File: macdonaldfaber-oh-theshadowside_M.mp3
Speakers:
FM – Rev Faver MacDonald
KP – Curator Ken Perlman
KP: What kind of stresses did this put on the lives of fiddlers, would you say?
FM: Well, for some it might have been quite heavy, simply because for some it was a sacrifice for marriages and family-life, to be away several nights a week playing for dances. So yes, that tied in with the possessiveness again, you know. "We deserve to have this gift," rather than "You know, we are priveledged to have this gift." And maybe they would use the fiddler to promote their cause, whatever the cause might be. He was key to an event that was going to raise money to build something: a church building or some social building. And maybe there was not sufficient reflection on just who this guy is for us. He could be used. And maybe the Church, and maybe society could certainly bear some responsibility for a lack of awareness in that regard, of not cultivating an awareness of who this guy was for us, eh? He's worn out. It took a real lot of stamina to – Some of them had to travel long distances to play at a place, you know? The horse and sleigh in the winter, the horse and wagon in the summer, or car eventually. And then summertimes they'd have to travel eight to ten miles to play, and play all night, and drive back, and then to have their work – Have to do their work the next day. So there was quite a price to pay from their part. People expected a lot from this man. And any individual who feels used and exploited will feel a lot of pain after awhile, you know, and degraded, no matter who it is. And then eventually he has to get some way to still that pain, or he has to find ways to continue to be able to produce when he doesn't even feel like producing anymore. And so then you get into the "More rum for the fiddler" syndrome, you see? That was the expression, "More rum for the fiddler." And many of them got trapped in that. That's the shadow side of the story, but we have take ownership of that just as well as the other, great side.