Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 16:21:36 -0700 (MST)
From: Bratt Ian 
Subject: Re:  (urth) Mattachine Tower

According to http://www.sbu.ac.uk/stafflag/mattachine.html, the word
matachin or matachine has been derived from the Arabic of Moorish Spain,
in which mutawajjihin, relates to masking oneself.

-Insula


On Sat, 1 Mar 2003, Alice K. Turner wrote:

> I just did  a google on this--quite fascinating!
>
> -a-
>
> > Back in the 60s, before the Stonewall Rebellion, before gay liberation of
> > any note, the Mattachine Society on the East Coast (and for all I know on
> > the West) was a coded name for a quite sizeable male homosexual club or
> > group here; I expect the historical note is an ironic nod to being
> > "closeted." I doubt that Wolfe knew that!
> >
> > -alga
> >
> > > According to the History Channel, the Mattachines were an Italian
> > > tradition of court jesters who were indulged to "speak the truth" when
> > > appearing masked and hooded. Not to doubt the veracity of the Hitler
> > > Channel, but has anyone else heard of this, or suspect that it folds
> > > into the torturers' tower?
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> --
>


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