Letter: Euro-morris dancing

Sir: Regarding the origins of Morris dancing, (Letters, 1 and 5 January), I would suggest that they are of pan- European origin.

Violet Alford in her 1933 article in the journal Folk-Lore entitled 'Midsummer and Morris in Portugal' says:

The only other Morris I yet know of in Portugal does not bear that name, and is a dance only, without any battle or death. The dance is called Paulitos, little sticks, and is done in the district round Mirando do Douro in the district of Traz os Montes . . . The whole thing is about as much like an Oxfordshire Morris stick dance as it well can be.

Yours faithfully,

A. CHABLO

Manchester

5 January