The Gille (Plate of Fernand Liénaux)
The Gille (Plate of Fernand Liénaux)
Delight yourself ... such is the translation of the Latin term "Laetare". It is used to denominate the Carnivals in Wallonia half way through the Lent, three weeks before Easter season. Nevertheless, the origin of Carnival, nowadays popular by excellence is quite surprising.
In the religious liturgy, the Laetare is the name given to the fourth Lent Sunday. This particular celebration starts by the exhortation "Laetare Jerusalem" and constitutes, in faithful people's eyes, the half way of a penitence time which was in bygone days very rigorous and carried out to the letter. It is interesting to notice that the Laetare is a festive day, despite its occurrence within a time of deprivation. In fact, all Lent Sundays are festive days. If you tot up the penitence days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, the figure is greater than the forty days prescribed by the religion. The difference is made of the Sundays among which is Laetare Sunday. Although at that time the constraints are relaxed, in a general way the Lent spirit stays present. Regarding the feast we nowadays know in La Louvière, this last assertion is quite astonishing. One explanation about that topic can be found in the fact than from 1856 till 1882, the Carnival of La Louvière did not take place at the time of Laetare but occurred during the three Shrove days preceding the beginning of Lent. It is only in 1882 according to the proposition of the "Association des Commerçants" (Association of Traders), that the Carnival took place half way through Lent.
The Laetare seemed to the La Louvière inhabitants an opportune occasion for a feast which was going beyond the religious boundaries. As the calendar places the Laetare most of the time in March, it also allowed it to wipe away the troubles due to the last wintry weather. The departing of winter alone justifies celebrating with a feast.
The musicians, like drummers, are the discrete but indispensable actors of the Laetare. They give it all its musical dimension and make the Gille a dancing and living character. The orchestra is spread over several rows, behind the society they animate, allowing the Gilles to open the march (Council Archives).
Centred round the Gille character, the first appearances of the Carnival of La Louvière dated back with certainty to 1856, in Baume neighbourhood. Of course, those Gilles called "Marabout" or "Ramponeau" did not yet have the rich costume covered with ceremonial that we know nowadays. No hats with expensive ostrich feathers nor oranges offered as kind gestures but those festive and popular days were already a long-awaited event by the La Louvière inhabitants.
Very soon, the folklore developed and diversified. The first "Brûlage des Bosses" (Humps Burning) took place in 1878 and the Big Procession definitely installed the Laetare Monday from 1882. Those two traditions from La Louvière are key events of the Laetare.
Only men can be appointed as a Gille. Nevertheless, the role of the mother, the wife or partner is essential. Only them are able to look after the dressing ceremonial and the multiple attentions required by a Gille in his evolutions (Photograph Mailleux)
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