Ride of the Kings
Ride of the Kings | |
---|---|
Country | Czech Republic |
Reference | 00564 |
Region | Europe and North America |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 2011 |
List | representative |
The Ride of the Kings is a festival that is celebrated in Spring, at the Pentecost, in Moravia, the south-east of the Czech Republic. In 2011, it was added to the UNESCO Representative List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.[1]
The festival takes place in the region historically known as
Description
Until World War II, the Ride was an integral part of the Feast of Pentecost, but has since become largely a social event.[2] The ceremony begins with a religious service and the approval of the Mayor, followed by the preparation of the costumes and decorations for the horses and riders. These are made by the women of the villages, according to traditional colors and designs unique to each place.[2]
The Ride itself is performed by young men who number between 15 and 25.
Origins
It has been celebrated in largely its current form since 1808, but its origins are unclear. A possible source are the Easter processions which, themselves, date from pagan ceremonies to ensure a good harvest. There are also similarities to initiation ceremonies for young men in Kyrgyzstan.[3] In the Czech Republic, it is associated with various tales from history, including one that involves Matthias Corvinus dressing as a woman to flee from a disastrous battle, and myths such as the search for the "King of Barley" in Haná.
In fiction
The Ride of the Kings is a subject of the novel
References
- ^ a b c Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech Republic @ the UNESCO website
- ^ a b c d e Dossier de candidature pour l'inscription sur a liste représentative du patrimoine culturel de l’humanité en 2011
- ^ Václav Frolec: "Time and socially meaningful transformation of annual customs" (1979).
External links
- Ride of the Kings from the official Vlčnov website.
- Ride of the Kings, a video from The Institute of Folk Culture @ YouTube