Chienbaese in Liestal
A very interesting bonfire parade happens every year in Liestal caled as Chienbaese Umzug.
chien= an other name for the wood baese= broom the chienbaese is an old broom burning rite, but there are some quite different interpretations from where it originally comes. Today it's interpreted to banish the winter with fire, but i guess it might have had something with witch burning or banishing the witches sort of the thing (well i like it sound more spooky n secretive and witchy:)))
This Sunday we were lucky to be able to go n see it in Liestal with our friends. This event happens every year in the evening, when it's dark, on the Sunday after ash Wednesday. All the street lights are switched off and thousands of spectators line up the side of the streets. First the 'cliquen', carnival groups play their marches down the hill and down through the old town. Then first men (and also women and even Children) with their 'chienbäse' arrive under the great applause of the people watching the spectacle. They carry burning brooms and run downhill and through the gate at the City tower. There are various sizes of the brooms, some up to nearly 100 kilograms. The procession includes up to 200 of these brooms. The crown of this procession are the fire wagons. Iron wagons with burning firewood inside are pulled and limited down the old town by up to 16 people. They pass through the upper old town gate, wooden in some parts, the fire brigade has to water it every time the wagon passes so that nothing catches fire.
When these wagon pullers rest in front of the watchers, it can get extremly hot!!! As it was raining on Saturday and getting cold it was such a nice feeling to smell the lovely burning wood and feel the warmth of it. The part I really appreciate about this event was that all the participants in this event were well clothed and wearing fire proof helmets as well for the occasion, the local fire brigade with firemen and women were stationed all around and were dousing away stray smoldering pieces of wood falling from broom. Another sweet incident was that some kid had go lost, so this fire brigade man took the kid in his arms and took him all over shining torch once in his face and second time in the spectators till the parents were found.
On in all an amazing event. You can see all the Snaps of this event by clicking here
chien= an other name for the wood baese= broom the chienbaese is an old broom burning rite, but there are some quite different interpretations from where it originally comes. Today it's interpreted to banish the winter with fire, but i guess it might have had something with witch burning or banishing the witches sort of the thing (well i like it sound more spooky n secretive and witchy:)))
This Sunday we were lucky to be able to go n see it in Liestal with our friends. This event happens every year in the evening, when it's dark, on the Sunday after ash Wednesday. All the street lights are switched off and thousands of spectators line up the side of the streets. First the 'cliquen', carnival groups play their marches down the hill and down through the old town. Then first men (and also women and even Children) with their 'chienbäse' arrive under the great applause of the people watching the spectacle. They carry burning brooms and run downhill and through the gate at the City tower. There are various sizes of the brooms, some up to nearly 100 kilograms. The procession includes up to 200 of these brooms. The crown of this procession are the fire wagons. Iron wagons with burning firewood inside are pulled and limited down the old town by up to 16 people. They pass through the upper old town gate, wooden in some parts, the fire brigade has to water it every time the wagon passes so that nothing catches fire.
When these wagon pullers rest in front of the watchers, it can get extremly hot!!! As it was raining on Saturday and getting cold it was such a nice feeling to smell the lovely burning wood and feel the warmth of it. The part I really appreciate about this event was that all the participants in this event were well clothed and wearing fire proof helmets as well for the occasion, the local fire brigade with firemen and women were stationed all around and were dousing away stray smoldering pieces of wood falling from broom. Another sweet incident was that some kid had go lost, so this fire brigade man took the kid in his arms and took him all over shining torch once in his face and second time in the spectators till the parents were found.
On in all an amazing event. You can see all the Snaps of this event by clicking here
posted by Nidhi at 2/26/2007 08:37:00 pm
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