Thousands of years ago in Germanic times they already existed, Easter fires. But now they are under pressure more than ever, says Barry Gepken from Erica. That is why he makes a pilgrimage to The Hague, to argue for a place on the list of intangible heritage.
After a blessing by a priest, Gepken leaves from Erica, a mammoth on wheels pulling behind him. It is a symbol for Stichting de Mammoet, which organizes the Easter fire in Erica. An Easter fire that did not threaten to continue this year, because this year the bump moved to another location. Provincial are agreements about this. Existing Easter fires may continue to exist, but new Easter fires and locations are not allowed.
“We have to climb on the breach for this,” says Gepken. “Otherwise, the Easter fires will no longer be among us. The Easter bumps have survived for thousands of years, but now they are in danger of going down to laws and regulations.”
In Erica it worked out well in the first instance. After a conversation with the municipality, the De Mammoet Foundation still received green light to organize an Easter fire on Erica this month. Due to the drought, a line went through.
“This tradition must be protected,” says Gepken. “That is why we are going to offer a petition in The Hague.” In the meantime, that petition has been signed by nearly 1,500 people. In the coming days, Gepken hopes for more signatures.
“My journey goes through the east of the country, where the Easter bumps are. We believe that municipalities should embrace this phenomenon. Espelo is one of those municipalities that does that, just like this happens in Germany,” the initiator continues. “In Germany, for example, the fire brigade is ready for every Easter fire. You have to be proud of it.”