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Oie Houney Or Hop Tu Naa


staaue

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Rhymes said :

I think it's really stupid to turn it into a nationalist rant though!
Is it? :P

 

Us Mancuians also use turnips!
No they don't, not in the south of Manchester and not in the past 15 years. They (The Chavs.. sorry kids) stand at your door dressed in a cut up bin bag mumbling "trick or treat" and if you say trick, they stand there blank faced wondering what to do; and thats the truth, seen it at my mums many a time :lol:

 

What's wrong with Bury in any case?
Nothing Mr Rhymes, I was on a bury forum the other night spouting opinions that had F-all to do with me, but eh, we're all entitled to our opinions. :D

 

Amadeus said :

you can't make something like this out of a turnip:
Get out there and find one big enough fella, its never been a problem in the past. I think bigger ones will be sold near to Hop tu naa.

 

Besides Pumpkins stink real nasty.

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In the late 1970's we used to wander around Peel with a turnip (swede to all those foreigners out there)singing this Peel / Douglas mixture, because it seemed to generate the most money:

 

Hop-tu-naa- I met an old woman

Hop-tu-naa - She was baking bonnags

Hop-tu-naa- I asked for a bit

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

Hop-tu-naa She dipped it in milk

Hop-tu-naa -She wrapped it in silk

Hop-tu-Naa, Tra-la-laa

 

Jinny the Witch went over the house

To fetch a stick to ladder the mouse

 

Hop-tu-Naa, Tra-la-laa

My father's gone away

and he won't be back until the morning

 

Give us a penny and we'll fly away

By the light of the mooooooon!

 

We used to use the stalk of the turnip as a handle / candle holder and the root as a hat / lid. A friend who had moved to Peel from Douglas used to use string, but, her turnip always split before the night was over, so we were never converted. We never wore costumes - nobody did.

 

When hollowing out the turnip, we started out with knives, for the first few cuts, then continued with desert spoons, all of which were bent by the end of the night. Eating the sweet flesh as we carved was a wonderful treat. A scary face was always the main design and was put on the best side of the turnip, with smaller designs, such as cats, stars, a moon and cobwebs around the remaining sides. We took care not to put a hole all the way through the turnip as the thin flesh glows beautifully when lit from behind once the outer peel is removed. It also stopped the candle from blowing out to often. The hollowed out root was placed on top as a hat, and a chimney cut to prevent the lid shrinking too quickly.

 

I remember every child would head straight for Mr Jerry's house because he always gave us homemade fudge instead of money - a novelty in those days when money was the norm.

 

The smell of candles slowly cooking the turnips and the resistance style exchange of information regarding which houses to visit (or not) are amongst the memories that of my childhood that I will always treasure. To this end, I will be teaching my daughter to sing hop-tu-naa and will help her to calve her turnip.

 

Those who turn up at my door saying "trick or treat" will be asked to sing Hop tu naa. If they can't or won't they will receive a sweet and a copy of the words. Those who make the effort to hollow out a turnip and sing "hop tu naa" will get a few coins and a hand full of sweets.

 

I have tried this for the last few years. I have never had any complaints and have often been thanked.

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In the late 1970's we used to wander around Peel with a turnip (swede to all those foreigners out there)singing this Peel / Douglas mixture, because it seemed to generate the most money:

 

Hop-tu-naa- I met an old woman

Hop-tu-naa - She was baking bonnags

Hop-tu-naa- I asked for a bit

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

Hop-tu-naa She dipped it in milk

Hop-tu-naa -She wrapped it in silk

Hop-tu-Naa, Tra-la-laa

 

Jinny the Witch went over the house

To fetch a stick to ladder the mouse

 

Hop-tu-Naa, Tra-la-laa

My father's gone away

and he won't be back until the morning

 

Give us a penny and we'll fly away

By the light of the mooooooon!

 

We used to use the stalk of the turnip as a handle / candle holder and the root as a hat / lid. A friend who had moved to Peel from Douglas used to use string, but, her turnip always split before the night was over, so we were never converted. We never wore costumes - nobody did.

 

When hollowing out the turnip, we started out with knives, for the first few cuts, then continued with desert spoons, all of which were bent by the end of the night. Eating the sweet flesh as we carved was a wonderful treat. A scary face was always the main design and was put on the best side of the turnip, with smaller designs, such as cats, stars, a moon and cobwebs around the remaining sides. We took care not to put a hole all the way through the turnip as the thin flesh glows beautifully when lit from behind once the outer peel is removed. It also stopped the candle from blowing out to often. The hollowed out root was placed on top as a hat, and a chimney cut to prevent the lid shrinking too quickly.

 

I remember every child would head straight for Mr Jerry's house because he always gave us homemade fudge instead of money - a novelty in those days when money was the norm.

 

The smell of candles slowly cooking the turnips and the resistance style exchange of information regarding which houses to visit (or not) are amongst the memories that of my childhood that I will always treasure. To this end, I will be teaching my daughter to sing hop-tu-naa and will help her to calve her turnip.

 

Those who turn up at my door saying "trick or treat" will be asked to sing Hop tu naa. If they can't or won't they will receive a sweet and a copy of the words. Those who make the effort to hollow out a turnip and sing "hop tu naa" will get a few coins and a hand full of sweets.

 

I have tried this for the last few years. I have never had any complaints and have often been thanked.

 

 

 

Feer vie Dreemskerry, an excellent post. :D:D

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Dear Staaue,

 

1, Who said you could go to South Manchester? :whistling:

 

2, Well they should use turnips just like in the Isle of Man. When I was growing up it was turnips all the way! This seems to be Americanisation again. I also lamented the passing of traditions from other parts of these Islands.

 

3, Seeing as you know the place I'm really a Salfordian but most people scratch their heads when I say that...

 

3, I would say it is my business as they knock on my house singing and asking for stuff.

 

4, I have simply traded places with the Manx Man that I grew up with (and he still lives in Salford). He says it's OK and I don't argue with him as he is built like a tank.

 

5, They are Scallies not Chav's!

 

6, You know what they say "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel" and I couldn't agree more.

 

7, List making is the last refuge of a ****...

 

8, I got mixed up as between turnips and sweeds...

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In the late 1970's we used to wander around Peel with a turnip (swede to all those foreigners out there)singing this Peel / Douglas mixture, because it seemed to generate the most money:

 

Hop-tu-naa- I met an old woman

Hop-tu-naa - She was baking bonnags

Hop-tu-naa- I asked for a bit

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

Hop-tu-naa She dipped it in milk

Hop-tu-naa -She wrapped it in silk

Hop-tu-Naa, Tra-la-laa

 

Jinny the Witch went over the house

To fetch a stick to ladder the mouse

 

Hop-tu-Naa, Tra-la-laa

My father's gone away

and he won't be back until the morning

 

Give us a penny and we'll fly away

By the light of the mooooooon!

 

We used to use the stalk of the turnip as a handle / candle holder and the root as a hat / lid. A friend who had moved to Peel from Douglas used to use string, but, her turnip always split before the night was over, so we were never converted. We never wore costumes - nobody did.

 

When hollowing out the turnip, we started out with knives, for the first few cuts, then continued with desert spoons, all of which were bent by the end of the night. Eating the sweet flesh as we carved was a wonderful treat. A scary face was always the main design and was put on the best side of the turnip, with smaller designs, such as cats, stars, a moon and cobwebs around the remaining sides. We took care not to put a hole all the way through the turnip as the thin flesh glows beautifully when lit from behind once the outer peel is removed. It also stopped the candle from blowing out to often. The hollowed out root was placed on top as a hat, and a chimney cut to prevent the lid shrinking too quickly.

 

I remember every child would head straight for Mr Jerry's house because he always gave us homemade fudge instead of money - a novelty in those days when money was the norm.

 

The smell of candles slowly cooking the turnips and the resistance style exchange of information regarding which houses to visit (or not) are amongst the memories that of my childhood that I will always treasure. To this end, I will be teaching my daughter to sing hop-tu-naa and will help her to calve her turnip.

 

Those who turn up at my door saying "trick or treat" will be asked to sing Hop tu naa. If they can't or won't they will receive a sweet and a copy of the words. Those who make the effort to hollow out a turnip and sing "hop tu naa" will get a few coins and a hand full of sweets.

 

I have tried this for the last few years. I have never had any complaints and have often been thanked.

 

 

 

 

Feer vie Dreemskerry, an excellent post. :D:D

 

 

 

Thats how I remember Hop tu naa night too, glad to see the old ways are still being taught.

;););)

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  • 11 months later...
A reminder to all you Manksies out there, don't forget your customs. We don't do trick'a'treat and don't do pumpkins.. :P:P

 

If you come to my door trick'a'treat'n then you'll learn some new Manks words.... :angry:

 

The traditional song will of course be rewarded with goodies.. :D

 

;)

 

 

reminder...nearly that time of year again....

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Hope the candidates are out canvassing that night. Even though they're far more scary than any lanterns, you can just hand them a few sweets and tell them to p**s off!

 

Do you have any idea how hard it is to carve "VOTE BABB" into a root vegetable? :P

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A 'version' of hop tu naa is on moot's myspace

moot myspace

 

You can download it for free - its off our upcoming album Holdfast

 

I'd load it to hear but it's too big

 

The words we used were partly Peel 1978 (ish) and some from douglas in the 1960's mixed together.

 

There is a freudian slip in the words near the start

Moot is deffo manx dialect for turnip

 

 

I have been told it is Australian slang for a ladies fanjita :o

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