Newsletter

Dear folklore friend,

‘Don't praise the day before evening comes’, as the old saying goes. Even so, with the last West Frisian Thursday still to come, I dare to speak of an excellent season. We stayed dry every day, there were lots of visitors and, fortunately, there were no incidents. The large turnout was undoubtedly due to the fact that it was often not beach weather, so tourists looked for other activities. And what could be better then than a visit to our unique West Frisian market?

I look back with great pleasure on the ‘Day of Music’. A sparkling performance by Vlacor, who got the audience dancing with Tex-Mex and rock numbers, followed by a wonderful performance by Skotwal with Americana songs in pure West Frisian. Speaking of Skotwal, I can report that behind the scenes we are busy, after the success of Oôs Joôs last year, setting up a campaign to get Skotwal into the Top 2000 too. So here is an early call to vote, in due course, for the song ‘Te Werk’ by the lads from ‘Langedoik’ (Langedijk).

Unlike last year, the ‘guest day’ could this time be held in the open air. Unfortunately, the number of participants was disappointing this year. Perhaps the memory of the previous edition played a part. There were also a few minor shortcomings. The tablecloths were missing, for instance, and in some cases the recipe for the original farmers' meal was not right. Points for improvement, then. I am therefore counting on welcoming lots of ‘fellow diners’ again during next year's ‘guest day’. Don't forget that for the tourists (and that is who we do it for) it is something very special, and that calls for a large group of participants. And it won't break the bank!

The ring tilting was a great day as ever. With no fewer than 21 carriages it was a magnificent spectacle. Only the wind could have been a little less. Once again your chairman lost his hat to the wind, and it was narrowly rescued by a member of the jury, just before a carriage came charging in. In my mind I had already said goodbye to my hat, but it all ended well.

The ring tilting had its share of emotional moments. Despite his serious illness, our vice-chairman Siem Huijberts was present. Where necessary, he still gave instructions in his familiar way. He visibly enjoyed himself in the landau of Michel Bakker, who took part in the ring tilting and managed to win second prize. We witnessed an emotional moment between father and daughter when it turned out that his daughter Daniëlle, as lancer with coachman John de Wit, had won first prize. For John too this was in many respects an especially joyful moment, which everyone wholeheartedly granted him.

And then next week already the last West Frisian market. The festive closing day on which, by tradition, the volunteers share a bread meal together on the market square in the open air. Something special again this time. Last year it was the ‘Skager kampioenschap stikkesnaaie’ (Schagen bread-slicing championship); this year ‘the battle for the man and the woman’ is on the programme. Many years ago this was a regular part of the West Frisian Thursday, I am told. So it will be a ‘trip down memory lane’, as the English so nicely put it. Pure nostalgia, then. I can't say much more about it than that it resembles a kind of musical chairs (but different). Come and see for yourself!

I would like to thank everyone wholeheartedly who once again helped to make this season a success.

See you next year!

Rienk Mud

Chairman, Stichting Bevordering Westfriese Folklore (Foundation for the Promotion of West Frisian Folklore)