For the three days before Lent, the small Walloon town of Binche belongs to its Gilles — up to a thousand men in wax masks and wooden clogs who dance from dawn to drive away evil spirits and, crowned with ostrich plumes, throw oranges to the crowd.

The Gilles

Binche lies south of Brussels in the province of Hainaut. Each year, during the three days before Lent, carnival takes over its historic centre and draws crowds of visitors; it is the best known of several carnivals held at the same time across Wallonia. Its first written records date from 1394, and UNESCO proclaimed it a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003.

At its heart are the Gilles, performers who first appear in written sources in 1795 as masked characters in revolt, at a time when masks had been forbidden under the Napoleonic regime. Up to a thousand of them take part, customarily men, aged from three to sixty, and being a Gille is an honour local men aspire to. They wear costumes in red, black and yellow, wax masks and wooden clogs.

Dawn, feathers and oranges

On Shrove Tuesday the Gilles gather in the centre of Binche from dawn, dancing to drums and warding off evil spirits with bundles of sticks. Later in the day they put on tall hats of ostrich feathers and march through the town with baskets of oranges, which they throw to — and sometimes at — the crowd. The oranges are considered lucky, as a gift from the Gilles. On the Sunday before, many of Binche’s inhabitants spend the whole day in costume.

Kapan berlangsung

The carnival’s main days are the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, in February or early March; preparations and street performances begin up to seven weeks earlier. The Gilles appear above all on Shrove Tuesday.

7–9 Februari 2027Dihitung

27–29 Februari 2028Dihitung

11–13 Februari 2029Dihitung

3–5 Maret 2030Dihitung

Berkunjung dengan hormat

Perlu diketahui

An orange from a Gille is a gift and brings good luck — never throw it back, which is considered an insult.

Tetap aman

Oranges fly hard and fast on Shrove Tuesday; some residents seal their windows. Protect your camera and watch out.
Pickpocketing is common in crowded places in Belgium. Keep valuables secure.

Sumber

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