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Hop-tu-Naa

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Hop-tu-Naa is a Celtic festival celebrated in the Isle of Man on 31 October. Predating Halloween, it is the celebration of the original New Year's Eve ([Oie Houney] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)). The term is Manx Gaelic in origin, deriving from [Shogh ta’n Oie] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), meaning "this is the night". Hogmanay, which is the Scottish New Year, comes from the same root.

For Hop-tu-Naa children dress up as scary beings and go from house to house with the hope of being given sweets or money, as elsewhere. However the children carry turnips rather than pumpkins and sing an Anglicized version of Jinnie the Witch. The changeover from turnips to pumpkins has also happened in Scotland, where the similar practice is called "guising".

In older times children would have also brought the stumps of turnips with them and batter the doors of those who refused to give them any money. (An ancient form of trick or treat, however this practice appears to have died out.)

Hop-tu-Naa in ManxHop-tu-Naa in English
[Shoh shenn oie Houiney; Hop-tu-naa] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)This is old Hollantide night; Hop-tu-naa
[T'an eayst soilshean; Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)The moon shines bright; Trol-la-laa.
[Kellagh ny kiarkyn; Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Cock of the hens; Hop-tu-naa
[Shibber ny gauin; Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Supper of the heifer; Trol-la-laa.
[ 'Cre'n gauin marr mayd ? Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Which heifer shall we kill? Hop-tu-naa
[Yn gauin veg vreac. Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)The little speckled heifer. Trol-la-laa.
[Yn chione kerroo, Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)The fore-quarter, Hop-tu-naa
[Ver mayd 'sy phot diu; Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)We'll put in the pot for you. Trol-la-laa.
[Yn kerroo veg cooyl, Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)The little hind quarter, Hop-tu-naa
[Cur dooin, cur dooin. Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Give to us, give to us. Trol-la-laa.
[Hayst mee yn anvroie, Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)I tasted the broth, Hop-tu-naa
[Scoald mee my hengey, Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)I scalded my tongue, Trol-la-laa.
[Ro'e mee gys y chibber, Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)I ran to the well, Hop-tu-naa
[As diu mee my haie, Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)And drank my fill; Trol-la-laa.
[Er my raad thie, Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)On my way back, Hop-tu-naa
[Veeit mee kayt-vuitsh; Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)I met a witch cat; Trol-la-laa.
[Va yn chayt-scryssey, Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)The cat began to grin, Hop-tu-naa
[As ren mee roie ersooyl. Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)And I ran away. Trol-la-laa.
[Cre'n raad ren oo roie Hop-tu-naa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Where did you run to? Hop-tu-naa
[Roie mee gys Albin. Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)I ran to Scotland. Trol-la-laa.
[Cred v'ad jannoo ayns shen ? Hop-til-naa] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)What were they doing there? Hop-til-naa
[Fuinney bonnagyn as rostey sthalgyn. Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Baking bannocks and roasting collops. Trol-la-laa.
[Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa

[ (Loayrt)

My ta shiu goll dy chur red erbee dooin, cur dooin tappee eh,
Ny vees mayd ersooyl liorish soilshey yn cayst
Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)

(Spoken)

If you are going to give us anything, give it us soon,
Or we'll be away by the light of the moon.
Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

Modern Hop-tu-Naa Songs

Different versions of Hop-tu-naa songs were sung in different areas of the island.

Jinnie the Witch is a modern Manx English song, which was sung around the Douglas area.

According to an article in the "Manx Independent" newspaper in October 2007, Jinny's real name was Joney Lowney. She lived in Braddan and was tried at Bishop's Court for witchcraft in 1715 and 1716. Her greatest "crime" was stopping the Ballaughton Corn Mill. She was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment, fined £3 and made to stand at the four market crosses dressed in sackcloth.

The modern song goes as follows :

Hop-tu-Naa
My mother's gone away
And she won't be back until the morning
Jinnie the Witch flew over the house
To fetch the stick to lather the mouse
Hop-tu-Naa
My mother's gone away
And she won't be back until the morning
Hop-tu-Naa, Traa-la-laa

In the West of the Island a longer version was sung, which is more closely related to the Manx version.

The following version dates from the 1930's - a similar version is recorded in A.W. Moore's "A Vocabulary of the Anglo-Manx Dialect" (1924) :

Hop-tu-naa! put in the pot
Hop-tu-naa! put in the pan
Hop-tu-naa! I burnt me throt (throat)
Hop-tu-naa! guess where I ran ?
Hop-tu-naa! I ran to the well
Hop-tu-naa! and drank my fill
Hop-tu-naa! and on the way back
Hop-tu-naa! I met a witch cat
Hop-tu-naa! the cat began to grin
Hop-tu-naa! and I began to run
Hop-tu-naa! I ran to Ronague
Hop-tu-naa! guess what I saw there ?
Hop-tu-naa! I saw an old woman
Hop-tu-naa! baking bonnags
Hop-tu-naa! roasting sconnags
Hop-tu-naa! I asked her for a bit
Hop-tu-naa! she gave me a bit
as big as me big toe
Hop-tu-naa! she dipped it in milk
Hop-tu-naa! she wrapped it in silk
Hop-tu-naa! Traa la lay!
Are you going to give us anything
before we run away with the light of the moon ?

Media References

  • Hector Plasm is a comic book character published mainly through Image Comics. There is a Hector Plasm story based on Hop-tu-Naa that also incorporates several other Manx legends and myths.

See also


References

  • A.W. Moore, 1896, Manx Ballads [1]
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