- Gilles
The Gilles are the oldest and principal participants in the
Carnival of Binche .There are around 1000 Gilles, all male, some as young as 3 years old. All wear the traditional costume of the Gille.
They go out on
Shrove Tuesday from 4AM until late hours and dance to traditional songs.In 2003, the Carnival of Binche was proclaimed one of the
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity byUNESCO .External links
* [http://www.belgium.be/eportal/application?languageParameter=en&pageid=contentPage&docId=25272 The 'Gilles' of Binche. (On the Belgian federal portal site)]
* [http://www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=T&Id=6073 Binche: from the conquistadores to the ‘Gilles’. (On the European online magazine cafebabel.com published by the non-governmental association Babel International)]
* [http://www.carnavaldebinche.be/ Official site of the carnival of Binche]
* [http://www.museedumasque.be/ International Carnival & Mask Museum in Binche]
* [http://www.tambourdegille.be/ Traditional tambourines]
* [http://www.lesrecalcitrants.be/ The oldest group of Gilles]
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