Dave Brewis Interview: The Burry Man, Haxey Hood & The Future of British Folklore

We had the distinct honour of welcoming documentary filmmaker Dave Brewis to the Wyrd Wessex show. Dave’s work, particularly his six-part series Gatherings, holds up a mirror to the extraordinary, enduring traditions of the British Isles.

Having spent years documenting over a hundred different folk customs, Dave distilled this immense archive into a unique documentary series that completely strips away the presenter and the narrator.

The Ethos: Custodians, Not Commentators

Dave’s goal was to shift the focus away from the typical media labels—"weird," "eccentric," or "quaint"—and towards the participants themselves.

“My approach is observational documentary—show, not tell,” Dave explained. “It’s not very in vogue in this attention economy, but I still feel it should have a place within audio-visual language. For this subject matter, especially living folklore—real people coming together for specific reasons—the observational approach is ideal. This is a place for the custodians, and not the commentators.”

This unmediated style stands in stark contrast to how these events have often been treated by mainstream media, from the patronising tone of early Pathé newsreels to the "feel-good bit" at the end of the evening news.

“The idea that it’s weird and strange, I don't really buy,” Dave asserted. “They're not doing it necessarily for traditional reasons as much as they are doing it because the next one's around the corner and it's really fun and everyone enjoys it. That's how these things self-perpetuate.”

The Spark: From Wacky Stunts to Deep Traditions

Dave’s initial interest in this subject was almost accidental. While living in Paris and running his production company, an American broadcaster asked for "offbeat content." Dave quickly noticed two distinct categories:

  1. Wacky, modern stunts (bog snorkelling, world hen racing).

  2. The older, richer rituals and annual games.

Over six years of covering both, he found himself drawn deeper into the latter. He was intrigued by the inherent themes of community, continuity, and sense of place.

His first series on Britain did well in France, whose audiences admired the self-deprecating British sense of irony—the French call it d'eze et de grais, or "daftness with grace." This national trait allows for "World Championships" that no other nation would conceive of, but Dave noted this humour is often missing when discussing the deeper traditions.

Selecting the Six: From the Burry Man to Haxey Hood

Dave’s documentary series covers six remarkable events: The Burry Man, Rushbearing, Horn Dance, Jethart Hand Ba', Rye Bonfire, and Haxey Hood. The selection was deliberate:

  • Abbot’s Bromley Horn Dance: Regarded as England’s oldest traditional dance, it was a "no-brainer" as the poster child for such events.

  • Haxey Hood: Chosen for its intense, mass participation, as well as an "extra layer of folklore" linked to its formerly isolated community.

  • Rushbearing (Sowerby Bridge): Selected for its spectacular location in the Upper Calder Valley—the contrast between the dark mills and beautiful valleys—and the visual drama of the huge rush cart.

  • Bonfire (Rye): Rye was chosen over larger, more dispersed events like Lewes because it’s more family-oriented, has fewer barriers, and features the unique tradition of burning its boats.

Dave also touched on the stark contrast between these events and those abroad, like the fire festival in Catalonia or the surreal de la Fête de l'Ours in the Pyrenees, where people chase and "shave" a bear—traditions that face less health and safety red tape than modern British equivalents.

The Artistic Goal: Enduring Records

When asked if the films were intended as an archival record or a promotional tool, Dave stated his aim was purely artistic:

“Just hold a mirror up to what actually happens and make authentic films so that others could take a look and peer in and hopefully come out of them a lot more informed... I really wanted to make films which I could take back to the communities themselves, show them and have them feel that they were an authentic representation of what actually goes on.”

Dave confirmed that this goal was met, having received buy-in from all the communities, which he considers the true measure of success.

He learned that the most striking thing about these events is the human warmth they generate. No one is participating for commercial gain; they are there simply because it’s something the community enjoys and is theirs.

“It serves to show six individual events. It’s way more about regional identity than national identity,” Dave concluded. “Folklore is trending, for sure. I would just ask audiences to go a little bit deeper than the aesthetic and look at what’s actually going on, because it’s pretty warm and quite healing, I think.”

What’s Next?

Dave is currently taking a short break before looking ahead. He sees scope for a Series Two that might cover:

  • Northumberland: A deep dive into the stories, myths, and unique instruments (like the Northumberland pipes) of his home county.

  • Progressive Folklore: Documenting newer movements, such as the Boss Morris dancers.

  • The Tar Barrels: Dave confirmed he’d love to include the dramatic Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels event.

You heard it here, Wyrdo's! There's plenty more living folklore yet to be documented.

Where to Watch Gatherings

The six-part documentary series is available to buy and stream now in the UK, US, Australia, and Canada: