Gatherings | togetherness tied through evolving traditions

The new surge of the latest folk revival shares a focus on connection, inclusion and issues from Old Crokern rising on Dartmoor to new Morris troops dancing against Fascism, which makes the Gatherings series incredibly zeitgeisty. Not bad for something that delves into the dim and distant of some of the British Folk Traditions that have endured.

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One of the strengths of the series is the range of voices. The modern-day world is coloured, shaped and enriched by the reality of organising and connecting these ongoing events which tie communities together and link the now to the past. It’s a deliberate approach from filmmaker Dave Brewis that allows communities to speak for themselves.

“I wanted to make space for the people who carry these traditions – the custodians, not commentators,” said Dave. “By listening rather than explaining, we discover something deeper: our instinct to gather, our need for belonging and our connection to place.”

Gatherings, begins with the South Queensferry Burryman: a man covered in burrs – the part of the burdock plant that sticks to clothing (and said to inspire the tug and rip of easy-hook fastening). Every year, the splay-legged figure makes his rounds of the town. Historically, the stiff, green man has scared some children, but he is welcomed by most as he strides on, stopping off only to glug some whiskey and be touched for good luck.

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Early in the Burryman episode, volunteers collect the burrs in a field that is caught between trains zooming by and planes landing and taking off at the nearby Edinburgh airport. Even in this modern world, the time-worn traditions live on side by side with the hustle and the bustle.

A sense of togetherness runs through the Gatherings series, even when there’s contrived conflict, like the Uppies verses the Doonies in sunny Jedburgh with the Jethart Hand Ba’, where different parts of the town still compete each year for ribboned balls.

The series also covers Rushbearing at Sowerby Bridge and the Haxey Hood in North Lincolnshire. There’s nothing from Cornwall, Devon or the South West, but don’t be too disappointed. That gaze up country is enriching and informative, and inspires some local exploration. Field System in Ashburton, Devon, is a good place to start and to experience the ongoing blur between traditions and now.

Gatherings captures the people and their practices. Now these might include fire-wardens and health and safety considerations, but they are to protect the ancient acts as much as the participants. It is a rich reminder of the quirk and connection that runs through these isles. Neither hijacked by traditionalists nor complacency, these traditions live on, thrive and evolve. Gatherings is an ideal accompaniment and a spur to deeper connection, whether that’s to the past or the communities of now that keep those traditions going, and that sense of living, alive.

Gatherings is available to buy on Apple TV, YouTube & Amazon Prime Video. Explore more.