Have you ever wondered what Mennonite young people did for entertainment centuries ago?
   
The Curator at Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach tells us about a very strange tradition popular around the 1700s that fizzled out about 70 years ago. Roland Sawatzky says it was called the Brommtopp. This instrument, known as the Brommtopp was a barrel with skin overtop. In the middle of the skin, a hook was attached with a long horse haired wisk. This hair was waxed up so that when one of the boys would rub it, it would create a deep rumbling sound. To this sound the boys, dressed in costume would storm the houses in the village and sing folky tunes called Brommtopp songs. This was done only on New Year's Eve.

Sawatzky says the song was a lot of fun but could be a little scary, especially for kids. He notes the boys usually wouldn't leave the home before receiving a small gift such as a coin, snack or brandy.
   
Sawatzky adds this tradition was popular in the West Reserve including Altona, Sommerfeld and Neubergthal and he's not sure how common this was in the Steinbach area. He says research is currently being done to determine why this tradition stopped.
 

The Brommtopp group performs at the museum's launch of its newest exhibit.
   
For more on the Brommtopp, visit the museum's newest exhibit "Singing in Time: Mennonites and Music." Sawatzky says there aren't a lot of pictures around highlighting this tradition but a few of them are now on display at the museum.
 
Here are the english lyrics to The Brommtopp Song (Friesen, Victor Carl. The Windmill Turning. Edmonton: The University of Alberta Press, 1988. p. 82-83)

Good evening this New Year’s, good times to all of you,
We have made this Bromm-topp ourselves anew.

We’re wishing the master a table of pure gold,
And on all four corners, fried fish behold.

And there in the middle a jug of wine for thee,
So that our master now will jolly be.

We’re wishing the mistress a shiny golden crown,
In the coming year a well-mannered son.

We’re wishing the daughter a pretty silver can,
In the coming year a young handsome man.

We’re wishing the young girl a red skirt and a comb,
In the coming year a cuff with the broom.

We’re wishing the housemaid a sturdy wooden can,
In the coming year an old hunchbacked man.

We’re wishing the young son the nicest saddled horse,
And a pair of pistols and shiny sword.

We’re wishing the hired man a shears and currycomb,
So that for the master his horse can groom.

We’re wishing the swineherd a cudgel for his hand,
So that he can drive the pigs through the land.

We’re hearing the farmer- his keys how they do ring.
And we thought he would us a gold-piece bring.

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