Gilles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the town in France, see Gilles, Eure-et-Loir.

For the Formula One racing driver, see Gilles Villeneuve.

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 by UNESCO.

[edit] External links

• The 'Gilles' of Binche. (On the Belgian federal portal site)
• Binche: from the conquistadores to the ‘Gilles’. (On the European online magazine cafebabel.com published by the non-governmental association Babel International)
• (French) Official site of the carnival of Binche
• (French) International Carnival & Mask Museum in Binche
• (French) Traditional tambourines
• (French) The oldest group of Gilles