BACKGROUND INFORMATION Informant
Mrs Rouse Treesmill summer 1982 Mrs Rouse pronounced this name as Gookow ('ow' to rhyme with how) which could either be the plural of 'gook' (a kind of working bonnet) in Cornish, the plural of the Cornish for a small boat 'Cok' or simply a dialect pronunciation of the English Cuckoo. However her juxtaposition of the term Gookow with the term 'good man' suggests it might have more to do with the Cornish adjective 'cok' meaning empty or worthless. Pencok is a derisory term literally meaning 'empty head'. When collected her description of the dance was a little vague, but similar to the millers dance. The Playford Dancing Master (14th edition 1709) also includes the 'Cookow Reel', although it bears no resemblance to Mrs Rowse's dance.
DANCE NOTATIONS There were no specific notations with this dance when it was collected, however, the description of the dance was as follows: Dancers form lines (or circles indoors) hand in hand. One person dances in and out of the arches and arms are brought down to catch him. If he is caught he joins the line and the one who caught him takes over. If he was caught then he was a Gookow. TUNE/SONG No specific tune was suggested when this dance was collected, music would vary according to the musicians/singers.
