Ducasse d\' Ath

The ducasse is a popular tradition of the town of Ath, in the Hainaut (Belgium). Going back to the the Middle Ages, it grew rich with the wire by time, to become a very popular festival which lasts several days.

History

Origins

It is in the second quarter of the 15th century that the first figurative elements ravel in the old parochial procession of Saint-Julien. The church was then with the hamlet known as of the Old man-Ath.

1399: in the oldest preserved account, first mention of a procession
1431-1432: emergence in the accounts of a group of observers representatives life of Holy S and Martyr S.
1462: birth of the Horse Bayard, copied that of Audenarde. Mention of a Holy Christophe.
1481: historical emergence of Goliath: " Item to havoir nettoyet visited and remade pluisseurs thimbles in Golias 6 s."

Little by little (), the religious goal grew blurred with the profit of the research of the picturesque one.

Scenes of Old and New Testament (Goliath or Marie-madeleine) or Gilded Légende (Holy Christophe) there were presented on sledges and in the street.

The procession was then financed by the commune, the parish and the brotherhoods.

From, the religious character is strongly tiny room within the procession.

The Jacobins reflect fire with these symbols of the old mode on August 28th, 1794.

19th century at our days

It should be waited until 1804 so that the procession takes again life and 1806-1807 so that the giants reappear under the fingers of the sculptor Emmanuel Florent.

Since 1819, the procession becomes a laic procession evolving/moving under the influence of the ideas of the 19th century (exoticism, Belgian nationalism, assertion of the local history,…).

More no interruption occurred since 1945.

In 1948, the Horse Bayard reappears.

A serious crisis occurs in the Sixties. At that time, the procession does not seem any more to draw the attention of Athois and is seriously forsaken. The observers became difficult to find and the attachments miss cruelly (in 1968, the tank of Navigation does not leave the hangar, for lack of horses draft to tractor draw it). One sees even farm tractors replacing them.

This is why, in 1968, under the initiative of the Circle of history and archeology of Ath, a Committee of restoration of the procession is created. This one will take care from now on of the good organization of the festivities while taking care exclusively of the figuration and its accessories.

Saint Christophe reinstates the procession in 1976 and the Diricq horses in 1981.

Calendar

The various demonstrations proceed in a quasi immutable order since decades.

Friday

15:00: exit of Tie old the
16:00: Large-price of Mayeur of shooting to the arc on the Esplanade
Starting from 22:00: burning of the marronnes of Gouyasse. According to the popular tradition, its marriage day before the groom burns his pants ( marrones in Picardy dialect) stuffed straw and detonators. It is what one commonly calls the “burial of his life of boy”, often followed by an exit sprinkled well between boys.

Saturday

12:00: Saint-Julien church, Athois give itself appointment to make sound Marie-Pontoise, the " gross cloche". It is the beginning of ducasse of Ath and popular enthusiasm.
15:00: procession and " Gouyasse" vespers; in the Saint-Julien church. Marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Goliath.
Vers17h, in front of the town hall: " Play-parti" , combat with the shepherd David.
20:00 - concert of the royal Brass band Union of Saint Martin's day
21:00 - exit of the group of the Canon of the Mount-Sarah and torchlight procession.

Sunday

In the small hour, since 1981, some members of clicks firemen athois awake the population with the sound of the drum.
9:45: procession of the giants, the tanks and the groups of the station towards the Esplanade
15:00: procession of the giants of the Esplanade towards the Saint-Julien church.
At the end of the procession, re-entry of the giants with every 5 years since 1981, a rondo joining together the whole of the giants on the place Ernest Cambier

Monday

All the day, the giants walk in the center town and the suburbs.
16:00: sports activities (shooting with the arc) and musical on the Esplanade
18:00: festival of montgolfiers

" Monday of Ducasse" with the " 8 of septembre"

Friday: night market
Saturday and Sunday: representation of an operetta by the troop of the " Sailors of Dendre " (activates in Ath since 1853). In 2007: Andalusia of Francis Lopez
September 8th (in Ath one says " 8 of septembre")

It is the last day of ducasse
14:30: Grand Prix of the Town of Ath of ball winds into a ball
Traditionnel supper with the moulds
20:30: concert by the brass band " Union of Lorette"
21:30: large fireworks

Schedule procession

the volunteers sappers firemen (present in the procession since 1885)
the Eagle to two head accompanied by the Brass band of Meslin-l' Bishop.
the Group of the 19 communes: introduced in 1997 (for the 20th birthday of the fusion of the communes), it presents the blazon of the Town of Ath and the armorial bearings of the 18 communes of the entity.
the Boat of the Neapolitan fishermen: this tank of imagination was created by the company choral society " Sailors of Dendre ". It ravels in the procession in 1853 and 1862 before being dealt with, in 1865, by the company of the " Fishermen napolitains" then by the " Brave men of Dendre". The " Sauvage" (present since at least 1873) would have been embarked on the legendary island of Gavatao.
Saint-Christophe de Flobecq, assembled on stilts (already attested in 1462).
Blue the, company of the gunners Arquebusier S, takes part in the procession since the 15th century, well before the appearance of the Samson giant.
Samson accompanied by the brass band of Moulbaix. Samson was created only in 1679.
the Canon of the Mount Sarah: the group evokes the Belgian Révolution of 1830. Harangué by the lacemaker Anne-Marie Leroy, the patriots athois seized the gun of the firing practices of the former brotherhood of the gunners and took along it to Brussels.
the Tank of the horticulture: the goddess Flora throne under a platform of style 1900 above a floor of flowers and nymphs. This decorative tank was created in 1850 under the name of " tank of the Filles" Young people;. Devoted to Venus in 1851, it will become by after the tank of Flora (1860) then of the Horticulture (1876).
Ambiorix : in the procession of Ducasse d' Ath, the giant of the Archer S is attested since the 18th century under the name of Tirant. In 1850, it is metamorphosed in Ambiorix to evoke the local history and main road while keeping its arc and its arrows. The brass band of Irchonwelz makes it dance.
the Halberdier S (although they are accustomed to furrowing the procession during their operations)
the provincial Ship of state: it appeared in the procession organized in Brussels at the time of the fiftieth anniversary of the railroads, under the name of tank of the Music of the Merchants (Hanseatic League). Bought by the Town of Ath in 1885, it was transformed into provincial ship of state to recall that this assembly of the county of Hainaut met in Ath in 1572.
the Char of navigation: this tank appeared, in 1885, with the procession of the means of transport organized at the time of the 50e birthday of the railroads. It evokes a barge which ensured the connection between Bruges and Ghent the 16th century.
Miss Victoire: she was created in 1793 to celebrate a victory of the Austrians over the French. Destroyed in 1794, it was recreated in 1860. She symbolizes the Town of Ath of which she carries the colors: purple, white and yellow. It is the brass band of Lorette which makes it dance.
the Tank of agriculture: The goddess Cérès, surrounded by peasants and country-women, throne among the sheaves of corn and the agricultural implements in a decoration inspired of the time 1900. Such as it is, the tank goes back to 1905. It then replaced the tank of the Harvesters which existed already in 1860 but had disappeared at the end of the 19th century. The tank is escorted by a group of peasants.
men-at-arms of the 16th century (like the halberdiers, they do not remain in their place permanently)
the Char of Albert and Isabelle: introduced into the procession in 1906 after having appeared, the previous year, in the procession of the 75e birthday of Independence in Brussels, he recalls to Athois the reign archdukes Albert and Isabelle. It is with them that we owe the construction of the Town hall since 1614.
Royal Alliance athoise
the Horse Bayard: introduced into the procession in 1462, it disappears during the first quarter from the 16th century. The destrier, overlapped by the Four wire Aymon, is reintroduced in 1948 in the procession, thanks to a company of local gymnastics, and was recreated by the sculptor and archeologist Rene Sansen. Sixteen carriers make it dance with the sound of the brass band of Huissignies.
the tank of the 9 provinces: since 1876 and until at least 1885, a tank of Belgium circulated in the procession. The tank of the Last nine Provinces was designed by the decorator of Brussels Govaert in 1880. A goddess, representing Belgium, is surrounded by nine young ladies carrying the blazon of each province of the country.
the group of the 5 cantons: five riders carry flags where the names appear: Ath, Chièvres, Flobecq, Frasnes and Quevaucamps (cantons of the district of Ath).
the tank of the Town of Ath: conceived in 1850, he is the successor of the tank of the City which appeared in the procession since 1715. The goddess of the city sits in a temple monoptère above the personalities which illustrated the history of the city. One discovers as follows:

Jean Taisnier (1508-v.1562), musician, astrologer and mathematician
Michel De Bay (1513-1589), professor with the the University of Louvain, theologist of the Council of Thirty
Right Lipse (1547-1603), celebrates humanistic, raises College of Ath
Jean Zuallart (1541-1634), mayor (mayor) of Ath of 1584 to 1634, author of a description of the city, pilgrim of Jerusalem
the marquis de Trazegnies (v. 1470-1550), lord of the manor of Ath of 1540 to 1550
Jacques de Fariaux (1627-1695), military governor of Ath of 1690 to 1695
Simon de Bauffe (1676-1738), military engineer with the service of Austria
Louis Hennepin (born in Ath in 1626), it explored the Mississippi and left an account of his voyages
Eugene Defacqz (1797-1871), member of the National congress then first president of the Court of appeal.

Mister and Mrs Goliath: Goliath (announced since 1481) and his wife (created in 1715) dance on an air of old origin, probably of medieval origin, the " Large Gouyasse" , in two quite precise places: the bridge of the Mill and the bridge of Gâdre to the sound of the brass band Saint Martin's day d' Ath. David precedes them.

the guard of Goliath (Magnon, men of sheet and the Diricq Horses) is a kind of burlesque service of order
the town council. Present in the procession as of the Middle Ages, the members of the town council are on the tank of the city as from 1715. The barouches appear in 1899.

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