“I have already put a jar of fat on the table …” and “We are almost there …”. The silence in the evenings are broken in the evening by primary school children who sing loudly for the sunset to the finish of the four -day walk. In their wake parents with buggies such as broom wagons and grandfathers and grandmothers who try to hum the second voice. Brabant has more than fifty evening hiking four days. Why do we actually enjoy walking in the evening after each other?
To answer that question, we first walk a bit back in time. The Four Days Marches has been around for more than a century. In 1909, the Dutch Association for Physical Education introduced the first hiking march in Nijmegen. Walking together for four days would improve the health of the Dutch.
Only after the Second World War did the Four Days Marches become a keeper in the evenings. From Bergen op Zoom to Geldrop and from Made to Boxmeer, around 35,000 people walk along, mainly children every year. There seems to be no end to the popularity of the event.
“It gives people the feeling of being a unity.”
“People are group animals. We always want to do things together,” explains culture sociologist Peter Achterberg of Tilburg University the enormous interest in the walking event. “You would think that people in the individualized Netherlands don’t like doing something together, but that is not the case. You also see it at large festivals where we are going en masse.”
According to Achterberg, the group behavior is not even aware. “During the four -day evening, parents come into conversation with each other and the children look for each other to sing songs, for example. Others just want to get a medal. That gives people at school or in a village the feeling of being a unity together.”
“We have all walked it.”
If your evening 4 days, then often immediately doll beautiful thoughts. Such as those at the festive welcome with flowers and candy bags on the local via Gladiola, the snacks en route and that coveted cross. Because was it the third or fourth time that you walked?
Tradition also plays a role. Achterberg: “We have all walked it once. As a child or as a parent or perhaps as an organizer. People think it is important to maintain a tradition.”
“Great group feeling.”
The cherishing of warm memories and strengthening social contacts are central during the walking event. Just like the original idea behind the evening four days: it remains healthy to walk a bit. Even though we stroll for 5, 10 or 15 kilometers in the evenings in a row.
Do we all immediately have to go on the paths and the avenues? Cultural sociologist Peter Achterberg. “I would certainly participate if it is for a wonderful group feeling.”
And that is soon possible. On Tuesday evening new walking tours will start in Berkel-Enschot, Schaijk, Gilze, Heeswijk-Dinther, Huijbergen, Nuenen, Oisterwijk and Gemonde. From next Monday you can walk along in Odiliapeel or a day later in Moergestel. For the time being, those are the last four -day Brabant. On August 4 there will be another in Achtmaal and in September the last trips in Halsteren, Cuijk and Huisseling.
Look here where you can walk in your area: Avond4daagse