LL-L "Traditions" 2009.01.31 (03) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 31 January 2009 - Volume 03
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From: Luc Hellinckx <luc.hellinckx at gmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Traditions"

Beste Hanne,

First of all, thanks for the beautiful poem you wrote about freedom earlier
on...very touching!

Professor Wossidlo must have been a fine chap. As soon as I knew he worked
with Hermann Teuchert on the Mekelenborg-dictionary, he couldn't do anything
wrong for me. Point is, I've been trying to get hold of a book written by
Teuchert for such a long time now (dozens of years), that my adoration for
him is starting to reach mythical proportions. The book deals with
linguistic side-effects of the migration of numerous Dutchmen/Flemings to
Eastern Germany during the 12th century. Until today, some of their words
survive; "Stulle" for a slice of bread, for example.
Oh yes, apparently, 2009 is Wossidlo-year: hope I can catch some of the
festivities.

Re "Nikolaus", actually the name says it all: "victory of the people"...no
wonder his popularity is hard to beat. By the way, do you have any idea what
"Ruh" in "Ruhklas" (Santa's name in Mekelenborg) means? < Rute???

Santa is loved so much that his name also turns up as "Nis Puk" (< Niels ~
Nikolaus), a protective spirit in Schleswig-Holstein. Would people still put
a kobold on display these days inside their houses? In modern Japan they do,
many households still have a niche in which they put a "kamidana" for
worshipping kami-spirits. It looks like a mini shrine/altar hung high on a
wall.

Which brings me to "Niklaas, ein Junge aus Flandern", one of the most famous
series, ever aired on Japanese TV:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Masterpiece_Theater

As soon as Japanese tourists flock to Antwerp, they'll go searching for
memorabilia of this story. However, until recently, most Belgians were
totally unaware of their devotion, so we couldn't show them anything as
nothing was left...in the end the city council of Antwerp decided to build a
small statue...just for the sake of the Japanese *s*.

Even Eartha Kitt fondly believed in Nikolaus, "Santa Baby, a 54 convertible
too...", she sang. Like most Americans, she called Father Christmas
"Santa"...maybe Nikolaus didn't like this too much...Eartha passed away on
Christmas day last year.

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx

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From:
Subject:

Hey, Luc!

The name Ruhklaas has dialectical variants, among them Ruugklaas ~
Ruuchklaas. I believe this comes from **Ruge Klaas* "Rough Nick (<
Nicolas)".

Cheers!

Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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