Samson is one of the giant most current in the processions of the Middle Ages. One meets it in all Europe but also in Japan (information to be checked!).

Belgium

Ath

Samson was introduced into the procession of the Ducasse d' Ath in 1679 like giant of the brotherhood of the gunners. In the accounts of my mansardery of this years one can read that the magistrate of the city octroye an amount of money “ to the fellow-members of holy-Marguerite gunners… to make the Samson in posture”. It is not impossible that a Samson giant took part in the procession, perhaps as of XVe century, but without any formal evidence.

Destroyed in 1794 with the other giants by the French mode, it reappears during the resumption of the procession in 1806. Since the XIXe century, it is vêtu as a French soldier like his guides, the group of the " Blue ". Resulting from the Bible, Samson carries the column of the temple of Dagon and the jaw of ass.

He is followed by the brass band of Moulbaix since the Entre-deux-guerres.

Description

• Weight: approx. 127 kg.

• Size: 4,30 m
• Bicornuate black with gilded edging, Belgian tricolor rosette, plumet multicoloured, column in imitation marble, fabric painted ten¬due on slats fixed at a wood base, jaw of ass brown, blue dress with red and small facing Basque red divided into two sides, shoulder pads with red fringes, copper buttons, white waistcoat and black drill plate. The gloves are brown lights (formerly yellow), the blue skirt, the black hair, the moustache and the goatee, of type Napoleon III.