"The Derby Ram" or "As I was Going to Derby" is a traditional tall tale English folk song ( Roud 126 ) that tells the story of a ram of gargantuan proportions and the difficulties involved in butchering , tanning , and otherwise processing its carcass.
82-577: Old Tup , sometimes termed the Derby Tup or the Derby Ram , is a folk custom found in an area of the East Midlands of England . Geographically, the custom was found on the borders of Derbyshire and Yorkshire and stretched into part of Nottinghamshire . The tradition entails the use of a hobby horse with a goat's head that is mounted on a pole and carried by an individual hidden under
164-521: A sackcloth . It represents a regional variation of a "hooded animal" tradition that appears in various forms throughout the British Isles. In geographical location and style it displays strong similarities with the Old Horse custom, but in the latter the hobby horse was presented as a horse rather than a ram. As recorded from the mid-nineteenth through to the early twentieth centuries, Old Tup
246-415: A "rational theory of tradition" applied to science which was fundamentally sociological. For Popper, each scientist who embarks on a certain research trend inherits the tradition of the scientists before them as he or she inherits their studies and any conclusions that superseded it. Unlike myth , which is a means of explaining the natural world through means other than logical criticism, scientific tradition
328-655: A 'continental' tradition, dominant in German and Romance speaking Europe. Increasingly central to continental philosophy is the project of deconstructing what its proponents, following Martin Heidegger , call 'the tradition', which began with Plato and Aristotle . In contrast, some continental philosophers - most notably, Hans-Georg Gadamer - have attempted to rehabilitate the tradition of Aristotelianism . This move has been replicated within analytic philosophy by Alasdair MacIntyre . However, MacIntyre has himself deconstructed
410-512: A chiefdom might be recognized by a colonial power as traditional in order to favour their own candidates for the job. Often these inventions were based in some form of tradition, but were exaggerated, distorted, or biased toward a particular interpretation. Invented traditions are central components of modern national cultures, providing a commonality of experience and promoting the unified national identity espoused by nationalism . Common examples include public holidays (particularly those unique to
492-399: A concept variously defined in different disciplines should not be confused with various traditions (perspectives, approaches) in those disciplines. Tradition is one of the key concepts in anthropology; it can be said that anthropology is the study of "tradition in traditional societies". There is however no "theory of tradition", as for most anthropologists the need to discuss what tradition
574-450: A group) has been observed. Such behavioral traditions may have evolutionary significance, allowing adaptation at a faster rate than genetic change. In the field of musicology and ethnomusicology tradition refers to the belief systems, repertoire, techniques, style and culture that is passed down through subsequent generations. Tradition in music suggests a historical context with which one can perceive distinguishable patterns. Along with
656-457: A group, that depends in part on socially aided learning for its generation in new practitioners", and has been called a precursor to "culture" in the anthropological sense. Behavioral traditions have been observed in groups of fish, birds, and mammals. Groups of orangutans and chimpanzees, in particular, may display large numbers of behavioral traditions, and in chimpanzees, transfer of traditional behavior from one group to another (not just within
738-671: A hobby horse knocking at doors over the Christmas period. In south-west England, there are two extant hobby horse traditions—the Padstow 'Obby 'Oss festival and Minehead Hobby Horse —which take place not at Christmas time but on May Day . According to A.L. Lloyd , "Old Tup" may be "a distinct relative of the Greek god Pan " or " the Devil himself". Although the origins of Britain's hooded animal traditions are not known with any certainty,
820-401: A market day, I met the finest Ram, Sir, That ever was fed on hay. Daddle-i-day, daddle-i-day, Fal-de-ral, fal-de-ral, daddle-i-day. This Ram was fat behind, Sir, This Ram was fat before, This Ram was ten yards high, Sir, Indeed he was no more. Daddle-i-day, etc. The Wool upon his back, Sir, Reached up unto the sky, The Eagles made their nests there, Sir, For I heard
902-467: A number of References to a ram throughout the architecture of Derby – perhaps the most notable is a large street sculpture on the junction of East Street and Albion Street by Michael Pegler . The following version is the one transcribed by Llewellynn Jewitt in The Ballads and Songs of Derbyshire (1867). The first three stanzas of this version are sung thus: As I was going to Derby, Sir, All on
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#1732781144658984-595: A number of international agreements and national laws. In addition to the fundamental protection of cultural property, there is also cooperation between the United Nations , UNESCO and Blue Shield International in the protection or recording of traditions and customs. The protection of culture and traditions is becoming increasingly important nationally and internationally. In many countries, concerted attempts are being made to preserve traditions that are at risk of being lost. A number of factors can exacerbate
1066-769: A part of the ancient tradition. Tradition changes slowly, with changes from one generation to the other being seen as significant. Thus, those carrying out the traditions will not be consciously aware of the change, and even if a tradition undergoes major changes over many generations, it will be seen as unchanged. There are various origins and fields of tradition; they can refer to: Many objects, beliefs and customs can be traditional. Rituals of social interaction can be traditional, with phrases and gestures such as saying "thank you", sending birth announcements , greeting cards , etc. Tradition can also refer to larger concepts practiced by groups (family traditions at Christmas ), organizations (company's picnic ) or societies, such as
1148-441: A particular nation), the singing of national anthems, and traditional national cuisine (see national dish ). Expatriate and immigrant communities may continue to practice the national traditions of their home nation. In science, tradition is often used in the literature in order to define the relationship of an author's thoughts to that of his or her field. In 1948, philosopher of science Karl Popper suggested that there should be
1230-426: A period of time. The term is especially common in the study of American archaeology . Biologists, when examining groups of non-humans, have observed repeated behaviors which are taught within communities from one generation to the next. Tradition is defined in biology as "a behavioral practice that is relatively enduring (i.e., is performed repeatedly over a period of time), that is shared among two or more members of
1312-495: A ram as their mascot and the ballad as their regimental song, a tradition that continued into the 95th Derbyshire Regiment, and subsequently the Sherwood Foresters Regiment, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, and Mercian Regiment, through regimental amalgamations. Similarly, the football team, Derby County F.C. (nicknamed "The Rams") have taken the ram as their club mascot. There are
1394-477: A sense of history, traditions have a fluidity that cause them to evolve and adapt over time. While both musicology and ethnomusicology are defined by being 'the scholarly study of music' they differ in their methodology and subject of research. 'Tradition, or traditions, can be presented as a context in which to study the work of a specific composer or as a part of a wide-ranging historical perspective.' The concept of tradition, in early sociological research (around
1476-600: A single highly publicized event, rather than developing and spreading organically in a population, as in the case of the white wedding dress , which only became popular after Queen Victoria wore a white gown at her wedding to Albert of Saxe-Coburg . An example of an invention of tradition is the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (location of the British Parliament ) in the Gothic style . Similarly, most of
1558-625: A society exhibiting modernity would value "individualism (with free will and choice), mobility, and progress." Another author discussing tradition in relationship to modernity, Anthony Giddens, sees tradition as something bound to ritual, where ritual guarantees the continuation of tradition. Gusfield and others, though, criticize this dichotomy as oversimplified, arguing that tradition is dynamic, heterogeneous, and coexists successfully with modernity even within individuals. Tradition should be differentiated from customs, conventions , laws, norms , routines, rules and similar concepts. Whereas tradition
1640-618: A tale as that of the Derby Ram", which suggests that the song was widely known at least in Derby by the early eighteenth century. Llewellyn Jewitt wrote about the song in his The Ballads and Songs of Derbyshire (1867), asserting that song had been alluded to for at least a century before that. By some accounts, US President George Washington once sang "The Derby Ram" to the twin sons of Oliver Ellsworth , William Wolcott Ellsworth and Henry Leavitt Ellsworth (b. 1791), while staying at
1722-404: A true British king, has inspired many well loved stories." Whether they are documented fact or not does not decrease their value as cultural history and literature. Traditions are subject of study in several academic fields of learning, especially in the humanities and social sciences , such as anthropology , archaeology , history , and sociology . The conceptualization of tradition, as
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#17327811446581804-527: A version learnt from her mother to Hamish Henderson in 1960, which can be heard on the Tobar an Dualchais website. Alan Lomax recorded a singer named Arthur Lennox of Aberdeen singing a version to in 1949, which he learnt from his father and was known to be performed by his great-grandfather; the recording can be heard via the Alan Lomax archive. James Madison Carpenter recorded several versions in
1886-458: A wooden frame covered by the horns and/or skin from a sheep's head. When the custom was carried out by children, sometimes simpler variants were used. At Pitsmoor , for example, there was an account produced of a child who had a sack placed over his head and whom was called "topsy". At Upperthorpe there was an account of a sack having its corners tied to resemble a sheep's horns. The tradition generally took place at Christmas time. Sometimes, it
1968-561: A working-class tradition by which adolescents could earn extra money. In the 1970s, there were forty-one Old Tup troupes recorded as being active in north-east Derbyshire. These were rooted largely in certain families and performed their act in pubs and clubs. By this point, it had undergone some changes, with women now taking part. The historian Ronald Hutton described it as "the most noteworthy example of continuously performed regional 'folk-drama' in Britain". Tradition A tradition
2050-520: Is a system of beliefs or behaviors ( folk custom ) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore , common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like lawyers' wigs or military officers' spurs ), but the idea has also been applied to social norms and behaviors such as greetings, etc. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years—
2132-513: Is also used in varying contexts in other fields, such as history, psychology and sociology . Social scientists and others have worked to refine the commonsense concept of tradition to make it into a useful concept for scholarly analysis. In the 1970s and 1980s, Edward Shils explored the concept in detail. Since then, a wide variety of social scientists have criticized traditional ideas about tradition; meanwhile, "tradition" has come into usage in biology as applied to nonhuman animals. Tradition as
2214-506: Is much more sparsely recorded in the north of this area, perhaps suggesting that it was less prevalent in this region. The folklorist E. C. Cawte suggested that the northernmost account of the Old Tup tradition, in the city of Leeds , is unreliable. He noted that this account was describing a tradition that took place seventy years before, and may not have taken place in Leeds at all. Old Tup
2296-423: Is often the unchanging form of certain arts that leads to their perception as traditional. For artistic endeavors, tradition has been used as a contrast to creativity , with traditional and folk art associated with unoriginal imitation or repetition, in contrast to fine art , which is valued for being original and unique. More recent philosophy of art, however, considers interaction with tradition as integral to
2378-413: Is presumed. It is presumed that at least two transmissions over three generations are required for a practice, belief or object to be seen as traditional. Some traditions were deliberately introduced for one reason or another, often to highlight or enhance the importance of a certain institution or truth. Traditions may also be adapted to suit the needs of the day, and the changes can become accepted as
2460-482: Is seems unnecessary, as defining tradition is both unnecessary (everyone can be expected to know what it is) and unimportant (as small differences in definition would be just technical). There are however dissenting views; scholars such as Pascal Boyer argue that defining tradition and developing theories about it are important to the discipline. In archaeology , the term tradition is a set of cultures or industries which appear to develop on from one another over
2542-623: Is supposed to be invariable, they are seen as more flexible and subject to innovation and change. Whereas justification for tradition is ideological , the justification for other similar concepts is more practical or technical. Over time, customs, routines, conventions, rules and such can evolve into traditions, but that usually requires that they stop having (primarily) a practical purpose. For example, wigs worn by lawyers were at first common and fashionable; spurs worn by military officials were at first practical but now are both impractical and traditional. The legal protection of tradition includes
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2624-452: Is the one that relates to rationality. It is also related to the works of Max Weber (see theories of rationality ), and were popularized and redefined in 1992 by Raymond Boudon in his book Action . In this context tradition refers to the mode of thinking and action justified as "it has always been that way". This line of reasoning forms the basis of the logical flaw of the appeal to tradition (or argumentum ad antiquitatem ), which takes
2706-574: Is usually contrasted with the goal of modernity and should be differentiated from customs, conventions, laws , norms , routines, rules and similar concepts. The English word tradition comes from the Latin traditio via French , the noun from the verb tradere (to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping); it was originally used in Roman law to refer to the concept of legal transfers and inheritance . According to Anthony Giddens and others,
2788-473: The Middle Ages , mummers performed plays which involved far-fetched tales and men dressed as animals, which probably included the Derby ram. In parts of Derbyshire , plays involving the song are still performed as part of the " Old Tup " hoodening tradition. In 1739, the vicar of St. Alkmund's Church, Derby, wrote at the end of a letter to his son, "And thus I conclude this long story; almost as long
2870-604: The Midlands and South Yorkshire ), which involved a singing and dancing procession of men accompanying a figure dressed as a sacred animal (often a goat or a ram) which represented a life-giving, seed-proliferating god. This tradition may have survived as the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance . As the Christianisation of England took place, the religious aspect faded but the celebrations remained, as
2952-502: The 1920s and 1930s, around northeastern England and Scotland , all of which can be heard on the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website. Irish traditional singer Robert Cinnamond sang "Derby Ram" in 1955, whilst Danny Brazil of Gloucestershire , England, sang a version called "Salsbury Ram" learnt from his Irish traveller parents. Since the eighteenth century when George Washington sang
3034-537: The Carnival released a version of the song on their 2010 self-titled album , changing the lyrics to refer to a suicide which occurred in Derby in 2008. Sweeney's Men released a version of the song as a single, "The Old Maid in the Garrett/Derby Ram" (Pye 7N 17312, 1967), also available on The Legend of Sweeney's Men compilation (2004). The New Christy Minstrels released an adaptation based on
3116-719: The Japanese government to be a precious legacy of the Japanese people, and are protected under the Japanese Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. This law also identifies people skilled at traditional arts as " National Living Treasures ", and encourages the preservation of their craft. For native peoples like the Māori in New Zealand, there is conflict between the fluid identity assumed as part of modern society and
3198-525: The Reeves - Wright mansion home in 1796 during one of his visits to Hartford, Connecticut . Countless variants of the song have been recorded from people throughout the English speaking world. Charlie Wills of Symondsbury , Dorset was recorded singing a lively rendition to Peter Kennedy in 1952. Dozens of other traditional English singers from all over England have been recorded singing variants of
3280-485: The State and local community. This view has been criticised for including in its notion of tradition practices which are no longer considered to be desirable, for example, stereotypical views of the place of women in domestic affairs . In other societies, especially ones experiencing rapid social change, the idea of what is "traditional" may be widely contested, with different groups striving to establish their own values as
3362-416: The butcher would mime the killing of Old Tup, who would then fall to the floor. The earliest record of the Old Tup custom comes from circa 1845. Various other records of it come from the latter half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Unlike other hooded animal traditions found elsewhere in Britain, the Old Tup custom does not appear to have died out at this point, and continued to be practised in
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3444-491: The catching of Old Tup's blood. Occasional characters that were sometimes included were the butcher's brother, the collector, and a leader for Old Tup. Some recorded instances also featured a blacksmith and his brother; these were stock characters in the Old Horse tradition which geographically overlapped that of Old Tup, and may be an element borrowed from the former by performers of the latter. This troupe would travel around
3526-681: The centrality and legitimacy of conservative religious values. Similarly, strands of orthodox theological thought from a number of world religions openly identify themselves as wanting a return to tradition. For example, the term " traditionalist Catholic " refers to those, such as Archbishop Lefebvre , who want the worship and practices of the Church to be as they were before the Second Vatican Council of 1962–65. Likewise, Sunni Muslims are referred to as Ahl el-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā‘ah ( Arabic : أهل السنة والجماعة ), literally "people of
3608-595: The charter holds that these languages "contribute to the maintenance and development of Europe's cultural wealth and traditions". The Charter goes on to call for "the use or adoption... of traditional and correct forms of place-names in regional or minority languages". Similarly, UNESCO includes both "oral tradition" and "traditional manifestations" in its definition of a country's cultural properties and heritage. So therefore it works to preserve tradition in countries such as Brazil. In Japan , certain artworks, structures, craft techniques and performing arts are considered by
3690-494: The collecting of Old Tup's blood in a bowl—and Old Tup would fall to the ground. They would then get back up, and the group would leave. " The Derby Tup" or "The Derby Ram " was a popular song associated with the tradition that varied between performers. This song spread to the United States where it was sung by George Washington and passed through oral traditions to singers such as Jean Ritchie . The Old Tup tradition
3772-455: The development of new artistic expression. In the social sciences, tradition is often contrasted with modernity , particularly in terms of whole societies. This dichotomy is generally associated with a linear model of social change, in which societies progress from being traditional to being modern. Tradition-oriented societies have been characterized as valuing filial piety , harmony and group welfare, stability, and interdependence , while
3854-465: The discussed context, passed through generations. The term " invention of tradition ", introduced by E. J. Hobsbawm , refers to situations when a new practice or object is introduced in a manner that implies a connection with the past that is not necessarily present. A tradition may be deliberately created and promulgated for personal, commercial, political, or national self-interest , as was done in colonial Africa; or it may be adopted rapidly based on
3936-498: The form "this is right because we've always done it this way." In most cases such an appeal can be refuted on the grounds that the "tradition" being advocated may no longer be desirable, or, indeed, may never have been despite its previous popularity. The idea of tradition is important in philosophy. Twentieth century philosophy is often divided between an 'analytic' tradition, dominant in Anglophone and Scandinavian countries, and
4018-464: The idea of 'the tradition', instead posing Aristotelianism as one philosophical tradition in rivalry with others. The concepts of tradition and traditional values are frequently used in political and religious discourse to establish the legitimacy of a particular set of values. In the United States in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the concept of tradition has been used to argue for
4100-503: The information that follows is known only through oral tradition, and is not supported (and perhaps may be refuted) by physical documentation, artifacts, or other reliable evidence. " Tradition " refers to the quality or origin of the information being discussed. For example, "According to tradition, Homer was born on Chios , but many other locales have historically claimed him as theirs." This tradition may never be proven or disproved. In another example, " King Arthur , according to history,
4182-441: The lack of any late medieval references to such practices may suggest that they emerged from the documented elite fashion for hobby horses in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In this, the hooded animal traditions may be comparable to England's Morris dance tradition, which became a "nation-wide craze" in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries before evolving into "a set of sharply delineated regional traditions". The age of
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#17327811446584264-443: The legitimate traditional ones. Defining and enacting traditions in some cases can be the means of building unity between subgroups in a diverse society; in other cases, tradition is a means of othering and keeping groups distinct from one another. In artistic contexts, in the performance of traditional genres (such as traditional dance ), adherence to traditional guidelines is of greater importance than performer's preferences. It
4346-456: The local area throughout the century. Old Tup's head was described as being that of a sheep, and was often carved out of wood. In some instances, the wooden tongue of Old Tup was reported as having been painted red. In other instances, there were reports of a real sheep's head, as opposed to a wooden one, being used; these reports include complaints as to the smell of the head. In others, a combination of wooden and real elements were included, with
4428-536: The loss of tradition, including industrialization, globalization , and the assimilation or marginalization of specific cultural groups. Customary celebrations and lifestyles are among the traditions that are sought to be preserved. Likewise, the concept of tradition has been used to defend the preservation and reintroduction of minority languages such as Cornish under the auspices of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . Specifically,
4510-505: The modern meaning of tradition evolved during the Enlightenment period, in opposition to modernity and progress . As with many other generic terms, there are many definitions of tradition. The concept includes a number of interrelated ideas; the unifying one is that tradition refers to beliefs, objects or customs performed or believed in the past, originating in it, transmitted through time by being taught by one generation to
4592-408: The need for the principles of natural law and transcendent moral order, hierarchy and organic unity , agrarianism , classicism and high culture , and the intersecting spheres of loyalty. Traditionalists would therefore reject the notions of individualism , liberalism, modernity, and social progress , but promote cultural and educational renewal, and revive interest in the Church, the family,
4674-463: The next, and include handmade textiles, paintings, stories, legends, ceremonies, music, songs, rhythms and dance." The Derby Ram The song is thought to have developed from ancient pagan rituals involving the worship of rams. In the local area, it was associated with the " Old Tup " custom, a form of hoodening . The song was extremely popular in Britain by the eighteenth century, and naturally travelled to North America with settlers where it
4756-527: The notion of holding on to a previous time, is also found in political and philosophical discourse. For example, it is the basis of the political concept of traditionalism , and also strands of many world religions including traditional Catholicism . In artistic contexts, tradition is used to decide the correct display of an art form . For example, in the performance of traditional genres (such as traditional dance), adherence to guidelines dictating how an art form should be composed are given greater importance than
4838-724: The other, and are performed or believed in the present. Tradition can also refer to beliefs or customs that are Prehistoric , with lost or arcane origins, existing from time immemorial . Originally, traditions were passed orally, without the need for a writing system . Tools to aid this process include poetic devices such as rhyme , epic stories and alliteration . The stories thus preserved are also referred to as tradition, or as part of an oral tradition . Even such traditions, however, are presumed to have originated (been "invented" by humans) at some point. Traditions are often presumed to be ancient , unalterable, and deeply important, though they may sometimes be much less "natural" than
4920-399: The performer's own preferences. A host of factors can exacerbate the loss of tradition , including industrialization , globalization , and the assimilation or marginalization of specific cultural groups. In response to this, tradition-preservation attempts and initiatives have now been started in many countries around the world, focusing on aspects such as traditional languages . Tradition
5002-463: The practice of national and public holidays. Some of the oldest traditions include monotheism (three millennia) and citizenship (two millennia). It can also include material objects, such as buildings, works of art or tools. Tradition is often used as an adjective , in contexts such as traditional music , traditional medicine , traditional values and others. In such constructions tradition refers to specific values and materials particular to
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#17327811446585084-440: The present and as a form of rationality used to justify certain course of action. Traditional society is characterized by lack of distinction between family and business, division of labor influenced primarily by age, gender, and status, high position of custom in the system of values, self-sufficiency, preference to saving and accumulation of capital instead of productive investment, relative autarky . Early theories positing
5166-419: The procession became a means of raising beer-money. A.L. Lloyd stated that the song was sung by village youths who travelled house-to-house at midwinter (as with many other traditions such as wassailing and souling ), one of whom was "dressed in sheepskin to represent the old Tup ". At this point, Tup still "had the power to confer or withhold good luck for the coming year" and was linked to fertility. In
5248-453: The settlement, knocking on doors and requesting admission. Once they had been admitted, Old Tup would either try to escape or would attack the assembled audience, while the troupe would sing a song known as "The Derby Tup". In some instances, the troupe would then receive money and leave. However, in about half of recorded instances, the troupe performed another act, in which the butcher mimed the killing of Old Tup—sometimes with one member miming
5330-399: The simple, unilineal evolution of societies from traditional to industrial model are now seen as too simplistic. In 1981, Edward Shils in his book Tradition put forward a definition of tradition that became universally accepted. According to Shils, tradition is anything which is transmitted or handed down from the past to the present. Another important sociological aspect of tradition
5412-515: The song, including William Rew of Devon (1954), Ben Baxter of Norfolk (1955), Kathleen Gentle of Westmorland (1968), Adge Blackburn of Lincolnshire (1970), Les Hartley of Yorkshire (1975), Bob Mills of Hampshire (1981), and naturally many traditional singers in Derbyshire . The song appears to have been popular in Scotland . The traditional singer Jeannie Robertson sang
5494-472: The song, many versions have remained in the oral tradition of rural Americans. Notable American performers of the song include the famous Appalachian singer Jean Ritchie , who sang her family version to Alan Lomax in 1949, which can be heard online. Fellow Appalachians Bascam Lamar Lunsford (1928, 1937 and 1956), Fiddlin' John Carson (1930), Doug Wallin (1983) also recorded versions learnt within their communities. Many other recordings were made in
5576-550: The southern United States, and Helen Hartness Flanders collected many versions in the New England region. Lots of traditional recordings were also made throughout Canada by folklorists such as Helen Creighton , Edith Fowke and Kenneth Peacock . The song and the association of a ram with the city of Derby and used by a number of groups based there. In 1855, the First Regiment of Derbyshire Militia adopted
5658-471: The tradition [of Muhammad ] and the community", emphasizing their attachment to religious and cultural tradition. More generally, tradition has been used as a way of determining the political spectrum , with right-wing parties having a stronger affinity to certain ways of the past than left-wing ones. Here, the concept of adherence tradition is embodied by the political philosophy of traditionalist conservatism (or simply traditionalism ), which emphasizes
5740-459: The tradition is not known. The earliest recorded example of the tradition came from Hemsworth circa 1845. "The Derby Tup" song is known from older period, with a sailor from New England having learned a version of it during the War of 1812 . Unlike other hooded animal traditions, the performance of the Old Tup custom did not die out during the twentieth century. By the 1970s, it was still recorded as
5822-535: The traditional identity with the obligations that accompany it; the loss of language heightens the feeling of isolation and damages the ability to perpetuate tradition. The phrase " traditional cultural expressions " is used by the World Intellectual Property Organization to refer to "any form of artistic and literary expression in which traditional culture and knowledge are embodied. They are transmitted from one generation to
5904-529: The traditions associated with monarchy of the United Kingdom , seen as rooted deep in history, actually date to 19th century. Other examples include the invention of tradition in Africa and other colonial holdings by the occupying forces. Requiring legitimacy , the colonial power would often invent a "tradition" which they could use to legitimize their own position. For example, a certain succession to
5986-415: The troupe was the butcher, who wore a leather apron, knife, and steel. Other recurring characters were the old man and the old woman—the latter played by a man in women's clothing, sometimes carrying a broom—and figures referred to as Beelzebub and Little Devil Doubt. These were characters likely adopted from established Mummers plays . Some troupes included a boy or old man who carried a bowl in which to mime
6068-455: The turn of the 19th and 20th century), referred to that of the traditional society , as contrasted by the more modern industrial society . This approach was most notably portrayed in Max Weber 's concepts of traditional authority and modern rational-legal authority . In more modern works, One hundred years later, sociology sees tradition as a social construct used to contrast past with
6150-468: The word tradition itself derives from the Latin word tradere literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping. While it is reportedly assumed that traditions have an ancient history, many traditions have been invented on purpose, whether it be political or cultural, over short periods of time. Various academic disciplines also use the word in a variety of ways. The phrase "according to tradition" or "by tradition" usually means that
6232-495: The young ones cry. Daddle-i-day, etc. The song was adapted by the English composer John Wall Callcott (1766–1821) into a 3 part glee . Merle Travis recorded a version of the song which was called "Darby's Ram". The Kossoy Sisters also recorded a version titled "The Darby Ram" on their 1956 album Bowling Green. A.L. Lloyd sang an upbeat version of "The Derby Ram" with banjo and chorus accompaniment on English Drinking Songs (1956). British folk rock band Erland and
6314-403: Was a tradition performed at Christmas time. Men would form into teams to accompany Old Tup on its travels around the local area, and although the makeup of such groups varied, they typically included an individual identified as a butcher, a crossdresser, and Beelzebub. The team would carry Old Tup to local houses, where they would expect payment for their appearance. In some of these performances,
6396-513: Was inherited from Socrates, who proposed critical discussion, according to Popper. For Thomas Kuhn , who presented his thoughts in a paper presented in 1977, a sense of such a critical inheritance of tradition is, historically, what sets apart the best scientists who change their fields is an embracement of tradition. Traditions are a subject of study in several academic fields in social sciences —chiefly anthropology, archaeology , and biology—with somewhat different meanings in different fields. It
6478-470: Was part of a wider "hooded animal" tradition that Cawte identified as existing in different forms in various parts of Britain. Features common to these customs were the use of a hobby horse, the performance at Christmas time, a song or spoken statement requesting payment, and the use of a team who included a man dressed in women's clothing. In South Wales, the Mari Lwyd tradition featured troupes of men with
6560-566: Was recorded as being extant in an area of the East Midlands of England that was twenty miles across. This area straddles the border between Derbyshire and Yorkshire and also extends partly into Nottinghamshire . The city of Sheffield was in the centre of the area in which the tradition was recorded. The area of the tradition was bordered to the west by the moorland of the Peak District . 37 teams were recorded as existing in this area, averaging at one group every three miles. The tradition
6642-466: Was recorded as taking place on a specific day during this period, such as Christmas Eve , Christmas Day , or Boxing Day . In some recorded instances, particularly in Derbyshire, it took place on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day . The troupe was made up of between four and six men and boys. Each took on a different character or role, and usually blackened their faces. The most common character in
6724-495: Was thought to have been sung by George Washington . Because of its popularity, the city of Derby has adopted ram imagery in its architecture and for its sports teams . According to A.L. Lloyd , the ram (known as " Old Tup ") may be "a distinct relative of the Greek god Pan " or a representation of " the Devil himself". The tradition could have originated as the Anglo Saxon pagan midwinter ram-ritual (most prevalent in
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