The processional giants and dragons (french: Géants et dragons processionnels) of Belgium and France are a set of folkloric manifestations involving
processional giants, which have been inscribed by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
on the
lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008, originally proclaimed in November 2005.
Through these festivals and their giants, this concerns the set of gigantic manifestations specific to each country. In the case of Belgium, these are the festivities of
Dendermonde
Dendermonde (; french: Termonde, ) is a city in the Flemish province of East Flanders in Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Dendermonde and the towns of Appels, Baasrode, Grembergen, Mespelare, Oudegem, Schoonaarde, and Sint-Gilli ...
(
Ommegang van Dendermonde),
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
(Ommegang van Mechelen),
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
(the
Ducasse de Mons, and the fight which is named the "Lumeçon"),
Ath (the
Ducasse d'Ath
The Ducasse d'Ath is a traditional parade held to mark the victory of David over Goliath that takes place in the town of Ath in Belgium.
The parade is held on the fourth Sunday of August every year and is characterised by the presence of pro ...
) and
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
(the
Meyboom). For France, these are the feasts at
Douai
Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, Dou ...
(feasts of
Gayant) and
Cassel (carnival) and the totemic animals and their celebrations in
Tarascon
Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Taras ...
and
Pézenas
Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
Name
The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meanin ...
(Mardi Gras, inauguration of the Mirondela dels Arts on the first Sunday in July).
This proclamation allows for a valorisation of these popular festivals and their protection.
Background
The
processional giant is a gigantic costumed figure that represents a fictitious or real being. Inherited from medieval rites, tradition has it that it is carried, and that it dances in the streets during processions or festivals. Its physiognomy and size are variable, and its name-giving varies according to the regions; among the
Flemings, it is known by the name of ''reuze'', among the
Picards it is called ''gayant''. The large
biblical
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of ...
figures in the procession also served the purpose of catechising a largely
illiterate
Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, hum ...
population.
Belgium
Belgium has nearly 1500 giants on its soil. Their appearance dates back to the 15th century;
Goliath
Goliath ( ) ''Goləyāṯ''; ar, جُليات ''Ǧulyāt'' (Christian term) or (Quranic term). is a character in the Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant defeated by the young David in single combat. The story signified King Sau ...
of
Nivelles
Nivelles (; nl, Nijvel, ; wa, Nivele; vls, Neyvel) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monst ...
, which is mentioned as early as 1457, is the oldest known Belgian giant. Belgium also has the largest giant in Europe; Jean Turpin of
Nieuwpoort, which exceeds .
The Belgian cultural heritage includes the following events:
*
Ducasse d'Ath
The Ducasse d'Ath is a traditional parade held to mark the victory of David over Goliath that takes place in the town of Ath in Belgium.
The parade is held on the fourth Sunday of August every year and is characterised by the presence of pro ...
(withdrawn in 2022)
*
Ducasse de Mons
*
Meyboom of Brussels
*
Ommegang van Dendermonde
* Ommegang van Mechelen
File:Ath ducasse 2004 Ambiorix.jpg, The giant Ambiorix at the Ducasse d'Ath
The Ducasse d'Ath is a traditional parade held to mark the victory of David over Goliath that takes place in the town of Ath in Belgium.
The parade is held on the fourth Sunday of August every year and is characterised by the presence of pro ...
, Belgium
File:Géants de Tournai pendant la Grande Procession (DSCF9101).jpg, Giants of Tournai
Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Eurome ...
, Belgium
File:GeantsMeyboom2.jpg, Giants of the Meyboom of Brussels
File:Walloon Giants Belgian Day Wisconsin.jpg, Giants of Belgian American
Belgian Americans are Americans who can trace their ancestry to people from Belgium who immigrated to the United States. While the first natives of the then-Southern Netherlands arrived in America in the 17th century, the majority of Belgian immi ...
community in Brussels, Wisconsin
Brussels is a town in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated communities of Brussels and Kolberg are located in the town. The unincorporated community of Rosiere is also located pa ...
France
The giant is one of the symbols of the
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Nord-Pas-de-Calais (); pcd, Nord-Pas-Calés); is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Hauts-de-France. It consisted of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. Nord-Pas-de-Calais ...
region. It is the object of ancestral cultural practices that are still kept alive. Present at regional festivals and events, he represents the northern community.
The region currently has more than 450 giants, spread over the whole territory. There are nevertheless more dynamic intra-regional zones, located around central points. The Flemish part of the region is a land of giants; each city has one or more of them. Examples include Reuze Papa and Reuze Maman of
Cassel, Tisje Tasje of
Hazebrouck, Jean de Bûcheron and La Belle Hélène in
Steenvoorde, and Totor of
Steenwerck
Steenwerck (; Dutch: ''Steenwerk'') is a commune, in French Flanders, in the Nord department in northern France. It is located about north of Lille and in 2013 had a population of 3519. People from Steenwerck are known as ''Steenwerckois''.
I ...
. In the South, in the
Languedoc
The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France.
Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...
region, there is the
Pézenas
Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
Name
The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meanin ...
colt, and in the
Provence
Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bo ...
, the
tarasque
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary dragon-like mythological hybrid from Provence, in southern France, tamed in stories about Saint Martha, such as the one told in Jacobus de Voragine's '' Golden Legend'' (13th century).
The tarasque was des ...
of
Tarascon
Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Taras ...
(Bouches-du-Rhône).
*
Cassel: Reuze Papa and Reuze Maman
*
Douai
Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, Dou ...
:
Gayant, Marie Cagenon, Fillon, Jacquot, Binbin
*
Pézenas
Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
Name
The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meanin ...
: le Poulain
*
Tarascon
Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Taras ...
: la
Tarasque
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary dragon-like mythological hybrid from Provence, in southern France, tamed in stories about Saint Martha, such as the one told in Jacobus de Voragine's '' Golden Legend'' (13th century).
The tarasque was des ...
File:Reuze Papa Cassel.jpg, Reuze Papa of Cassel, France
File:Gayant.jpg, Giants couple; Gayant and Marie Cagenon, Douai
Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, Dou ...
, France
File:Tarasque in Tarascon 02.jpg, Fibreglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...
Tarasque
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary dragon-like mythological hybrid from Provence, in southern France, tamed in stories about Saint Martha, such as the one told in Jacobus de Voragine's '' Golden Legend'' (13th century).
The tarasque was des ...
in Tarascon
Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Taras ...
, France
References
Notes
See also
*
Processional giant
External links
Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and Franceat the
Unesco
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
website
L'effigie et la rue (historical article about the giants in northern France)
The federation of the giants of northern France
{{DEFAULTSORT:Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Belgian culture
Belgian folklore
French culture
French folklore
Parades in Belgium
Parades in France