You know it's the time of the year again because it starts appearing everyone in the city; show windows, supermarkets, and posters. Yes, it's the marmite. Marmite is a big traditional cooking pot. A bit of an oddity considering the Fête d'Escalade is about the city of Geneva fighting back enemy forces. From what I've read and heard from local Swiss people, the event occurred on Dec 11-12, 1602. Enemy forces, the Savoy tried to attach the city. But the citizens fought back, not letting men going over the city walls (hence, escalade). On the weekend before the Escalade, children dress up in costumes and
parade around town and knock on houses in which you get money; a bit
similar to Halloween.
Also, according to legend, a women who's family lived right by the
city gates drove off the enemy sources by throwing a cauldron of hot
soup. This helped get the Genevoise together to fight off the enemy. And
so today the cauldron lives in the shape of a chocolate with
vegetable-shaped marzipan inside are placed in each home.
During the
Escalade weekend, the oldest and youngest member of the family break the
chocolate marmite as they shout: ""
Ainsi périrent les ennemis de la République! " (Thus perish the enemies of the Republic). Of course, we did it as well :) I was honorably the oldest amongst the group.
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| Ready to break it? |
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| Before |
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| After |
There's
also traditional Escalade candy which contains a sticky gummy-like
candy with a proverb and a mini firework inserted inside!
It's
quite a patriotic holiday -which is funny since it's only celebrated by
Genevoise so it is more of a city-pride holiday. My classmates who live
half hour away and in neighboring France had no idea of the details of
this festival. It's quite interesting Switzerland has its own holidays
and celebrations, on top of having their own languages and traditions in
each district!
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