LL-L "Customs" 2004.03.01 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 01.MAR.2004 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Heinrich Becker <heinrich.becker at gmx.net>
Subject: LL-L "customs"

>Dear all,
>
in my hometown - a Reformed enclave -  in Western part of  Catholic
Muensterland close to the Dutch border, people keep still some of very,
very old customs  since fare more than 500 years.   They call it
FASTOABEND AND BUXENBEER. Habits are different from  Catholic inspired
Carneval
Almost the young bachelors of the community are gathering in groups and
collect eggs and homemade dry sausage for their evening party. By the
way, the day is humid enough.Celebration is always held on a farm!
The farmer invited his guests with the words:
" Wieset so guot und kuomt'n annern Sunndag lück to mi up Fastoabend.
Fuosel un Beer, Piepen und Tabak, un'n Stück van'n fett Schwien, alls,
wat Küök un Keller vermag, sall de Biädden ( pleased ones) nich verwehrt
sien. Un makt ju wat Lust un Pläseer und wieset so guot un kuomt'n
Sunndag to de Wirtschaft no'n Branntwien."

In English:
Be so kind and appear the other Sunday  for my Shrovetide party. There
will be enough hooch ( rotgut) and beer, pipes and tobacco and a piece
of fat pork, everything, what kitchen and cellar can offer. Have a lot
of joy and pleasure. Next Sunday we'll meet at the pub for having a brandy.

Neighbors of this farmer are supposed to decorate the barn and to
prepare on both days the meal from the collected food. After the meal
they get together again for dancing. On Sunday after Shrovetide they
celebrate their BUXENBEER, initially only for young men ( buxe -=
trousers, beer = party ) who were supposed to enjoy the rest of their
formerly homemade beer from a wooden jar they called "Teite". Docile
Catholics in neighborhood around formerly suspected those heathen
habits. Most of them  converted later - the price of secularisation.
 Nowadays it is one of the biggest party in county.

In northern Parts of Lowland aerea  ( Lower Saxony, Drenthe, Twente or
Friesland nor in other parts) I did not find out any similar festivity
except riflemen meetings, which you can find all over. Perhaps someone
knows, where customs like that still are being held.

Sincerely

Heinrich Becker

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

Thanks a lot for that interesting description (above), Heinrich.

Here are just a couple of explanatory notes for other Lowlanders.

(1) Lowlands Saxon (Low German) _Fastelavend_ etc. refers to Shrovetide in
Roman Catholic communities, while in many Protestant communities it refers
to New Year's Eve.

(2) Besides 'beer', _Beer_ means 'party' or 'celebration'.  Once again, the
preferred drink lends an occasion the name, as do "tea" in non-American
English (referring to 'dinner' as well) and _Kaffee_ and _kaffe_ (literally
"coffee") in Geman- and Scandinavian-speaking communities respectively.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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