NAME THE NEXT MUMMER - A CONTEST!

Just wanted to let you know that I have purchased all of your mummer figurines to date and my wife is anxiously awaiting the next one.

My wife and I were having a conversation about how you get the names for your mummers and without hesitation my late grandmother immediately came to mind.

They moved from Deer Island on the south coast to Port Aux Basques probably back in the late 30's or early 40's. Her name was Debbie Dominie and so I thought... Debbie from Deer Island would be a catchy name and nice tribute!!

This is a very famous old photograph of a liitle boy of five from Battle Harbour in between "two even bigger than he is" cod fish. The boy's name is Billy, and Billy drowned while fishing from Battle Harbour in the early 1900s. Billy was then only 17. (I was quite taken with this story during my visit to Battle Harbour a few years back.)

Billy, the mummer, from Battle Harbour could be dressed similar to this little boy. Black lace up boots, short or cut off trousers, suspenders, knit hat, and short parka style jacket. Face covered with a black cloth.

Thanks; I have enjoyed putting together this submission.

I would love the next Mummer to be called Chummie from Cape Broyle, He will be wearing a pillow case with Eyes and Eyelashes and red Lips painted on. White Mop for Hair with a Black headband on his forehead. Dirty Oily Hunter Orange Coveralls and a Bucket of Salt Beef in his hand. Black Rubber Boots with Red Trim. Dark Grey and Beige Trigger Mitts and he will be holding a Bucket of Salt Beef

I thought I'd put my 2-cents forth. I think a great mummer name would be "Brazil!" Like I mentioned today, from Trout River would be fun...even though Brazil from trout river doesn't flow as well as fannie from fogo. Brazil was my grandfather and it's a great name I think for a mummer..and well Trout River is just where my pop lived.

And if I were to design him...his costume would have to either include fishing gear or potato sack....

Anyway, that's my vote. Either way, I continue to be the mummers' biggest fan.

St. Michael's is a small community on the beautiful Southern Shore and Tom from St. Michael's was my grandfather. He absolutely loved Christmas... more so the old fashioned Christmases when mummering was plentiful! Even in his later years when he didn't drink much himself anymore, he still always had "a bottle" in the house for potential visitors. Pop also loved to have a little dance and when he'd act silly with his grandkids, he'd stand up on the floor and dance by swinging his hips from side to side! So, my mummer, Tom from St. Michael's, would preferably be in "swing motion" with one hip stuck out to the side, elbows bent and hands swinging too! One Christmas, pop came into our house with his long grey raglan and face covered. The mummer would have on a long grey raglan and on his head, to cover his cuptowel mask, he'd probably be wearing one of pop's trademark caps... the grey salt and pepper style hat OR the bip caps that have the mesh backing, ones that stores use to often give away to promote their business. Pop always had one of these on out in the garden! A pair of logans and even suspenders would be applicable as well! And a plaid shirt! Pop was famous for plair shirts and sweater vests! He was more of a silly singer than an instrument player, so although a musical instrument addition could work, I really just see this mummer dancing and having his fun out on the kitchen floor!

I think Tom from St. Michael's would be an excellent mummer to add to your collection!

Norris should play the wash-tub base (This is a large steel wash-tub with turned upside down and a broom handle attached to the bottom and a string runs from the top of the broom to the wash-tub). He should wear winter boots, a winter hat with ear flaps, jeans and a parka.

The reason for choosing Norris Point in Gorse Morn is that every new years we would travel there from St. John's and my girlfriend's uncle's friend had a new year's party in his shed ( Know as THE SHED PARTY) . Several people from the area come and play folk music, sing, dance and everyone would have to take a turn on the wash-tub base. This is a light spirited atmosphere with a wide age range and the occasional dog. Although no one dressed as mummers that shed party had the spirit of murmuring an where everyone went out to see a couple of fireworks we may as well been mummers because we were dressed up so much for the cold air.

Just thought Nellie from New Harbour would be a nice name for the next Mummer! There are two fishplants in New Harbour and it once had a boat building shop there, maybe she can carry some sort of jigging line in her hand!!!

Love each and every one that you make and YES............I have them all!!!!!

Annette Bishop-Higdon
New Harbour

ps, I'm originally from Heart's Delight so I have Ambrose, I'm now married in New Harbour and would love to have one of my community now!!!

Hi I think the name of your next mummer should be Rosie and Ithink she should be from Ramea. Rosie was a well known lady toeveryone and she was like a mother to most. Her door was always openday or night to young and old, friend or stranger and what little sheand her family had you were welcome to it. I can still picture Rosiein her big cotton, floppy dresses and always an apron tied around herwaist. Most of the time she wore nothing on her feet but always worea smile.

Mummering to me was always fun. We wore a sheer over our faces sowe could see where we were going. We wore red plaid work shirts witha flask in the pocket, big grey or navy knitted sweater. Bracershooked onto a pair of old jeans. On our feet we wore rubber bootstucked down with our pant legs tucked inside. On our heads we justwore a old wool hat or a ball cap on lock. Lots of people wore robesdown to their feet stuffed of course and a belt tied around thewaist. I hope this is of some help to you and I hope I am lucky innaming the mummer contest. P.S. There has not been a mummer from thesouthwest coast of the Island.

• Bottle of wine in one hand and salt beef bucket in theother with bakeapples in it. Oven mitts on both hands (xmas red)
• A snowshoe ( white with blue string) on either foot and aslipper on the other. Brown fuzzy slipper white on the inside.
• Hair wrapped in a towel and a neck warmer covering herface.( black neck warmer) Eye holes showing.
• She has IOCC yellow rain pants on under her nightgown(pink or blue) her night gown has a pocket and in it she has a flynet. Oh the black flies in Pinware are (Maggaite)
• She is big. She has a rubber boat inside her snowshoe.Black. They are from LL Bean's catalogue. She is in her 50's and loves to pick berries and while she is atit she has a drink or 2. She loves to snowshoe in the winter andduring xmas she loves to bake and brag about the bake apples shepicked.

I THINK THAT BELL ISLAND BILL SHOULD BE THE NEXT MUMMER IN THE SERIES. HE COULD BE DRESSED IN AN IRON ORE STAINED COVERALLSOLD WORK BOOTS AND A MINERS HAT WITH ATTACHED LANTERN. HIS FACE COVERED IN A CHECKERED HANKERCHIEF AND CARRYING A PIC AND SHOVEL IN ONE HAND AND A BROWN PAPER LUNCH BAG IN THE OTHER.

I AM A BIG FAN OF YOUR MUMMERS AND HAVE ALL EXCEPT CLAR, WHICK I WILLHAVE SOON. I THINK THAT THEY ARE SO CUTE AND SO NEWFOUNDLAND. I ALSO HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF THEM FOR MY SISTER AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW IN ONTARIO WHO IS CONSTANTLY ASKING "IS THE NEW MUMMER OUT YET?" HOPE YOU LIKE MY SUGGESTION AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

In honor of Capt. Bob Bartlett, famous arctic explorer, who lived in Brigus, how about "Bartley from Brigus". I propose dressing him in a long eskimo parka with fur around the hood that covers his face and a pipe showing.....the eskimo parka Blue and white stripes....to honor the family "whose skills the survivors (of the Karluk) largely owed their lives" (quote from McKinlsy's memoir).....One big red rubber boot and one big muckluck (sp?) for feet.....different colored mittens on each hand.....carrying a big black cat (like the little black one, Nigeraurak, who accompanied them on the trip)....and a big ice pick slung over his shoulder with the blade shaped like a bright yellow Kayak and the handle, a bright blue fishing pole.....anything else you can think of to add that is colorful!

My grandfather was a Chalker, born in Brigus and his father and uncles were close to the Bartlett family.....my great grandfather married a spinster Bartlett after his wife died and left him with 6 sons to care for....she was related to Capt. Bob but not sure exactly what. I have done a alot of genealogical research on my family in Newfoundland and have read all I can get my hands on relative to their experiences - family comes from both Brigus and Cupids - thought it would be lovely to honor the memory of Capt. Bob Bartlett. I buy your mummers every year for my 2 'Chalker cousins' and really love them.

I have collected each of your Mummers as they have become available and keep them displayed all year long as they represent a part of Newfoundland to me. I would like to suggest your next mummer be Lester Foote from Foote's Cove. (Picture of Foote's Cove, island off the town of Burin attached)My father, the late Lester Foote was a fisherman who had 9 children (8 still living). At Christmas time, he greatly enjoyed dressing up in Belle's (my Mom's) dresses, a teatowel or some other cloth over his face and going mummering around the cove. He was always accompanied by his accordian and sometimes his harmonica and brought much music and laughter to each house he visited. As the island was so small with not a lot of families, it was not uncommon for him to come home and change and go out a second time.

My daughters and I just returned from a trip to Newfoundland where along with others in my family, we dressed as mummers (some pictures attached) and surprised my sister and her husband just before they were about to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Even though many years have passed since I was last mummering and the last time certainly wasn't in August, all the fun and laughter returned as we were dressing for the occasion and went mummering wearing my late Mom's dresses as Dad had done many years ago.

I hope you'll consider making Lester Foote from Foote's Cove one your next Mummer.