The Gilles are the oldest and principal participants in the Carnival of Binche in Belgium. They go out on Shrove Tuesday from 4 am until late hours and dance to traditional songs. Other cities, such as Ressaix, Leval, Buvrinnes, Épinois, Waudrez, Anderlues, Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont, Estinnes, Le Roeulx,

Manage Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

, Morlanwelz, Seneffe, Nivelles,

Charleroi Charleroi ( , , ; wa, Tchålerwè ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. By 1 January 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593.

and

La Louvière La Louvière (; wa, El Lovire) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Boussoit, Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pierre, Houdeng-Aimeries, Hou ...

have a tradition of Gilles at carnival, but the Carnival of Binche is by far the most famous. In 2003, the Carnival of Binche was proclaimed one of the

Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity The Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and t ...

by UNESCO.Logan p.223

History

The earliest documented reference to the Gilles is from 1795, when the revolutionary

Directorate Directorate may refer to: Contemporary *Directorates of the Scottish Government * Directorate-General, a type of specialised administrative body in the European Union * Directorate-General for External Security, the French external intelligence ag ...

attempted to prohibit the wearing of masks. The traditional origins are a matter of speculation - one legend connects them to Mary of Hungary, who as governor of the Netherlands in 1549 organised a Joyeuse Entrée into Brussels for the visit of her brother

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (Crown of Castile, Castil ...

and

King of Spain , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

. With the wealth then flowing to Spain from South America, elements of the Gille's costume and in particular the large plumed hat might have come from attempts to represent Inca costume. Another theory is that the masks, costume, and hunched back are derived from 17th-century ''

commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

'', to which local color has been added such as wearing clogs. The portrayal is suggestive of the character Pulcinella, which may have given rise to the name Gille, although confusingly within ''commedia dell'arte'' Gilles may also overlap with the character Pierrot.

Costume

Around 1000 Gilles, all male, some as young as three years old, wear the traditional costume of the Gille on Shrove Tuesday. The outfit features a linen suit with red, yellow, and black heraldic designs (the colours of the Belgian flag), trimmed with large white-lace cuffs and collars. The suit is stuffed with straw, giving the Gille a hunched back. Gilles also wear wooden clogs and have bells attached to their belts. In the morning, they wear a wax mask of a particular design. After reaching the town hall, they remove these masks for the afternoon. During the afternoon parade, Gilles throw blood oranges to the crowd or at its members, and some wear large, white, feathered hats. Gilles carry ''ramons'', tied bunches of twigs that are said to ward off evil spirits, and baskets in which to carry the oranges. File:0 Binche - Les Gilles le jour du mardi gras (1).JPG, The Gilles wearing their hat with ostrich feathers on Shrove Tuesday File:0 Les Gilles d'Havré (1).JPG, The Gilles, clad in their costumes and plumed hats File:Binche_Statue_Gille.JPG, ''Gille de Binche'' (1952) by

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

*
Official site of Binche
*

*
International Carnival & Mask Museum in Binche
* {{In lang, fr, cap=yes}
Traditional tambourines
Belgian folklore Binche Carnivals in Belgium Carnivals La Louvière Spring (season) events in Belgium Culture of Wallonia