Posted
on December 15, 2013
When
a custom is designed to ward off bad spirits, and you no longer
believe in bad spirits...what happens to the custom?
I am glad to say that many people still carry on old-time traditions, often with a more fun,
less fearful, attitude. One tradition is Midwinterhoornblazen,
which is Dutch for Midwinter Horn Blowing.
(I love how German and
Dutch people glue all their words together into one long word. That's
not confusing at all!)
Check
out the horn blowing here and here. Notice that at
least some of the horn blowers are wearing traditional wooden shoes!
The
horns are made from one-year-old elder saplings and are three to four
feet long. Many Dutch people make their own horns. Apparently out in
the country, many Dutch farmers stand by their wells as they blow
their horns, and the deep wells magnify the sounds. I imagine that
you could hear the faint, haunting sounds of horn blowers from far
away; I read that as farmer wait until their neighbors' songs are
ending before they pick up the tune and continue.
Even though it isn't even winter yet - winter begins on December 21 this year - let alone MIDwinter, the Midwinterhoornblazen begins in early December and continues every day until Christmas.
You
can do some midwinter horn blowing yourself, if you have a horn. If
not, you can use a recorder or whistle, or you can make a horn from
toilet paper rolls or drinking straws.
Also
on this date:
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ahead:
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