Carnival of Binche
Is an event that takes place each year in the Belgian town of Binche during the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday. The carnival is the best known of several that take place in Belgium at the same time and has been proclaimed as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity listed by UNESCO.
Its history dates back to approximately the 14th century.
Events related to the carnival begin up to seven weeks prior to the primary celebrations. Street performances and public displays traditionally occur on the Sundays approaching Ash Wednesday, consisting of prescribed musical acts, dancing, and marching. Large numbers of Binche's inhabitants spend the Sunday directly prior to Ash Wednesday in costume.
The centrepiece of the carnival's proceedings are clown-like performers known as Gilles. The Gilles are characterised by their vibrant dress, wax masks and wooden footwear.
They number up to 1,000 at any given time, range in age from 3 to 60 years old, and are customarily male. The honour of being a Gille at the carnival is something that is aspired to by local men.
From dawn on the morning of the carnival's final day, Gilles appear in the centre of Binche, to dance to the sound of drums and ward off evil spirits with sticks. Later during the day, they don large hats adorned with ostrich plumes, which can cost more than $300 to rent, and march through the town with baskets of oranges. These blood oranges are thrown to members of the crowd gathered to view the procession.
The oranges are considered good luck because they are a gift from the Gilles and it is an insult to throw them back.
The Fat Sunday
First day of carnival. Members of Gilles's societies and fantasies stroll around, dressed in disguise in the streets of Binche to the rhythm of the drums ; the brass and drums join them in the afternoon for the procession. The costumes are of various inspirations (animals, stereotyped characters ...). There are often several groups in which the members wear the same costume.
The fat Monday
Also known as "children's days" or "youth days". The Binchois and their guests meet in the morning in the streets. In general, the youths are received at the local elected representatives who will offer the glass of friendship. While, in most of the cafes of the city, the "battles of confetti" rage. In the afternoon, while some Gilles leave to rest to prepare the next day, the three "youths" accompanied each by a battery and a traditional brass band take the direction of the square of the station where, towards 7 pm, the fireworks begins under the admiring eye of the onlookers gathered in crowds.
Fat Tuesday
This is the apogee of the carnival. For many Binchois, this day is the best of the year. It all starts at dawn (around 4 am) with the pickup or taking of gilles. At the sound of the Aubade Matinale (a pipe air), the Gilles go to each other to gather. They welcome each other with a glass of champagne. The Gilles continue their journey, each group of gilles goes to their room where they meet to have breakfast, composed of oysters and champagne there also, as tradition wants.
At the end of the morning, Gilles, Peasants, Pierrots and Harlequins head to the Grand-Place to perform the morning rondeau after donning a unique wax mask that only the Gille and Paysin de Binche wear and which symbolizes the equality of all. The Harlequins wear a suitable mask, from the commedia dell'arte. At the town hall, they will receive medals from the burgomaster or sometimes a distinguished guest, which reward the participations in the carnival (medals for 25 years, 40 years or more). After a few dances on the cobblestones and a passage to the appointed place, the Gille returns home, always accompanied by a drummer, in order to have a good meal and rest.
Around 15 or 16 hours, companies are reforming. At the sound of the carnival air, they gather to take part in the procession which will take them from the statue of the "Paysan" to the Grand-Place. During this procession, where some Gilles wear a hat of ostrich feathers, "oranges of Gille" (small blood oranges also called "oranges au vin") are offered to the crowd.
The groups continue to wander the streets of the city until the evening. All the companies are then gathered for the final round on the square. In the light of the Bengal fires, the shadows are projected on the walls of the town hall, which will soon be illuminated by the glow of the grand fireworks. In the city, the heart of the Gilles will continue to beat to the rhythm of the drums but the batteries must stop playing before sunrise on Ash Wednesday morning.