The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-02
THE GILES OF BlNcHE.
Eheir CARNIVAL the Quainte.t OF Bel.
Kian Mediacval Customs.

Thetr Carnival the Quatntest OF Bel
Kian Mediacval Customs
The persistent manner In which Rel
gians cling 10 their mediaeyal festivals
and traditions is u characteristics ma,
tional trait well known 10 those famil
lar with the Flemish and walloon
provinces, The survival of such popu.
lar fetes as that of the carnival pro.
cession Of the dancing GILES ut Binche
attests the innate love Of Belgians for
these picturesque vestlgcs OF their fore.
fathers civilization.
The festival of the dancing GILES OF
Binche Is In many respects the quaint.
est Of these popular customs, This fes.
tival takes place on Mardi Gras at the
Binche, a town of Hainaut. The car.
nival Of Binche has always been held
Ia high repute by Belgians, but with.
out its GILES II would not be substan.
TALLY different from that of Rome, Nice
and other towns,
These GILES, or dancing men, who
form the glory OF the Binche carnival,
are characterized by their headdrosses
and humps The headdress is most
elaborate and striking. In shape II re-
sembles the old time top hat Of our
great.grandfathers The hat Ia sur
mounted with magnificent ostrich feath.
ers from three 10 four feet in length,
which give to the wearers the appear.
anee Of giants. From each hat, he
sides, flow St; eral wide. variegated rib.
bonS, while the GILES trousers are be-
decked with trimmings of real lace and
ribbons TO match those of the hat Ev.
cry Gille wears mask and Il silk belt,
from which hang small bells.
The entire Giles outfit costs from
$40 to $50, large sum for the peasant
youths, generally selected by the car.
nival committee to till the part of ac.
tors in the Mardl Gras festivities. The
honor OF being Gille Is so great, how
ever, among the gay Lotharios OF !,
Binche and carries such prestige with
the local damselS that the young men
chosen by the committee are only too
pleased to make the financial sacrifice
demanded of them.
In the afternoon OF Marll Gras the
GILES, In full uniform, 200 strong, pre-
ceded by the local brass bands and
clubs, appear in procession and
march toward the Grande place. The
sight thus offered Is unique In the an
nails Of carnival reioicings. The GILES
by dancing to the tune OF the
band Just mentioned. At every few
steps they stop, bend and unbend, to
ielghten the effect OF the ringing from
he bells worn at their belts. Their
'treamers float TO and fro and envelop
hem In q rainbow OF ribbon. At the
anne time the simultaneous ringing of
,ells and humping of wooden sabots
IN the cobblestones sound like the echo
II a cavalry charge.
The GILES have each straw basket
langing to one side from the belt and
lied with oranges With these they
ombard the spectators as they dance
long. AS soon as emptied the bas-
cts are filed again by men from be-
ind, appointed for this duty. A gen.
raj battle Of oranges then takes place
etween the GILES and the carnival
Finally the procession
caches the town hall, in front Of
'hich, seated on platform, is the
layor, surrounded by the municipal
Ificials The GILES then terminate the
ay's festivities by general war
ance, giving prolonged exhibition of
leir capabilities. The public likewise
'ins In the fun, and soon some 5000
ersons, men, women and children, may
e seen gayly waltzing around the
rande placn The sight Of an entire
Opulation dressed In carnival costume
nd masked dancing In the open air to
le music OF the Giles brass band Is
ne not easily forgotten. The dancing
until the late evening, when
le sport is brought to an end by the
ayor, who formally awards a gold
edal to the Gille who has proved him
III the most eXpert dancer