Block 49

One of the BEST SOUNDS

in the world

are the sounds of a Shrine Oriental Band

marching in a parade.

Today,

unless you are lucky,

you don't have much of a chance to see or hear them.

Why,

I don't know?

Oriental Band members

always dressed like you would expect a "sheik"

to dress like,

bloused pants, long vests, turbans or

whatever the headgear,

that is worn in the dessert,

is called.

Normally,

they were VERY COLORFUL

and the leader

would be out in front

dancing away

as they marched and played.

But last Saturday,

Gene and I were lucky enough

to see a band

that brought back that memory . . .

a MUMMERS BAND

was the highlight of the

125th Anniversary of Niagara Falls Parade,

held in Niagara Falls, NY.

What is a Mummer?

According to Wikipedia:

'Mummers' take their name

from the medieval performing troupes

who would go from door-to-door

wearing masks and costumes,

staging plays in rhyme and song and mime.

More about the "String Band" Mummers:

String bands provide the most elaborate performances

and

are most audience members'

favorite part of the parade.

Limited to unamplified strings,

reeds,

and percussion;

string bands feature banjos,

saxophones,

accordions,

double basses,

drums,

glockenspiels and violins

in musical arrangements

tied to a theme presented by the captain,

beautiful costumes and props (some people call them floats).

In case you have never heard a Mummers Band

for your enjoyment, I present

 the Woodland String Mummers

performing in the 2009

in Macroom, Ireland.

My Square for the Oriental Band/Mummers

is a guitar

(the only stringed instrument I could find)

underneath my Staff

made in rainbow colors

The Mummers Costume

always looks like a HUGE rainbow

as they come down the street,

all kinds of colors on the costumes

with lots,

and lots

and lots of

sequins and sparkles.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the blessing of being able to watch parades as a child. The anticipation of going. Finally getting downtown and finding just the right place to watch the parade. Listening for the 1st sounds of the police and fire department sirens. What a rush. And my FAVORITE PARADE was the Shriner's Day Parade, held in the fall.

As you know, I always waited for the "Little Naked Man," as I called him, to lead the Oriental Band down the street. Finally, I could hear their signature sound and then there he would be, in his genie looking costume, bloused pants, shoes with curled up toes and a vest with no shirt under it . . . all the rest of the band dressed similar but his costume was the most magnificent . . and the rest of the band had shirts on and the long "desert" head dresses on where his was a small Fez.

He would give the command, the drums would beat out that signature beat, the instruments would start and he would start dancing all over the street, back and forth, dipping and twirling. It must have been a magnificent sight when I first saw it because it is embedded in my mind and comes back when I hear today's Mummers Bands.

Thank You for the blessing of this memory. It brings a smile to my face and a lightness to my heart.

Amen
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