Carneval and Ezra Pound's Come My Cantilations

 It is once again the Carneval season which is upon us: good times, political satire, using up in reckless abundance what the winter has left and then fasting, to renew for the next warmer seasons. It is a mentality of joy and excess and to some a season of melancholy to be chased. 

Come My Cantilations
by Ezra Pound

Come my cantilations,
Let us dump our hatreds into one bunch and be done with them,
Hot sun, clear water, fresh wind,
Let me be free of pavements,
Let me be free of the printers.
Let come beautiful people
Wearing raw silk of good colour,
Let come the graceful speakers,
Let come the ready of wit,
Let come the gay of manner, the insolent and the exulting.
We speak of burnished lakes,
And of dry air, as clear as metal.

Old miners day

Old Miners day intended to honor the miners who lay at the origin of the small community of Chloride. In 1916, since the price of minerals was high, Chloride boomed. More than 2000 people living there, some sources say almost 4000 people. The parades over the years became smaller and less mining directed. The main group portraying miners were the E-Clampus-Vitus, The Lost Dutchman Chapter, a Historic Drinking Society or a Drinking Historic Society. Through humor they try to preserve the past and are respected throughout the West for their selfless efforts. Of course the Western reenactors where present and added to the fun: The Long coats and lace and the Wild Roses and even a group called The old West from Kingman.

The real hero is the fire brigade who was supposed to be in the parade but got called out to douse a fire. So the truck stood at the corner of the parade and the firemen watched it, taking of their warm protective gear. The old cars were great yet the cutest group was the kids with the goats and dogs and horses.

The West lives on

What to say: the man got caught red-handed on film and it is his wife filming him fooling around with a floozy.

In this picture she turned bounty-hunter and doesn't wait to shoot, nor to collect the money from the sheriff.

The troupe, missing four actors reshuffled and redistributed roles and put up a fun performance.

In these small western towns one finds often Western Reenactment Groups, partially because they are history buffs, or also because it is just a good thing to do to create friendships and a sense of community over the generations. Special in the Longcoats and Lace is that a bit of background on the past is given as an introduction to the skids. The new actor had a hard start: he was shot in each one of the scenes...

The smiling Lady had her 80th birthday and still a dangerous schoolmarm. 

Tradition and black powder... in Chloride, AZ there are even two troops.

Nashville,TN

Nashville, Music city, endless bars with life music, The Grand Ole Oprey, lively streets. Modern and old mixed, but yes, the first city one can walk around in because there actually is a human sized down town.

 BB KIng, Willy Nelson, all the assorted country paraphernalia, the legends surround you here. Music from the bushes, music coming at you from every open door. The city breathes, lives music, certainly in the days of preparation before the MCA Awards. From Thursday on there won't be a bed to be had in town.

All is tradition and the TV plays a loop of stars to be promoted.
Sweltering, hot and humid afternoons in Nashville at the banks of the Cumberland River in a dream of Country.

 Emmylou Harris on MTR

Easter

In some parts of Europe the night before Easter big bonfires of the vanities are blazing away. People bring over old wood, broken boards old trim and such. Everything wood and burning that can start the spring cleaning frenzy. That is, when there no restrictions because of unseasonal droughts. So the fire had to be a safe one, but it didn't quite burn all last years junk and crap and useless stuff we carry around. The burning also burns away the emotional ballast and gives the spectator/participants a clean slate to start spring and a new cycle of life again. Of course Easter eggs and a good meal on Easter Sunday are part of the tradition.

Carnevale Helau

Right food is important before the festivities start.  Eggs, potato salad, and the sour herring for the day after. Such is the basis for walking, and singing, schunkeln and lots and lots of drinking. At 6 o' clock  we heard the announcement 'Das Bier ist alle'... How can that be: no beer during Karneval. Helau is the traditional greeting, and the full greeting is a threefold repetition of the same raising in a wave the right arm...

Lots of music:Tätereee...

It is all about fun, political criticism. Also tons of candy is thrown to public. The difference between the groups and the onlookers is just that the onlookers are unique like the friendly folks in the last  picture.
Helau, Helau, Helau...

© sms:foto duisburg/rhein 2011

Der HIPPIEZWILLING in Orsoy am Niederrhein (>OSCHAU helau!<) 2011 am Karnevalssonntag

Saint Martin in Orsoy: Rabimmel rabammel rabumbumbum

When dark and stormy November shows the darkness of the days to come what better to do than have a parade with children carrying lighted lampoons and lanterns. Happy music and Saint Marin(a) in red coat on a horse will give you happy feelings even in pouring rain and a cold dark evening along the Rhine in Orsoy.  Of course you will be held warm also by a nice grog or Glühwein spiced up with some Cointreau. After the parade sweets are passed out to the local children or those young at heart. The Weckmann is it, some fruit and a selection of sweets and chocolate. Of Course kids make their own lanterns and the town is decorated. It is all about being together and sharing. A nice feeling.

At the end there is a fire to warm all the marchers and onlookers up and of course it is professionally doused by the local fire brigade.
So we warmed our hands and heart at the fire, thought about the good days children can still experience, we all smile notwithstanding rain and wind.

Tradition can be stifling but in this case tradition makes sense, brings joy and brings a community and families together.  And the next 11.11 at 11 minutes past 11 The fifth season begins.

All pictures by:

© sms:foto duisburg/rhein 2010

Traditions

Now I didn't know my American guest could translate Santa Claus seamlessly into St Niklaas, surprising me with all the right ingredients. Then in the afternoon, the parents had homemade 'speculoos' and more tangerines and chocolate figurines. I must have been a good girl this year because obviously Sint doesn't bring presents to naughty kids. I like to keep traditions up, it is a way of marking the passing of time. It brings anticipation and a bit of reflection upon the why and whats. Sint Niklaas came from Spain, and the black young Piet was a servant watching out on top of the roof for the bad guys while inside alchemy was studied and conducted. If unwanted guest came, the kid would trow a bit of gunpowder in the chimney thus allerting the Sint inside. He got black from sliding down the chimney. Of course the Sint saved a bunch of kids by putting them in his big bag and carrying them out of harms way. So Spain causes the sweets to oranges, marzipan, tangerines, chocolate figurines and gingerbread for wich you need the spices from elsewhere. The kids are supposed to sing the special songs wich we did wholeheartedly.