Pre-Christian Alpine traditions

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Mythology of Liechtenstein
)

The central and eastern

Raetian culture.[citation needed
]

Survival through the ages

Ancient customs survived in the

Roman Catholic Church and paganism has been an ambivalent one. While some customs survived only in the remote valleys inaccessible to the church's influence, other customs were actively assimilated over the centuries. In light of the dwindling rural population of the Alps, many customs have evolved into more modern interpretations.[citation needed
]

Pastoral traditions

Around September 8, the feast of the Nativity of Mary, it is customary to bring the cattle down from the

Saint Joachim did on hearing it heralded by an angel while sheltering among Jewish shepherds.[1]

Winter traditions

Krampus

Krampus

The word Krampus originates from the

elves
.

Perchten

Originally, the word Perchten (plural of Perchta) referred to the female masks representing the entourage of an ancient goddess, Frau Perchta, or Pehta Baba as it is known in Slovenia. Some claim a connection to the Nordic goddess Freyja, though this is uncertain. Traditionally, the masks were displayed in processions (Perchtenlauf) during the last week of December and first week of January, and particularly on January 6. The costume consists of a brown wooden mask and brown or white sheep's skin. In recent times Krampus and Perchten have increasingly been displayed in a single event, leading to a loss of distinction of the two. Perchten are associated with midwinter and the embodiment of fate and the souls of the dead. The name originates from the Old High German word peraht ("brilliant" or "bright").

Sometimes,

der Teufel is viewed to be the most schiach ("ugly") Percht (masculine singular of Perchten) and Frau Perchta
to be the most schön ("beautiful") Perchtin (female singular of Perchten).

Spring traditions

Chalandamarz is an ancient festival celebrated by the Romansh speaking part of the Swiss Canton Graubünden. It is celebrated on the first of March and marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Its object is to scare away the evil spirits of winter and wake up the good spirits of spring.[3]

Badalisc

The Badalisc is a "good" mythological animal who lives in the woods of Andrista, in Val Camonica, Italy. During an annual town festival someone dresses up as the creature and is "captured" and brought to the town. The animal is made to tell the people of the town gossip. At the end of the festival the creature is released until the next year's ceremony.[4]

Gallery

See also

References

  • Wenn die Hexen umgehen, Claudia Lagler, 5 January 1999, Die Presse (newspaper), (in German)

External links