Paul McGuinness, editor@countryfile.com
The British nations all have a great tradition of weird and wonderful celebrations that go back countless generations. Many of these centre around spring, so now is a good time to catch up with a man who has spent much of his life documenting these festivities.
For 60 years, English folklorist Doc Rowe has been curating his own archive of many of Britain’s more unique gatherings and customs. From Padstow’s May Day ’Obby ’Oss and tar barrel rolling in Devon, to characters like the Burry Man on the Firth of Forth, Doc has photographed and filmed generations of people who keep these rural rituals alive.
Increasingly, younger people are being drawn to the traditions documented, giving Doc hope that they will become the lifeblood of his beloved customs. After crowdfunding for a documentary about Doc’s work far exceeded expectation, his video archive looks set to be digitised, preserving it for generations to come. When we asked him about the legacy of his archive for our feature on page 62, Doc was clear: “I would like it to be seen as a celebration of humankind, of people. It’s their art, they’re celebrating themselves.”
And if that’s not worth celebrating, then I don’t know what is!
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