Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon has added three new themes to the Flanders inventory of intangible cultural heritage.
They are hand-weaving, the ‘Maria Ommegang’ in Nazareth, and hunting-horn blowing on the ‘Fürst-Pless’ and ‘Parforce’ horns.
"It is with pride that I add the three new intangible heritage elements to the Flanders Inventory," Jan Jambon stressed. "They show how rich and diverse our heritage traditions are in Flanders."
The list comprises habits, knowledge, customs and practices that are so important that they must be cherished in order to be passed on to future generations. It aims to offer a view of the wide array of Flemish intangible cultural practices, and can be expanded twice a year by the Minister of Culture.
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The Ommegang is a procession staged on 8 September each year by the Flemish municipality of Nazareth, during which some 500 pilgrims pass 13 decorated chapels, then end up in the church where the ritual began in the year 1240. In this way they commemorate the 15 mysteries of the Rosary, the most important passages from the lives of Jesus and Mary in the Catholic tradition.
The procession brings people together in an accessible way around meaning, experience, tradition and history.
Hand weaving, a craft technique used to manufacture textiles, is centuries old, but remains popular as it offers more opportunities to experiment with materials and designs than machine weaving. Many hand weavers are still active in Flanders, both as professionals and as hobbyists.
Finally, hunting-horn blowing is mainly practised and transmitted in hunting horn groups, of which there are about 10 specialising in the Parforce- and Fürst-Plesshorn.
The Parforce usually has a longer curved design, while the Fürst-Plesshorn is shorter and more compact. Both horns have a specific, recognisable sound and are used in hunting music.
