WAKE UP THE SPRING IN BINCHE
DURING THE END OF FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH EVERY YEAR, THE TOWNSPEOPLE OF BINCHE (BELGIUM) ARE EAGER TO PUT ON THE MOST BRILLIANT COSTUMES TO DANCE IN CARNAVAL DE BINCHE TO WELCOME SPRING. DUBBED ONE OF THE MOST TRADITIONAL CARNIVALS IN EUROPE, CARNAVAL DE BINCHE PRESERVES ANCIENT, MYTHICAL AND RELIGIOUS RITUALS.
THE UNEXPECTED VACATION
Many people think of Belgium as the country of beer, chocolate and famous cartoon characters. But maybe they don’t know that Belgium is also the country of carnivals.
After a few years living here, I realized that, carnivals are a very important cultural tradition for Belgians. During the festive season, around mid-february every year, students at Belgian schools are given one week off. It was a great opportunity for me to attend Carnaval de Binche - one of Belgium’s oldest and most famous carnivals - held in the beautiful and ancient town of Binche, 70 km from the capital Brussels.
Carnaval de Binche takes place each year over a Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The exact dates vary from year to year, but it always starts 49 days before Easter. First held in 1394, Carnaval de Binche is an opportunity for people to “let their hair down” before the Lenten season and is the most anticipated event of the year. It is famously said that “there is no place like Binche in the world”.
EVERYBODY LOVES THE CARNIVAL
But there is no need to wait for Binche to see the festive atmosphere. As soon as I arrived at the Midi train station in Brussels, I felt the heat of Carnaval de Binche coming from a large number of tourists, foreigners and locals, the old and young, all eagerly waiting for the train to the carnival. I got acquainted with a Belgian and a Canadian girl and quickly formed a traveling group.
When waiting in line to buy train tickets, we were surprised to know that every year, SNCB (National Railway Company of Belgium) issues special tickets for visitors attending Carnaval de Binche. This ticket is half the normal fare to encourage people to join the carnival. In particular, on the third day, which is also the main carnival day, SNCB increases the frequency of trains to meet the needs of visitors. The day we left, the train was crowded. Fortunately, we still managed to find a seat.
THE COLORFUL RACE
When we arrived at Binche, it was 9 am on Sunday morning - the first day of the carnival, the day of the free costumes. At this moment, the whole town was busy with traditional drumming. The brilliant golden sun dispelled the chilling cold in the middle of winter. The whole town center was dazzling with the yellow color of mimosa flowers. On the hair and hats of many young girls and on men’s shirts - everywhere there are mimosas. I also bought a branch of mimosa to put in my bag and immersed myself in the flow of people pouring into the central square.
The townspeople put on their most colorful and unique outfits designed to look like the costumes depicted in ancient tales. The children wore costumes of their favorite cartoon characters such as Minions or Spider-man. All danced to the ritual beat of a drum to wake the earth and call for spring. The music was so fascinating that our feet couldn’t stop dancing. And their vibrant costume makes me feel like I’m in a colorful race.
THE HONOR OF BEING GILLES
The Carnaval de Binche’s final day is called Mardi gras, which means Fat Tuesday, reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.
On this day, about 1,000 local men dressed up, danced and marched around the town. They dressed up as various folk characters such as Pierrots, Harlequins, or a peasant. Over 800 people, though, dressed as Gilles, the most important figure of the event. Everyone from 3-year-old boys to 60-year-old men is proud to be Gilles because only one local will be chosen to be the “Gilles” of the festival. The tradition of being Gilles is passed down from the older to the younger generations. They show each other the customs of how to make costumes, how to wear hats, how to beat the drums and how to march. Traditionally, for several hundred years, the Gilles was only allowed to march in the town of Binche.
Gilles’ costumes are embroidered with stars, lions and crowns, in the black, red and gold colors of the Belgian flag. Seven small bells are attached to their shirts and belts
to ward off evil spirits, making a ringing sound whenever they move. The most special aspect are the extravagant headdresses with white ostrich plumes towering 1.5 metre high and weighing some 3 kg. A local resident told me that the production of such a headdress costs 3,000 EUR and takes 80 working hours to build. The costume alone can cost about 600 EUR. But most of the Gilles rent tailor-made costumes and headdresses for around 300 EUR. In the town there are some families who have worked as Gilles’ tailors for several hundred years. They painstakingly sewed or restored the costumes by hand and prepared for the carnival throughout the year.
ALL DANCED TO THE RITUAL BEAT OF A DRUM TO WAKE THE EARTH AND CALL FOR SPRING. THE MUSIC WAS SO FASCINATING THAT OUR FEET COULDN¶T STOP DANCING. AND THEIR VIBRANT COSTUME MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M IN A COLORFUL RACE.
THE MARCH AND THE LUCKY ORANGES
From 4 am on the carnival’s final day, the Gilles put on their wax masks and assemble to dance on the road with the other members of their brotherhood to make their way to city hall together to receive a medal recognizing their participation in the carnival. Traditionally they are offered champaign but not allowed to get drunk. And like many other visitors, we tried to squeeze through the crowd from the morning to find a good place on the side of the road, drink beer and eat French fries while waiting for the march of the Gilles.
At 3 pm, the whole town seemed to burst into cheers over the sound of drums and horns as the march of the Gilles officially began. The Gilles wore white feathered hats and danced merrily as they threw oranges at the crowd. Traditionally, they throw oranges to the crowd in hope for plentiful crops and good luck for everyone.
Usually a Gilles will throw 25 to 40 kg oranges during the march! The crowds screamed and scrambled to catch oranges. The children in the front row were given small yet juicy oranges.
As a rare Asian in the crowd, I considered myself privileged to receive so many oranges from the friendly Gilles and I was happy to share them with the people nearby who didn’t get any oranges.
After the march ended, the Gilles continued to dance until 9 pm and watched the fireworks with the villagers. I could not wait until the evening and decided to leave right after the march. The departing train was packed and there were no seats so we had to sit on the ground for an hour. But like many other people, I was still happy to have a bag of lucky oranges to bring home, and more importantly, to have experienced a folkloric carnival that makes the name of Belgium.