May, 25th
This year, Luilakmarkt in Almere was not only about flowers and plants. We could also buy antiques, brand clothes for very affordable prices and interesting handmade objects related with personal hobbies.This Pentescost's Friday was quite amusing and the weather was gorgeous. We even enjoyed a delicious BBQ in our backyard, after having bought some flowers, especially daisies, and small handmade kabouters for our frontyard.
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| From Luilakmarkt 2012 & BBQ |
As far as I understood, by reading the Wikipedia article, there is a similar market to this one in Utrecht and it seems that the oldest Luilak market in Dutch history took place in Harlem in 1890.
Luilak (which means Lazybones in English and Dorminhocos or Preguiçosos in Portuguese) is a folklore festivity especially celebrated in the Western part of the Netherlands between the island of Texel and the city of Delft. The most famous celebrations take place in Zaandam, a town nearby Amsterdam.
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| From Luilakmarkt 2012 & BBQ |
Luilak isn't a Christian based celebration in spite of occuring at the same time as Pentecost. Everything starts when groups of young people begin whistling, beating on pots, kettles and pans and ringing doorbells at four in the morning on the Saturday before Pentecost or Whitsunday. As you can imagine, everybody wakes up and nobody can sleep anymore with such a noise. Those who don't join the fun will be called "Lazybones" throughout the coming year, being the butt of all sorts of jokes, teasing and taunts. Moreover, they must treat their companions with candies and cakes.Funny, don't you think? ;-)
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| From Luilakmarkt 2012 & BBQ |
" Zaandam and Haarlem children celebrate Luilak by making little wagons which often are shaped like boots and sometimes are decorated with green branches and thistles, known as luilakken. The youngsters trundle their wagons over the cobblestones until the wheels become smoking hot and finally catch fire. The children either watch their wagons go up into flames or else dump them into the canals. This rite represents an ancient spring fertility ceremony which long since has been forgotten."
(Source: http://sacred-texts.com/etc/fwe/fwe09.htm)
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| From Luilakmarkt 2012 & BBQ |
Must be very amusing to participate and watch these celebrations in Zaandam. I would like to experience it, wouldn't you? Meanwhile, I can only share with you the photos of the market usually held in the Pentecost's Friday in Almere and these videos I have found in Youtube. Enjoy! :-)
If you are from Zaandam and whish to share with us your experience at Luilak festivities, please do. :-) We would like to hear from you.
8 comments:
Adoro mercados e adoraria visitar um destes que nos apresentas. O único a que fui na Holanda foi ao mercado das flores, em Amesterdão. Adorei a experiência!
Beijinhos e bom regresso às lides blogosféricas!
Sara: Sei qual e. Costumo la ir comprar tulipas quando vou a Portugal. ;-)
Este em Almere ja tem um cariz diferente. Ate nos precos, bem mais baixos ;-).Ha mais variedade de flores e plantas, e uma dinamica mais local, onde vamos comprar flores de epoca e plantas para os jardins (ver post anterior). E uma azafama para embelezar as frentes que nao queiras saber :-)) Ha ate leiloes de plantas a decorrer.Eu gosto muito do mercado de Sexta-Feira de Pentecostes.Quem sabe, um dia, nao viras ca nesta altura.... ;-) Beijinhos!
Parece ser muito bonito. Bjs!
Bjs, Margarida! :-)
Sandra,
Adoro flores e mercados. Esta postagem é lindíssima!
beijinho de Portugal. :)))
:-)) Tambem eu, tambem eu...Estes mercados sao uma perdicao! ;-))
Beijinhos grandes! :-)
Such fun as a child to share in these festivities and "annoy" the grownups!
One day I really must visit Holland. It's so near, and we have a good friend in The Hague I'd love to see again. Every year I think- Springtime and the tulips, Keukenhof... next year?
Jo,
The Hague is such a charming city and Keukenhof is really nearby, in Lisse.
:-)
Bjs!
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