My personal heritage - carnival medals

WHAT DOES MY HERITAGE LOOK LIKE?

All my medals look different

- Every year they are new.

- There's usually a fool on it.

- They are often very colourful.

WHEN DO YOU GET THE MEDAL AND WHY?

The Medals are always awarded after a session. A meeting is a carnival event, which essentially consists of stage performances. They are distributed as thanks for participation.

WHY ARE MY MEDALS WORTH SO MUCH TO ME?

 I have been dancing since I was 5 years old, for 8 years now. I grew up with carnival.

Portuguese heritage

Weiberfastnacht - Women's carnival

Women’s carnival

With the traditional Weiberfastnacht  (Women’s carnival) the carnivalists start into the street carnival season in the Rhineland. Today the celebration takes place on Thursday before Ash Wednesday and rings in the high point of the Carnival. The idea to leave the power to the women on one day of the carnival celebrations can be traced back to the Middle Ages. In the entire Rhineland the Weiberfastnacht counts as an unofficial holiday. Often there is no more work after noon. Today the celebrations usually start at 11:11 o'clock.

Already from the 18th century it is handed down from Cologne that the market women and female workers tore their hoods mutually at noon on that day. Thus they were no longer "under the hood" (an expression showing the subordination of married women to their husbands) and allowed themselves liberties.

Since the middle of the twentieth century, women's assumption of power has been symbolized by the cutting of ties. For this assault the men are compensated with a kiss - called ‘Bützchen’.

What is "Garde"? - an introduction to a German carnival tradition

A guard in the carnival sense can be: a group satirising the military or a dance group. These guards are an important part of stage shows and parades on the street. They are around for almost a hundred years.

Carnival garrison emerged as a persiflage (witty mockery by exaggerating imitation) on the military. They originated in the 1820s and 1830s. Traditionally they danced to marching music. At the same time, a different style of dance inspired by Slavic and Bavarian folk music developed in the Netherlands and Belgium. This dancing is done in polka style. While the marching style is more military and jagged, dances in polka style also contain gymnastic and acrobatic elements. The dancing usually takes place in groups. But there are also solo performances and dancing couples.

Although every guard is free in designing their uniforms, many guards are strongly inspired by historical models. Especially uniforms from the 17th to the 19th century are often faithfully reproduced, often in elaborate manual work. Dancing guard costumes nowadays are more oriented to modern cuts and fabrics. Guard dance is also practiced as a competitive sport - up to European Championships.