Binche Carnival

Binche Carnival
Intangible cultural heritage
The Gilles with their masks
State (s):	Belgium
List:	Representative list
Number:	00033
Admission:	2003/2008

The Binche Carnival is one of the oldest carnival traditions in Belgium . It has been held in the Walloon community of Binche since 1395 and is similar to the Alemannic carnival . In 2003 it was recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and in 2008 it was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . In 2017 he was awarded the Belgian Order of Merit Mérite wallon .

history

The carnival is mentioned for the first time in 1394 ; the celebrations correspond to the beginning of Lent . The wearing of masks was banned under Napoleon, and the figure of Gille was mentioned for the first time in 1795.

description

Group of Gilles on the way to the Great Square.

The Gilles at Mardi Gras with her hat made of ostrich feathers.

The celebrations consist of two parts: the actual carnival and the pre-carnival, the so-called "soumonces". The carnival begins 49 days before Easter and the "soumonces" six weeks before the three highest carnival days, the "fat days".

Bincher-style Carnival is celebrated across the region, but Binche has more rules and traditions than anywhere else. The main characters are the Gilles, who dance to the sound of 26 traditional carnival tunes. These melodies are played by brass bands and drums .

In contrast to other typical carnival figures in the surrounding areas, the Gilles from Binche only take to the streets on Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras. You have to follow a number of traditional rules such as: B. They are only allowed to walk through the city in the company of at least one drummer, they are not allowed to sit down in public or be drunk and must come from Binche.

Other characters that form the so-called "fantasy societies " are the harlequin , the farmer , the pierrot and the sailor , a society that was only re-established for the 2018 Carnival. There used to be other fantasy societies that took part in the Mardi Gras parades, but these have now disappeared (Orient princes, musketeers, etc.).

Web links

Commons : Carnival of Binche  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• Binche Carnival on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage Section website ( English and French ).
• Again "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras) in the Carnival in Binche. In: ostbelgiendirekt.be. Ostbelgien Direkt Media, March 5, 2019. 
• Website of the Société royale les paysans de Binche
• Website of the Société royale des pierrots de Binche

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Again "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras) in Binche Carnival. In: ostbelgiendirekt.be. Ostbelgien Direkt Media, March 5, 2019, accessed on July 19, 2019 .