Ommegang
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Ommegang (Dutch: "walk around" (the church, village or city), is the generic name for various medieval pageants celebrated in Belgium, in the Netherlands, and in northern France.
A famous one is celebrated every July in Brussels, Belgium. It commemorates the "Joyous Entry" of emperor Charles V into Brussels in 1549.
Just as interesting is the yearly Ducasse at Ath, which has the largest of – typical for an 'ommegang' tradition – city giants: Gouyasse (Goliath).
Another famous Ommegang in Belgium is the Ros Beiaard Ommegang in the Flemish city of Dendermonde. In this ommegang, which is held every ten years, a giant wooden horse is displayed in the town centre. Four boys from the same family within Dendermonde have the honour to sit on top of the horse while it is shown to the people.
The most rare, once in 25 years, occurs as a part of the Cavalcade of Hanswijck at Mechelen. The actual Ommegang element evolved from the since 1303 yearly procession around the city walls as thanksgiving to patron Saint Rumbold for 'miraculously' having ended a siege. A smaller but older Ros Beiaard than the one in Dendermonde is mounted in the same manner and the only 'family' (six members) of city giants that remained complete stands out. As in other cities, the commemoration became located largely within its centre.
Many of these traditions in Belgium and (with only two exceptions, formerly Flemish northern) France are protected as an oral and immaterial cultural legacy by UNESCO, which refers to the by humans carried physical artefacts as Giants and Dragons (the latter intending any kind of mythical animals).
