The Isle of Man has a rich history of traditional folk music, dance and tales. Manx music officer Chloe Woolley takes a look at the stories that lie behind some of the best-known songs.

The island is witnessing a renewed surge of interest in the ancient tradition of Hop tu Naa.

More than ever, schools, businesses, government and the general public are intentionally calling the festival its distinctive Manx name.

Relating to Hogmanay, Sauin and the Celtic New Year’s Eve, Hop tu Naa joins Hunt the Wren as one of the island’s oldest continuous traditions. As well as scooping out turnip lanterns and fortune-telling, there is a dance and a plethora of songs passed down through the oral tradition.

The songs are well documented. Back in 1845, Joseph Train collected the singing rhyme: ’Hop tu Naa, If you are going to give us anything, give us it soon. Or we’ll be away by the light of the moon’.

In 1890, the Manx celebration attracted the attention of J.G. Frazer in his study of magic and religion, The Golden Bough: ’Bands of young men perambulated the island by night, and at the door of every dwelling-house they struck up a Manx rhyme, beginning "Noght oie howney hop-dy-naw", that is to say, "This is Hollantide Eve".’

There are many variants on the Hop tu Naa rhyme and over time, elements have been transformed.

The grinning pole cat in the Manx Gaelic song is called a wild cat, bull cat and witch cat in other versions and, depending on the storyline, the singer can discover an old woman ’baking bannocks and roasting collops’ in Scotland, ’baking cakes’ in London or, back on home turf, ’baking bonnags’!

Although I was brought up in Maughold, my mum was originally from Peel and so she taught me and many of my friends the Peel song she knew (printed above).

The Vocabulary of the Anglo-Manx Dialect (1924) quotes a very similar version from Peel and explains that ’the children repeat the rhyme of "Hop-the-nei" and collect coppers for a "taffy spree" to be held later in the evening among themselves. If money is refused, the boys bang the doors with cabbage-stalks and turnips.’

The infamous Jinny the Witch makes her first appearance around 1893.

T.E. Brown noted a song being sung in Castletown, which went: ’Jenny Squinney went over the wall, To get a rod to beat the foal. Hop tu Naa. Jenny Squinney went over the house, to get a rod to beat the mouse. Hop tu Naa.’

Over time, Jenny or Joney has become Jinny, and, as well as being a standalone rhyme, her refrain closes most of the other songs.

On October 31, make sure you ask for a song when theknock comes to your door, and don’t forget to give extra treats for turnip lanterns.

There is everything you need to know about Hop tu Naa on Culture Vannin’s website, including extensive research by Stephen Miller RBV and the dance tune is this month’s guitar tutorial film.

Hop tu Naa, Put in the pot,

Hop tu Naa, Scald my trot [throat],

Hop tu Naa, I met an ole woman,

Hop tu Naa, She was baking bonnags,

Hop tu Naa, I asked her for a bit,

Hop tu Naa, She gave me a bit, as big as my big toe.

Hop tu Naa, She dipped it in milk,

Hop tu Naa, She wrapped it in silk,

Hop tu Naa, trol la laa.

Jinny the witch went over the house, to catch a stick to lather the mouse.

Hop tu Naa, trol la laa.

If you don’t give us something, we’ll run away with the light of the moon.

by Chloe Woolley

Manx Music Development Officer

www.manxmusic.com