Haxey Hood Tussle: A Centuries-Old Tradition

 

For 700 years on every Twelfth Night (Jan. 6), the North Lincolnshire villagers of Westwoodside and Haxey compete in the Haxey Hood. It all started when Lady de Mowbray lost her hat to a stiff breeze while out riding. The local farm labourers chased after it bringing it back to the lady. She was so pleased she handed out bits of land and a few titles.

The person who returned the hat was honoured as The Lord of the Hood. The person who actually caught the hood was too afraid to give it to Lady de Mowbray, so he was named The Fool. The other participants were called Boggins. According to legend, this was because each time the hood changed hands during the chase, the lady called, It’s boggined again."

Lady de Mowbray decreed that the chase be restaged each year. Everyone was to wear red jackets except for The Fool, who was supposed to dress like a harlequin.

Believed to be one of the oldest traditional tussles in Britain, the competition takes place in a field in Haxey. The Fool starts things off from his stone in front of Haxey Parish Church. A small fire is started behind him to “smoke the fool.” After leading the crowd up the hill, the children start their games soon followed by the main game.

The hood is actually a long leather cylinder that is thrown into the air by the Fool near the site of the original chase to start the game. When it falls, the teams, made up of the local pub regulars, surround the hood and try to sway it out of the field and through the streets.

The Lord of the Hood referees the game assisted by his Chief Boggin. Both men dress in scarlet hunting coats and hats decorated with flowers and plumes. The ceremonial Fool, dressed colourfully in a blazer decorated with rags, and a group of Boggins in red sweaters keep the game under control. This provides a challenge. Since the hood cannot be kicked or thrown and no one is allowed to run off with it, the Haxey Hood turns into one, giant mud wrestle. The game ends when one of the teams gets the hood back to their favourite hostelry for a celebration and the honour of holding the Hood for the next year.

Keep Your Brain Fit

Like any other part of your body, your brain needs exercise to stay healthy. Although physical exercise can encourage the growth of new brain cells, mental exercises will also help your mind stay sharp. Incorporate these strategies into your life:

• Mix up your routine. When you take the same route to work every day or even fix the kind of sandwich for your lunch, your mind stops stretching itself. Look for different activities that force you to think about what you’re doing.

• Stay mentally active. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku and other games can keep your mind in shape. So can taking a class, learning a new language or reading something challenging in a book group.

• Reduce your stress. Easier said than done for many of us, but meditation, yoga and getting plenty of sleep can relieve pressure that interferes with the ability to form fresh memories.

• Socialize. Don’t let yourself get isolated. Talking to people and making new friends will stimulate your brain and give you more opportunities to learn and grow.

• Test yourself. Make up a few simple mental exercises. For example, try to identify the coins in your pocket or the keys you carry by touch instead of sight.