LL-L "Traditions" 2007.10.04 (01) [D/E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  04 October 2007 - Volume 01
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: Marcel Bas <roepstem at hotmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Traditions" 2007.10.03 (06) [D]

Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong schreef:

"Ik herinner me als kind een "Rommelpotterij" in Katwijk aan Zee te hebben
meegemaakt waar al de kinderen met rommelpotten – nog echt met een
varkensblaas – en lampionnen door het dorp liepen en toen werden we
uitgenodigd om bij een van de "notabelen" van het dorp pannekoeken te komen
eten. Dat was in 1936!"

Dag Jacqueline! Heel interessant! Nu is Katwijk een opmerkelijk conservatief
dorp waar tot in de jaren tachtig het dragen van de eigen klederdracht in
zwang was, maar ik zal mijn collega Gijs vragen of hij ook nog het gebruik
van de rommelpot heeft megemaakt. Hij is iemand die alleen het de Katwijkse
taal kan spreken, of hij praat niet. Natuurlijk mengt hij het met heel veel
Standaardnederlands als hij bij zijn Leidse (en Voorschotense) collega's is,
maar als ik erbij ben dikt hij zijn taalgebruik nog wat meer aan omdat hij
weet dat ik zowat elk Katwijks woord dat hij speekt registreer en
'savoureer'.

Groeten,

Marcel.

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From: R. F. Hahn < sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Traditions

When I was a child in Hamburg, lantern processions were still an autumn
evening tradition, approximately around the time of Martinmas I suppose.

There was one evening with a large processions of hundreds of children with
lanterns, accompanied by their parents and preceded by a music band, through
streets blocked to motor traffic. On other nights around that time, you
would see children carry their lanterns singly or in groups, usually
accompanied by at least one adult.

The lanterns were modeled after East Asian prototypes. Their walls were made
of accordion-folded paper and the stabilizing parts were made of cardboard,
which a locking hook and eye made of very thin, bendable wire. The bottom
part held a candle-holder made of thin, bendable tin.  As time passed, more
and more fancy models were available. The most popular ones were in the
shape of full or even crescent moons. All these paper lanterns could easily
go up in flames, which would happen not infrequently, when you would see an
adult stomp out the fire on the pavement accompanied by a child's screaming
or wailing ...

I wonder if the large procession was timed to be on Martinmas. Does anyone
know?

Apparently the tradition isn't totally dead yet.

Here is a YouTube video of a German (probably not North German) lantern
meeting at which they sing songs that are unknown to me:
tinyurl.com/2vq3cn
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuZC7JhpfrM>tinyurl.com/33g3mz
The lanterns are different from the ones we had. They seem to have electric
light, too, don't have the characteristic flickering of candle-light.

Pictures found here remind me a bit more of what we used to do:
www.ostroher-sc.de/Laternelaufen2005/index.htm

When I experienced New Year's celebration (正月) in rural Japan (Western
Honshu), I was very much reminded of the magic of my childhood's lantern
festivities. Around midnight, the arrival of the new year, flickering paper
lanterns were hanging everywhere in the streets, and people were carrying
such lanterns about, most of them wearing traditional clothes, which made it
all the prettier. And snow was falling gently ... This was definitely
unforgettable. I noticed similarities at the traditional (and very ancient)
Lantern Festival (元宵節, 元宵, 上元節) and during the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
(中秋節) in China as well. The lanterns we carried around as children were
clearly inspired by those of Eastern Asia.

Here's the song we used to sing while walking our lanterns, switching
between (Low-Saxon-influenced) German and Low Saxon:

Laterne, Laterne!
Die Sonne, der Mond und die Sterne!
Brenne auf, mein Licht!
Brenne auf, mein Licht,
Aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht!
Meine Laterne ist so schön!
Da kann man mit spazieren gehn,
In dem grünen Walde,
Wo die Büchsen knallen,
Waar de Olsch mit dat Lücht,
De de Lüüd' betrücht,
De de Eier haalt
Un jüm nich betaalt ...
(and starting from the top again)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

P.S.: Marcel, je collega Gijs ... hmm ... Kan je hem "motiveren" om het
winterkoning-verhaal in zijn dialect te vertalen?
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