In Waldkirch and the surrounding area, there exists an intense, yearly festival that is roughly comparable to our Halloween, except with more meaning and very little commercialism. For several days, everyone in the town dresses up in a series of different costumes, all with traditional wooden masks. The most famous of these costumes is, of course, the Hexen (Witches). At night during the festival, the whole town dresses up and gathers to watch a dance between the devil and the witches he created. I saw a video of the dance, which just happens to be choreographed by Carlo's mother every year, and it's quite impressive in it's complexity, using spotlights and horror music to act out a story.
Today, Carlo (my exchange partner, for those who don't know) took me to a museum/studio in Waldkirch that was devoted to creating and preserving the traditional masks and costumes of the festival, specifically the Kandelhexen. As it turns out, Carlo's grandfather founded and built the studio from an old barn 33 years ago, and was responsible for a large part of the Kandelhexen's success. It's so interesting to see how intertwined the collective history of Waldkirch is, and how it effects the families we are staying with and the face of the town today. Try as I might, I can't think of anything in Newburyport that unites our town with as much passion and collective spirit as this festival seems to. Everyone participates in this tradition, regardless of age or status, and it is an integral part of Waldkirch as a whole. I only wish I could be here to see it. Forgive my musings, here are some pictures.
1 comment:
Jana's mom took me there yesterday too, and I saw your name in the guestbook. Another tradition associated with the festival is that the children get 'clappers', wooden pieces that you hold between your fingers and beat together rhythmically. Sounds simple, but it's really tricky, and the school children practice to get very good at it.
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