There are several Obby Oss traditions in Cornwall, perhaps the most famous of these being the Padstow May Day Obby Osses. Although the music is very strong, the dance for Padstow May Day has virtually been lost. However, in 1914 Cecil Sharp did comment on the steps used by the ‘Teaser’ (the person who leads the Oss); “The steps are improvised, consisting of various forms of back step, hockleback, swing steps etc. The clubman (teaser) every now and again passing by the side of the horse (obby oss) and facing him repeating the dance on the other side.” This perhaps suggests that part of the dance is still alive in the moves of the teaser. Obby Osses, ritual beasts and festive monsters seem to be found in folk traditions world wide, and Cornwall is no exception. In addition to Padstow’s Obby Oss there was also a tradition in West Penwith of a similar creature, Penglas . Penglas, meaning grey or blue head, was a horse’s skull that came out on various festive occasions, in particular the midsummer fire festival ‘Golowan’. Pengwyn, a deliberate pun meaning ‘white head’ in Kernewek, and sounding like ‘penguin’, materialised early in the festival Lowender Peran’s formative years, and travelled widely with then Cornish dance group Cam Kernewek. Penglas and Pengwyn have a close relative in the form of ‘Mari Lwyd’, from Wales, who can be found in St Fagans Folk museum and frequently accompanies Welsh dance group, Dawnswyr Pen Y Fai. Mari Lwyd has come to Lowender Peran to meet Pengwyn on several occasions. The Golowan festival in Penzance have now revived the original Penglaz and placed him firmly back on the seasonal calendar of Cornish Festivals where he belongs. A number of other osses have also materialised with the Tamar Troylers "Gert Oss”, Nanstallon Schools “Pen Ynny”, Tan Ha Dowr’s “Pen Tan”and both Asteveryn and Bolingey Troyl Band sporting their own Obby Osses. Many of these Osses can be seen in their full glory on the Saturday morning of the Lowender Peran festival in a pageant through the streets of Perranporth.
