Patrimony

Merriman-Webster defines patrimony as anything derived from one's father or ancestors: heritage.

One of the joy of living in Europe is the pleasure in seeing the traditions handed down for generations. When I went "home" after my first day of working in Switzerland,  I took my dogs for a walk. All the fountains were decorated. People were singing. There was a band playing. This did not seem normal.

My landlord invited me into a tent for fondue and wine.  Although I spoke almost no French, he explained to me it was the Fête de Fountains. So much for the warning that the Swiss were unfriendly and I would never be able to integrate as he introduced me my neighbors in this small village of 600 souls.

The fête celebrated that on 12 September 1814 of the Federal Diet accepted Neuchâtel into Switzerland. Môtiers where I lived was part of that canton. Each year, on the afternoon of the 12th people from the houses near the fountain decorate them. Some are simple, some are elaborate. Amazingly enough it just happens without formal overall planning.

Although we had planned to go to the desalapages, the parade of cows coming down from pasture, the villages did not want the normal crowd of tourists because of the virus. The locals did turn out. We watched it on television. It's held the last Saturday of September. The cows are washed and decorated with flowers. The herders are dressed in native costumes before they head for their winter digs.

When we are in Argelès, the pride of the Catalans goes beyond amusing the tourists. Dancing the Sardane in costume happens are the drop of the instrument that whines out the music. Across the border in Spain, the Franco regime forbid the dance as well as the Catalan language. Both have come roaring back.

The correfoc or fire runners is celebrated on both sides of the Spanish border. Dressed as devils and with fireproof clothing, they dance to drums as they shoot fireworks from their body.

I was  a new bride in the 1960s married to a man in a U.S. Army band based in Stuttgart, Germany that was primarily a PR unit. We attended Fashings and Fests almost every night. The biggie was Rosenmontag which is the climax of the Karnival season that started at 11 minutes past the eleventh hour on 11 November.

I have no idea how many fêtes there are around Europe. Probably thousands. The ones I've mentioned are those I've attended and loved. The past joining the present as we wait for the future.