Kermesse (festival)

Kermesse or kermis, is a Dutch language term derived from 'kerk' (church) and 'mis' (mass) that became borrowed in English and French, originally denoting the mass said on the anniversary of the foundation of a church (or the parish) and in honour of the patron. Such celebrations were regularly held in the Low Countries and also in northern France, and were accompanied by feasting, dancing and sports of all kinds.

These festivities still survive in the form of funfairs, while the old allegorical representations are now uncommon. Whereas nearly every village has a "kermis" once or twice a year, the large "Zuidfoor" aka "Foire du Midi" (South Fair) of Brussels and "Sinksenfoor" (Whitsun Fair) of Antwerp attract many visitors during several weeks. The funfair on the "Vrijdagmarkt" in Ghent coincides with the 10-day long "Gentse Feesten" (Ghent Festivities) which are held across the entire inner city around the 21st of July (Belgian national holiday).

The standard Dutch language expression "Vlaamse kermis" (Flemish kermesse) once referred to the local village "kermesse" (as pronounced in the former County of Flanders) though its modern usage is mainly limited to privately organized fairs open to the public, often for fund-raising, such as by Catholic schools or youth organisations in the Flemish Region.

Impact on other languages and cultures

The word Kermesse (generally in the form Kirmess) is applied in the United States to any entertainment, especially one organized in the interest of charity. The Dutch-American Village of Little Chute, Wisconsin has celebrated "Kermis" annually since 1981. Another American polity that celebrates this holiday is "La Kermesse" of Biddeford, Maine. The International School of Indiana, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, holds an annual "Kermesse" celebration with refreshments, carnival games and face painting to celebrate the ending of the school year for their pre-elementary and elementary students. In the City of Halifax (Canada), a city with a limited Dutch heritage, kermesses have been held since 1907 [http://pediatrics.medicine.dal.ca/department/history.htm] as fund raisers for the local children's hospital.

The term has also had an influence on Latin American culture. Specifically in Mexico, Peru and Chile, "Kermeses" are held by churches and schools to raise funds. Many activities take place including "tombolas" where people buy tickets for drawings that always have awards from very minor items to bigger awards. In Brazil "Quermesses" are usually held by churches during the early weeks of Winter and in celebration of the widely popular Festa Junina festivities.

The word also entered the Belarusian language as "кiрмаш" ("kirmash") in the meaning of "fair".

In the Turkish language "kermes" is a sale of ladies' handiwork for charity.

In Lithuanian language "kermošius" ("kermoshius") means a fair after the mass in the church.

ee also

*Fête

References

*1911 (1911). [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Kermesse Itself] naming as source :
Boulger, Demetrius C., "Belgian Life in Town and Country" (1904).
*cite web
title=Kermis van Brussel - Zuidkermis
language=Dutch
url=http://www.brucity.be/artdet.cfm?nLanguage=2&id=4482 / cite web
title=Foire du Midi 2007 : davantage de convivialité
language=French
date=2007
url=http://www.brucity.be/artdet.cfm?nLanguage=1&id=4482 With short history : cite web
title=Beknopte historiek
language=Dutch
url=http://www.brucity.be/pdf/college/2005/foire%20du%20midi/Kermis%20historiek.pdf
format=pdf / cite web
title=Aperçu historique
language=French
url=http://www.brucity.be/pdf/college/2005/Foire%20du%20Midi/Foire%20historique.pdf
format=pdf
publisher=(assumedly 2005) — Both texts in each language : City of Brussels
accessdate=2007-08-07
*cite web
title=Dutch Americans
quote=One village, Little Chute, however, does continue to promote its Dutch ethnicity with a mid-September celebration (kermis), featuring a Dutch-costume parade, games, and craft exhibits.
author=Brinks, Herbert J
url=http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Du-Ha/Dutch-Americans.html
accessdate=2007-08-08

External links

*cite web
title=Kermis van Brussel - Zuidkermis
language=Dutch
url=http://www.brucity.be/artdet.cfm?nLanguage=2&id=4482 / cite web
title=Foire du Midi 2007 : davantage de convivialité
language=French
date=2007
url=http://www.brucity.be/artdet.cfm?nLanguage=1&id=4482 With short history : cite web
title=Beknopte historiek
language=Dutch
url=http://www.brucity.be/pdf/college/2005/foire%20du%20midi/Kermis%20historiek.pdf
format=pdf / cite web
title=Aperçu historique
language=French
url=http://www.brucity.be/pdf/college/2005/Foire%20du%20Midi/Foire%20historique.pdf
format=pdf
publisher=(assumedly 2005) — Both texts in each language : City of Brussels
accessdate=2007-08-07
* Old photographs of the Brussels fair (collection Jean-Pierre Roels) : cite web
title=C'était au temps où bruxelles brussellait
language=comments in French
url=http://sofei-vandenaemet.skynetblogs.be/tag/1/foire%20du%20midi
publisher=Roels, Jean-Pierre (on blogspot)
accessdate=2007-08-07