that this whale most likely died at sea of natural

causes. Think people's response when they

hear about a dead animal washing up on the beach is, this is awful. But

actually, there is a more positive side to the story, because it could

be an indication that the reason be an indication that the reason

these and other turning up on the beaches is because there's more of

them alive at their in the waters. Which is good news.

How easy is it to actually see these elusive creatures in the wild?

About is tracking out from the shoreline, all these icons, all

these marks on the screen are at this year's sightings. This year has

been absolutely remarkable. We have, been absolutely remarkable. We have,

to date, recorded some 5250 individual animals.

For Keith, that's an all-time record, 40% up on his annual

average. This is being fed back to build a national sightings database.

These animals face lots of different threats and our waters. Fishery

interactions, noise, disturbance, ship strikes. We have to think about

all these things together and manage them properly together in order to

create a sustainable population size.

Fin whales are regular visitors to the waters of Ireland. Simon

believes that this may be why they're being seen in increasing

numbers off the coast of Devon and Cornwall.

Gannets, out to the west of us. There is excitement on the boat at

the moment is, because Captain Keith has spotted, about a mile away, a

large group of feeding gannets. Where there's gannets, there's face,

where there's face, hopefully, there's dolphins, whales breathe and

paupers. 2016 saw an abundance of herring and mackerel. This created a

feeding frenzy for gannets like these. These streamlined dive

bombers make short work of the fish below. Like many birds, -- unlike

many birds, they can see down grooves in their bill, and judge the

distance to their fish prey with deadly accuracy. Definitely got some

paupers milling around underneath where the birds are. -- poor boys.

Try and see we can get a shot at them, but they are only one metre

long, and in this chop it's bit of a challenge. I wasn't wrong. It's like

watching lightning, you can point lightning out, but by macro the time

you turn, it's gone. We got one more you turn, it's gone. We got one more

fleeting glints of the board poses, but then they were gone. -- of the

porpoises. Just when we think our luck might be running out and we are

going to head back down the coast, the crew sports more activity.

Suddenly, there's a mad scramble in the boat. Dolphins!

This is what it's all about! We have a port of common dolphin, right

underneath the bowel. Wildlife watching doesn't get any better than

this. I could talk for hours about the

ecology and what they symbolise for the health of the ocean, but at this

of going, yes, dolphins! You can of going, yes, dolphins! You can

shout and weep and holler for joy, because it doesn't scare them off,

they don't mind. For boys is spent a lot of their

time feeding, so they really are on a bit of a knife edge, always try to

find enough food, whereas dolphins are that much more efficient, top

predators, able to spend some time socialising rather than just

feeding. When you see dolphins, you know

there's still hope in the world. These are top and predators. These

animals need a reasonably healthy ecosystem in order to support all

that energy. Then go, they're still here! Oh, so beautiful. I know it's

not cool to be that enthusiastic about wildlife, but I couldn't help

myself. I'm feeling a little embarrassed, but wow, wasn't that

great? Dolphins are those creatures that we ship quite a lot with.

right on the surface, they come up right on the surface, they come up

and meet us. They fell us with jolly, that's what the dolphins

symbolises to many people. -- fill us with joy.

Well it's good these albums are returning, we are starting with a

depleted state. Let's hope we have things back on track for a recovery

in arena systems. When you see dolphins and whales it

fills you with hope, hope that there's and off left here to

protect. So while the Wales may have eluded us today, seeing dolphins

isn't half bad. And that's all for now,

but next week we drop in on the school but thinks it's

cracked the formula for success. Meet the maths geniuses

hoping to take the UK When you actually get it

and get the answer right, So brush up on your algebra

for next Monday at 7:30pm. Hello, I'm Riz Lateef

with your 90 second update. The Government says national

security means it won't confirm