LL-L "Folklore" 2002.12.13 (01) [A/E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 13.DEC.2002 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.lowlands-l.net>  Email: <admin at lowlands-l.net>
 Rules & Guidelines: <http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.htm>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
 To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
 text from the same account to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or
 sign off at <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: ezinsser at worldonline.co.za <ezinsser at worldonline.co.za>
Subject: LL-L "Folklore" 2002.12.12 (03) [E]

Haai almal,

Marcel, ek ken die woord 'nikker' vir duiwel glad nie in Afrikaans nie. Dalk
verwar jy dit
met 'nikkerbol' - 'n ronde swart soethoutsmakende lekkergoed, of 'Niek' -
wat wel die
duiwel impliseer.

Groete
Elsie Zinsser
===================================================
> Dit herinner my aan 'n woord in Afrikaans, "nikker", wat ook "duiwel" kan
beteken.

----------

From: Marcel Bas <mrbas_26 at hotmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Folklore" 2002.12.12 (04) [E]

Ron,

The connection that _Nickel_, _Niklaus_ and other mythological figures like
the Tyrolean _Perchten_ seem to have throughout the Germanic Western
European countries, reminded me of the _Kluse_ in Switzerland; ne of the
most peculiar and beautiful events in the Alpine region that I can think of.
It happens in the Swiss kanton of Appenzell. There the Kl use come into
action on 'new' Silvester, December 31st, and on old Silvester according to
the Julian calendar on the 13th of January, from dusk till deep in the
night. If the date is on a Sunday, then the Kluse come the Saturday before.
Houses and farms are being visited by these men in traditional costumes,
wearing wooden masks. On their heads they wear a huge wooden hat with a wide
square frame. The rimmed frame can be positioned vertically or horizontally.
The big rim is adorned with mirrors, emroidered flowers and little scenes of
farming life. On top of the horizontal hat there are dolls standing, who
also symbolise farmers. The men are called _Silvesterkl use_ or
_Silvschterchlause_ (Silvester = New Year's Eve)and after they they have
been admitted to a house they will sing in the yard a "Jodellied"  (known as
_Z uerli_), a capella, with the three of them. They wear huge cowbells
around their bodies, which chime when they mover from house to house,
jumping and turing around. The bells are called _Schotteschelle_. There are
three types of Kluse; there are the _w eschte_, the _schne_ and the
_Wald-_ or _Naturkl use_.
I have some recordings (on video and audio) of Kluse singing to a farmer's
couple. Their singing is very clear and pure. On a videorecording a farmer's
couple was so touched by the singing of a group (_Schuppel_) of _sch ne
Kluse_ that they started crying. After the visit the Kl use receive a hot
drink and they remain unidentified.
This, or at least the name, should be related to all the aforesaid
mythological figures of Nickel and the like.

Regards, Marcel.

----------

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

Thanks for the description above, Marcel, which, although not Lowlandic, is
quite interesting, since it fits into the general theme of "spirit
cleansing" and mumming traditions that are specific to Yuletide.  Also, the
Alemannic words _Kluse_ (pl. _Klüse_ ~ _Klüsi_) and _Chlaus(e)_ (pl.
_Chläuse_) must be related to _St. Nicolaus_, etc., considering also the
name _Santichlaus_.

A page with pictures:
http://afro-data.com/heiner/char9801/char9801.htm

A sample of a Chlause song (Chlause-Zäuerli):
Brief: http://www.alpeblueme.ch/musik_s2.html
Full: http://www.alpeblueme.ch/music/alpeblueme2.mp3

It is also important to consider that many of the Alpine regions, like all
of France, much of Spain and Portugal, parts of Flanders and the Netherlands
and, of course, the British Isles, have pre-Germanic Celtic roots, which are
also found farther east along the Danube.  Apart from this, most of these
areas used to be Roman colonies.  So it would be rather interesting to see
if there are common features in Yuletide, mumming and Halloween traditions.
As far as I know, the Lowlands Saxon (Low German) region, like Scandinavia
and much of the Frisian regions do not have Celtic strata (their
pre-Germanic ethnicities being unknown), nor were they ever integrated into
the Pax Romana (the Roman legions having been sent packing by the Germanic
tribes that inhabited the then densely wooded parts of Europe).  It would be
interesting to look at major folkloristic differences in these two regions.

Lowlanders, today is Friday the 13th, in many traditions an unauspicious
date.  This prompts me to ask what sorts of superstitions of this nature
there are in the Lowlands, how far they are spread, etc.  Bear in mind,
though, that recent spread through the media ought to be discounted.

Best regards,
Reinhard/Ron

==================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
  <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 =======================================================================