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| Because the Rhenish carnival also mostly takes place outside, the costumes are also warmer. The costumes are elaborate and usually multiple layers. Ordinary jackets are never te be worn on top of the carnaval clothing cold. At most underneath the costume. | Because the Rhenish carnival also mostly takes place outside, the costumes are also warmer. The costumes are elaborate and usually multiple layers. Ordinary jackets are never te be worn on top of the carnaval clothing cold. At most underneath the costume. | ||
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Carnival or Carnaval in Dutch (also called "vastenavond" - eve of the fasting) is originally a pagan festival, which is assimilated by the catholic church and celebrated in the three days preceding ash Wednesday. The first day of carnaval is six weeks before Easter Sunday. The carnaval officially begins on Sunday. Though according to tradition, the festival lasts from Sunday till Tuesday - the mardi gras, in recent years the feast starts on Saturday or even Friday afternoon which makes it a four and a half days celebration. The festivities last the entire day and well into the night. Wednesday at midnight the 40 days of lent start until Easter.
Origin
Pre-christian origin
Traditionally a carnaval feast was the last opportunity to eat well before Lent, during which one was limited to the minimum necessary. The origin can be traced to the Latin expression “carne vale”, which with reasonable certainty can be translated into "farewell to the flesh", which was a ritual to prelude Lent. Traditionally the feast also applied to concupiscence.
On vastenavond (the fasting) all the fat and meat which was left in the house would be eaten, because it would start to rot. The meat was in fact already been slaughtered in November and no longer tenable. All the food that had survived the winter had to be eaten to assure that everyone was fat enough to survive until the new spring with new crops.
In that sense, the term is derived from the Latin carne vale (= farewell to the flesh). But the explanation that the term would be a contraction of the Latin carne (meat) and paler (rule) is given, literally the time that meat reigns. Also, the origin may lie with the Italian "carnueale" or the French "carne - avalis". Both mean so much as devour flesh.
Another possible explanation for the term is also Latin; carrus navalis: ship chariot, which would refer to wandering groups in a ship-looking wagon or cart, called the ship of fools, but also can refere to the vessel in which the god of the sea of the Germans from the north came to participate in the winter celebrations. Several Germanic tribes celebrated the returning of the daylight. A predominant deity was during this jubilee driven around in a ship in a noisy procession on wheels. During this so-feast the Germans celebrated as the days grew longer again, the (re-)birth of the sun. A central figure was possibly the fertility goddess Nerthus or perhaps Nehalennia. Also the effigy of the god Freyr was placed on a ship with wheels and accompanied by a procession of people in animal disguise and men in women's clothes. Aboard the ship was the marriage of a man and woman consummated as a fertility ritual.
The pagan carnaval was celebrated throughout Europe. In Russia, for example, this festival known maslenitsa (roughly translated: butter feast). Anthropologically speaking is the carnaval a reversal ritual, in which social roles are reversed and norms about desired behavior are suspended.
Easter can fall at the earliest on 22 March and at the latest on 25 April. As a result, the earliest possible carnival on February 1, the latest possible date is March 9.
Christian carnaval
In the Christian tradition the fasting is to commemorate the 40 days that Jesus fasted according the new testament in the desert and also to reflect on the Christian values. Like it has done with many other Christian festivals such as Christmas which was originally a pagan midwinter festival, Easter and Sinterklaas, the Christian church has found it easier to turn the pagan carnaval in a catholic tradition than to eliminate it.
In many sermons and texts in the Middle Ages was the example of a vessel used to explain the Christian doctrine: the nave of the church of baptism, as Maria ship, etc. The writings shows that lavish feasts were celebrated on the eve of Lent or the greeting of spring in the early Middle Ages. The catholic church condemned this "devilish debauchery" and "pagan rituals". As early as the year 325 the council of Nice that tried to end these pagan festivals. Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) decided that fasting would start on ash Wednesday. The whole carnaval event was set before the fasting, to set a clear division between the pagan and the Christian custom. It was also the custom during carnaval that the ruling class would be mocked using masks and disguises. In the year 724 the synod in Leptines spoke out furiously against the excesses in the month of February.
In Ronse in East Flanders the “Bommels” are celebrated on the Saturday before the first Monday after Epiphany, whose roots are in the Middle Ages. The carnaval in neighboring Zottegem is celebrated on the first Saturday of the new year, unless that falls on 1, 2, 3 or January 4. The carnaval in Zottegem originated in earlier epiphany celebration.
Medieval carnaval
Unlike today the carnaval in the Middle Ages took not just a few days, but it covered almost the entire period between Christmas and the beginning of lent. In those two months, several catholic holidays seized by the catholic population as an outlet for their daily frustrations .
Ezelsmis
In particular, the Catholic Church had to suffer during carnaval . All kinds of sacred traditions and rules were ridiculed during the feast . A donkey would be put on the altar during the ' ezelsmis ' (Donkeys mass) after which a civilian dressed as a priest staged a mass. During all the prayers, the "Amen" would be replaced by " ia , ia , ia '. Furthermore, there instead of incense, people would burn shoe soles and they ate blood sausages on the altar.
Manure
Also celebrated on December 28, the feast of the now forgotten childlike silliness, commemorating the infanticide in Bethlehem . On this day the children were given the power for one day and turned it against the church . The choirboys put the clergy on a cart full of manure, and then let them pass through the village . Often this gave the mass the opportunity to peltthe church 's ministers with shit, a phenomenon in slightly modified version to be found now in the spreading confetti from the carnaval floats.
Social upheaval
Like now the carnaval in the Middle Ages reached the highlight in the three days before the beginning of Lent. During this period, the city officially handed over the power to Prince Carnival and the social revolution was complete. Because of the anonymity offered by the costumes rank and position were no longer important and one could freely mock with everything and everyone. In particular, the nobility, clergy and the wealthy citizens were mocked and ridiculed . This tradition is still reflected in contemporary "tonproaten" in Brabant and Limburgish "buutereednen", the speakers include mocking and ridiculing the local administration.
Polonaise
After the Reformation in the 16th century however, there came an end to the excessive carnaval. The new Protestant clergy valued more the importance of fasting and found the riotous catholic carnaval sinful . In the north, the feast quickly eradicated and also in the south carnaval was restricted. So was the polonaise, a dance during which people did not follow the pastor in the Middle Ages with the hand on the shoulder, but with the nose at the bottom, now banned.
By the end of the 17th century carnaval in the Netherlands had disappeared. Only since the beginning of the 19th century, when the Netherlands was under French rule, the feast revived in the south of the Netherlands.
Dates
The carnival dates for the coming years are:
- 2014 : March 2 to 4
- 2015: February 15 to 17
- 2016 : February 7 to 9
Modern carnaval
Carnaval officially lasts from Sunday to Tuesday, but the current practice is that often between November 11 and the actual feast there are already numerous carnival festivities, especially in the last weeks before carnaval. Sometimes there are also on Ash Wednesday some carnaval activities held. The modern carnaval consist of several days consecutively drinking, feasting, role-dressing, parades and music. The modern feast of carnaval is not specifically associated anymore with Christian religion because of the rapid secularization of the southern part of the country. Also it is becoming more celebrated in parts of the country which were originally Protestant. However in the areas which did not traditionally celebrated the carnaval usually lasts only one day with te emphasis on dressing and drinking, without the parades and months of prelude.
On 11 November (the eleventh of the eleventh), at exactly 11:11, starts the carnaval season. In the Netherlands, the start of the season is celebrated in almost every carnaval celebrating town with some kind of ceremony. The reason for this date is the number 11, which is traditionally the number of fools and madmen.
November 11 is exactly 40 days before December 21, the shortest day. This happens to be the feast day of St. Maarten (St. Martin's day). This is the beginning of the dark period before Christmas and the long days of winter. On February 2 there is candle mass, which again is exactly 40 days after Christmas. This feast is usually not celebrated.
Each year the often all male Council of Eleven of every carnival association proclaims a prince and one or more aides. Most associations also have an all-gender youth council of eleven which choose youth prince and youth aides. The council of eleven does not necessarily hold eleven members, often there are more then eleven, sometimes less.
The carnaval in the Netherlands is mainly celebrated in North Brabant, Limburg, the municipality of Hulst, the municipality of Sluis, Nijmegen, Over-Betuwe, Lingewaard, De Liemers, Arnhem and Twente. The oldest carnaval organisation is called Jocus. Jocus exists since 1842 in the city of Venlo. The oldest-known Dutch carnaval festivities date from 1385 in 's-Hertogenbosch. They are depicted in several paintings by 15th-century painter Jheronimus Bosch. During the three days of the carnaval, 's-Hertogenbosch changes its name to "Oeteldonk", which means "Frog Hill." This name changing tradition is common in and around North Brabant.
In the Netherlands ther are two kinds of carnaval : The Rhenish carnaval and the Burgundian carnaval.
The carnavals are in many ways similar, but because of their origins and unique traditions they are also easy to distinguish from each other. The Rhenish variant is usually celebrated in the southeast of Limburg and east of North Brabant, the Burgundian variant in the north and west of North Brabant and Zeeland. The tradition to change the city names originates in North Brabant and is seldom seen in Limburg. The Rhenish carnaval in the Netherlands is a derivative of the Cologne carnaval. The Burgundian carnival originated from the traditional eating feasts during carnaval in the Southern Netherlands (nowadays Belgium), especially in Flanders.
Traditions
Key transfer
The Prince of carnaval receives on the first day of the carnaval the symbolic key to the city / town from the hands of the mayor, who transfers to him three days ' power'.
Dweilorkensten
In Burgundy carnavals it is common for dweilorkesten (Mop orchestras) to provide during the feast for most of the music (in the pubs / banquet rooms). In Limburg, the orchestras are more limited to playing outside. This immediately shows a big difference between the two variants: Burgundy is celebrated indoors, Rhenish is celebrated outdoors. This kind of orchestra can also be seen during national sports events in the Netherlands like speed skating.
November 11
In both the Rijnlandse and the Burgundy carnaval 11-11 plays an important role. In Limburg at 11:11 is the first of court meetings by the Council of Eleven held in preparation for the upcoming carnaval. In Brabant, at the same time the new carnaval mottos are disclosed. Also it is the start of the building of the carnaval floats for the coming parade.
Carnaval parades
In many places, large carnaval parades held with large floats, organized and created by the carnaval groups, often with a particular theme whereby authorities are ridiculed, events of the past year are represented and which are often politically incorrect. Also groups or individuals on foot will participate and orchestras will provide for typical carnaval music. A massive ship-looking wagon is shown in every carnaval parade which is manned by the prince, his entourage and the council of eleven. Carnaval parades often start at 11.11 am and end early in the afternoon. Some wil start in the afternoon to give participants the opportunity to join several parades a day. Usually a competition will be held to choose the most outstanding contribution to the parade.
Prince and entourage
A familiar phenomenon during the carnaval is the presence of the prince and his entourage. The format of this custom varies by region, the Prince and his jester however, are almost universally.
Cabaret in dialect
Cabaret in dialect are held in both forms . In Brabant called this person a “tonpraoter” or “sauwelaar”, and is actually in or on a barrel. In Limburg they are named “buuttereedner” or “buutteredner” and in Zeeland they are called an “ouwoer” . They all perform a cabaret speech in dialect, during which many current issues are reviewed. Often there are local situations and celebrities from the local and regional politics who will be ridiculed and insulted.
Dressing
Carnaval is not only a feast of eating and drinking, but als it acts as social role reversal feast during which people are allowed to behave outside the usual elected social norm. People will dress up as a character, much as seen during like halloween in the Anglo-Saxon culture. During the Dutch carnaval people will often dress colourful and take on other roles like certain occupations, animals or other cultures. These costumes may, or may nog be political incorrect, ridiculing or insulting, which is part of the role reversal origins of the feast. Nowadays some people will have an different costume for each day they celebrate carnaval because of the lack of time to wash their clothes.
Music
Carnaval music is often a song written especially for the occasion. It is easy to dance to. Carnaval music is mainly composed in 6/8 (Hossen) and 3/4 written. Local carnaval clubs usually try to address current issues in local dialect in a carnaval song. Carnaval songs are a form of opportunity compositions. A good carnaval song has several recognizable ingredients:
- An easy catchy "popular" melody
- A rhythm with 'leaping' character: long-short is often continuously rotated and triplets are common.
- Many accents in music and lots of question-answer elements
- The harmony contains many thirds and sixths
- The text is easy to remember (so it can be remembered when drunk), and often humorous in nature to make a pointe
- The text can be sexual, vulgair and offensive in nature or totally non-sense
- The form usually consists of several verses that alternate.
- Choruses with an unforced pace: there must be danced on
Intentionally amateurish marching bands ('Zaate Hermeniekes' or 'Drunken Marching Bands') traditionally perform on the streets, mainly in Limburg.
Rhenish carnaval
The Rhenish variant, which is celebrated in the province of Limburg and the eastern part of North Brabant, is based on the carnaval celebrations in cities in the western German state of North Rhine - Westphalia. Especially Cologne, which in turn was based mostly on the carnival of Venice, has had a major impact on the nature of this carnaval. By the end of the 19th century, the carnaval in the Rhineland used as a playful protest against the imperialist (and Protestant) Prussia which annexated the area. Many of the current traditions can be traced tot this protest feast.
Oude wijven
In the week before carnival there are, so-called “ouwe wijven” (old women) evenings. During "oude wijven" the pubs and streets are populated by costumed women. Men who dare to ga out on the streets and in the pubs are at risk to be humiliated and chased away. This established tradition on this day is to cut the ties (sometimes the shoelaces) which the men wear. This tradition is especially widespread in the south of Limburg. Venlo has a tradition of its own name, namely “Truujendaag”. This name is probably derived from the headstrong figure Gertruid Bolwater from Venlo. At a siege of the city she defeated several enemy soldiers and tore the banner from the hands of another soldier.
Carnaval associations
Rhenish carnaval celebrations are dominated by carnaval associations. These associations, of which there are sometimes several per city or village with each their own prince and board of eleven, organize their own festivities for both members and non-members of the association during the carnaval.
Clothing
Traditional clothing consists of elaborate costumes. Some buy a complete themed costume in a party store, others create their costumes themselves. Because the Rhenish carnival also mostly takes place outside, the costumes are also warmer. The costumes are elaborate and usually multiple layers. Ordinary jackets are never te be worn on top of the carnaval clothing cold. At most underneath the costume.
Colors
The Rhenish carnaval has three official colors which appear everywhere. These are red, yellow and green.
Burgundian carnaval
The exuberant carnaval is the variant that is traditionally seen in most places in North Brabant, Gelderland, Land of Maas and Waal, catholic Zeeland, Flanders and some places in South Beveland. Its origins are in the prosperous cities of the Duchy of Brabant and County of Flanders at the time of the Burgundian Netherlands. The shape of the Burgundian carnaval was originally that of a costumed feast during which people ridiculed each other. Because of the great poverty that prevailed in Brabant from the heyday of the Golden Age until World War II, the traditional feast is characterized by (seemingly) simple costumes, of which the blue smock with bandana is perhaps the most iconic.
Location
It is common for cities with a Burgundy carnaval tradition (although there are some places in eastern Netherlands with the basic Rhenish carnaval do this) to change their name during carnaval. Some examples are : Kielegat: Breda, Kruikestad: Tilburg, Krabbegat: Bergen op Zoom, Lampegat: Eindhoven, Oeteldonk: 's- Hertogenbosch, Tullepetaonstad: Roosendaal, Zandhazendorp: Rosmalen and Schoenlapperslaand: Waalwijk.
The main features of the carnaval (main ball, keys, parades) are organized by a carnaval foundation. The foundation chooses a prince (and entourage). There is only one prince per city or village.
Motto
Many, but not all, Burgundian carnavals have an official motto. This is often a famous saying in local dialect.
Clothing
Traditional clothing consists of old clothing, curtains, blue smocks and bandana with all accessories. This can be found especially in the western part of North Brabant. Burgundian carnaval takes place mostly inside in pubs and feasting halls. Since it is warmer in there, the clothing is also less thick and consists of fewer layers. When going to the different feasting locations, many people use old coats to keep from getting cold outside.
External links
References
- http://www.isgeschiedenis.nl/nieuws/oorsprong_van_het_carnaval/
- http://members.ziggo.nl/leowethly/Carnaval/geschiedenis.htm
- http://members.ziggo.nl/leowethly/Carnaval/geschiedenis.htm
- http://www.isgeschiedenis.nl/nieuws/sociale_functie_van_carnaval_in_de_middeleeuwen/
- http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news/108108772/Geschiedenis+van+carnaval.aspx
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