Friday, February 22, 2013

Basel Fasnacht (Carnival)

die drey scheenschte Dääg.

We just finished celebrating Fasnacht, the biggest Carnival in Switzerland.  On Sunday evening we headed to Liestal, a suburb of Basel, to watch a very unique parade called “Chienbäse”.  It’s literally a fire parade, with participants walking down the main street carrying huge torches (literally a campfire on a stick!), or pulling wagons of burning wood. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
This guy was wearing a spaghetti strainer with a dragon glued on the front, awesome!


There were no barricades or anything to keep the crowd back so when they walked by, the burning embers and smoke were up close and personal!  It was ummm, quite toasty and smoky.  The parade’s website advised spectators to wear old clothes and not to wear anything flammable (ha).  Perhaps it’s not the safest celebration, but the fire brigade was on hand and seemed in control.



 
Each city hosts its own celebration and Basel’s starts on the Monday following Ash Wednesday and lasts 72-hours.  Months before Fasnacht, a current theme is chosen and transferred to the costumes, masks and lanterns.  Costumes commonly represent famous persons (like politicians), comic characters and animals.  The celebration starts promptly at 4:00 AM with the “Morgenstreich”.  At this time the city’s lights are turned off and Cliques (groups) of fifers and drummers in various costumes/masks parade through town pushing wheel-mounted or wearing head-mounted transparent lanterns.  We woke up bright and early to see it!
 


 
 
 
We didn’t understand the Basel dialect, the things they made fun of (usually local events and personalities) or the city’s own special brand of humor with its strong irony.  Matt’s colleague, who’s Swiss himself, said he even has a hard time understanding it!  However, we didn’t need an interpreter to appreciate the costumes, music, crowds or the floats throwing candy and confetti.  It’s so colorful and festive! 


 

On Monday afternoon, and on Wednesday afternoon as well, the Cliques marched throughout the city on a somewhat organized parade route, making their way through throngs of spectators.  The route actually went right down our street!
 


 
 

 


 
Tuesday evening was dedicated to the Guggenmusik, or brass bands.  



Ooh, lots of confetti!

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