Dancing In The Streets

I may have mentioned before that I am a history scholar. Historical accuracy, be it fact or re-enactment, is important to me. Certain re-enactments, such as Python's Batley Townswomen's Guild's portrayal of Agincourt, may be very close in terms of historical exactitude but there is perhaps a slight gender issue. Which brings me to the Christians and Moors set-to during the climax to the Patrona fiesta; to this mock battle and to the question of bodily fluids.

Pollensa Town Hall is casting itself in the role of historical party-pooper, and poop is not a long way from the poopering. It has launched a campaign to try and deter all concerned from making a mess of the streets and, in particular, to not use the streets for the purposes of taking a leak. I suppose this all goes back to the absence of public lavs, but there is the re-enactment angle to be taken into account. The Christians and Moors gig does suffer from inaccuracy in certain respects, e.g. the general absence of real Moors and a similar absence of overly much blood being spilled. But, in terms of bodily fluid historical rigidity, I would suggest that a mass relieving is not too far away from what actually happened. I would need to refer to primary sources to establish the fact, though I doubt they make great play of this aspect anyway. One has, therefore, to make a presumption - always a dodgy thing for a historian to do - but I fancy we are on pretty firm or pretty soggy ground in believing that the terror and length of battle may well have induced some bladder slackness. Moreover, I would also hazard the guess that there weren't "comfort breaks" when the protagonists could repair to the local inn, not that the Moors would have gone there anyway.

But we live in health and safety times, such times quite contrary to the hygiene standards of the Middle Ages, and so there have to be some firmly crossed legs or some regular bar pit-stops. History is not what it was.

For all the main events of Patrona, the concerts, the DJs, the giants, the dancing in the streets, oh and the Christians and the Moors, go to the listing on the WHAT'S ON BLOG. Cracking week of events. The dancing queen of the local fiestas.


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Eddie Cochran (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm2Mdma2dXw). Today's title - who originally? And only used as I am unaware of any songs in tribute to on-street leaking. Must be one - anyone?

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