Charivari!
So I’m taking a class called Canadian Intellectual Traditions, and the other day we were talking about the charivari. It’s a French-Canadian custom from the 17th-19th centuries during which the habitants would protest what they perceived to be ‘mis-matched’ marriages - older women who had married young men, widowers who had re-married too soon, etc. They would do this by going to the newlyweds’ house at night, dressed up as authority figures (the clergy, their landlords, members of government), and jeer at them, causing trouble until the couple agreed to pay a fine. Half of the fine would go to the poor, and the other half would be used by the participants of the charivari to go drinking. It was one of their methods of social control. The community could shun them for as long as it took for the couple to recognize the power of the charivari. And if the couple refused to pay up, the charivari would continue night after night, sometimes for weeks. If you tried to shoot at them or respond in any way, they could turn violent.
I feel I should add that these kinds of customs should not really surprise you if you know much about French-Canadian history. The habitants had a habit of gambling and smoking in church, or they'd bring their dogs with them, or they'd trip the priest on his way up the stairs. If they were called to escort a prisoner as members of the militia, they would show up without their horses (they would 'forget them') and thus be unable to escort the prisoner. Basically, they were hilarious.
Anyway, in class Kayleigh decides to provide an example of a charivari, and goes, “Say Janet marries a fifteen-year-old boy.” And Janet is sitting right there and we’re all trying not to laugh and failing miserably. And then Kayleigh continues, “So we decide to do a charivari. Sam dresses up as a... pirate, and Glendy is a... cowboy...” And then we start cracking jokes about how neither of those are authority figures and those disguises wouldn’t do much to disguise our identity, etc. Plus, earlier in the seminar, I had suggested that 19th-century Quebec was “like the Wild West, because there was no local government. Except with fewer cowboys.” And Dr. Webb said, “...There were no cowboys.” And I said, “There was probably one!” And he said, “...No. Quebec was not like the Wild West.” And I said, “If you guys take anything from this seminar, let it be that Quebec was like the Wild West!” So the cowboy bit tied in nicely with that. We also invented a character named Pierre, whom we accused of being unable to lead a rebellion because he was a mere habitant and not one of the elite.
So, after that long explanation, allow me to present you with the wonders of Facebook.
Janet Sonnenburg Falkingham is reminding everyone that if anyone ever subjects you to a charivari, don't fight back! it only makes things worse!
Glendy at 11:54pm May 27
LOL, you would know the feeling jk jk LOL :P
Samantha at 1:16am May 28
Most of us haven't had that experience because most of us haven't married a 15-year-old boy.
As for me and Glendy, we'll be the ones in the pirate & cowboy costumes.
Heather at 2:33am May 28
i married a 15 year old boy when i was 5 but it was okay coz he was my cousin/uncle
Glendy at 11:22am May 28
Ya... cause in a cowboy costume there's totally a mask to cover my face LOL :D
Heather at 11:50am May 28
Glendy remember that real cowboys wear a banana on their face!
Heather at 11:50am May 28
oops maybe that should be a bandana
Kaleigh at 11:59am May 28
How are you and your husband doing? I'm sorry we kept you up all night, but this will continue UNTIL YOU PAY US!!!!!!
Heather at 12:08pm May 28
i doubt it was you who kept her up, if i had a young'un with me I think it might be something else keeping me awake.
Samantha at 1:14pm May 28
And pirates and cowboys ARE authority figures. I mean, Quebec was FULL of 'em (especially cowboys as it was like the Wild West).
Heather at 2:37pm May 28
do pirates still tie up maidens and ravage them?
Samantha at 4:51pm May 28
Nah. The maidens have all unionized now and they don't allow that kind of nonsense anymore.
Glendy at 6:06pm May 28
Yes... cause Quebec is totally like the Wild West LOL
Kaleigh at 6:22pm May 28
let's commit sacrilege, I'll dress as a priest and you guys can drink and smoke in the church with me, prior to Janet's charivari!
Samantha at 6:43pm May 28
I'll bring my dog! And Glendy can bring Pierre!
Kaleigh at 6:53pm May 28
DON'T BRING PIERRE! that guy is a tool!
Glendy at 7:00pm May 28
Wait... why can't I bring Pierre? LOL
Samantha at 7:08pm May 28
Pierre is the life of the party! I always invite him to social gatherings. But I never invite him to rebellions.
Kaleigh at 7:09pm May 28
...especially revolutions
Janet at 9:28pm May 28
you guys look like you were having fun while I was at work all day! leave poor Pierre alone.. he's tired of being the life of the party.
Kaleigh at 10:12pm May 28
it's not over yet, you have no idea. wait until tonight. pierre can come, if he provides the brandy.
Janet at 11:23pm May 28
leave me and my 15 year old husband alone! we didn't do anything to you! I'm not paying nothing! And you all better watch out, I'm a good shot with this here shotgun!
Glendy at 11:56pm May 28
Well if we hear the shots... you'll see the fire. It's a fair exchange LOL
Samantha at 12:11am May 29
Pierre WILL provide the brandy. I also told him to bathe, as he hasn't done so in quite some time.
Don't make us shun you, Janet! If you see me in the market, I will give you the stink-eye. THE STINK-EYE. TAKE THAT.
Janet at 12:20am May 29
Oh I'm so scared!! Not the Stink eye! please not that oooh!
Whatever! :P
Kaleigh at 12:26am May 29
don't underestimate it. you will be shunned forever and banished from our community. just pay us.
Stephanie at 12:27am May 29
ummm yeah did i totally miss the party or are we still demanding money, cause i totally need some cash for drinking this weekend
Janet at 12:29am May 29
Hey relatives of the shunned get shunned too I believe!
Stephanie at 12:30am May 29
i am no relative of someone who marries a 15 year old boy! like come on!!!!! And i only hang out with Pierre types.
Glendy at 12:35am May 29
The relatives does not get shun, especially when they are helping us shunning you Janet LOL
Janet at 12:36am May 29
Well that's it! I'm going to bed! Do what you must!
Kaleigh at 1:01am May 29
you won't be sleeping tonight
Samantha at 3:13pm May 31
I'm already outside your house. Watching. Waiting. Adjusting my eye-patch.