Queens of the Pastures: Almabtrieb
Each year at the end of September, an unusual parade wends its way down the country lanes, mountain roads and village streets of the Berchtesgaden area. Crowned with brightly-colored headdresses and streaming ribbons, the cows return from their summer pastures on or around St. Michael's day, September 29th.
headdresses
The milkmaids (Sennerin, pl. Sennerinnen) and cowherds take great pains making the beautiful globe-shaped headdresses out of small larch or spruce treetops and adorning them with up to two hundred colored rosettes made out of wooden ribbons and often highlighted with gold glitter.
The cows are then driven down toward their winter stalls as the milkmaids call out: "In God's name move on, my cow, in health and joy; St. Anthony will herd you!". This blessing is said three times along with three Pater Nosters (Lord's Prayer).
Despite the many days of work it takes to make all the ornaments and to decorate the cows themselves, the Berchtesgadeners respect the perpetuation of this old tradition year after year. The only time they do not decorate their herd is when a fatal accident has occurred during the summer or if there has been a tragic loss in the family.
During those last golden days at the end of summer, it is a colorful and joyful sight, indeed, to observe the whole family proudly leading its source of livelihood back down from another peaceful season on Berchtesgaden's high grazing land.
Thursday, 21. August 2008
