[Culturechat] Zurich's Sechselauten

[Vance Roy]

The arrival of spring is celebrated in Zurich each year about this time
with the burning of the Boog man. Of course this calls for a parade
attended by members of the guilds. The guilds have been around for
hundreds of years (what in CH hasn't) and consists of bakers, butchers,
blacksmiths, etc.. They all cavort in a parade of horses throwing bread
and sausages to the crowds. In return, girls with garlands of spring
flowers decorate the riders.

The name Sechselauten comes from the tradition that said at six bells,
the guild members could put down their tools and end the day. The Boog
is a statue of winter set atop a pile of wood. The head is filled with
firecrackers. The saying is that when the woodpile is lit, the faster
the statue explodes, then the better the summer will be.

This year, at six o'clock the pile was lit. The statue was a slow burner
this time, taking almost 27 minutes to blow up.

Maybe you had bring a sweater this summer.
-- 
Vance Roy
gigli.saw@dplanet.ch.