There is a risk of a future shortage of carnival princes in Tullepetaonestad and ‘t Krabbegat. There are plenty of Tullepetaontjes and Krabbekes, but because many children were not born in their own city, they may not meet the rules of the game. And so the question arises: will there still be enough candidates to become Highness in Roosendaal and Bergen op Zoom?
For eleven years now, most Tullepetaons have been born in the Bravis Hospital in Bergen op Zoom. Since the opening of the Mother and Child Center in 2015, this has affected 4,708 children. Since more than three-quarters of all deliveries take place in this hospital, this means that almost an entire generation of Tullepetaontjes between 0 and 11 years old was born in ‘t Krabbegat. The number is still growing.
Melissa Emmen from Roosendaal can talk about it. Her daughter Esmee was born over a year ago in Bergen op Zoom. “How bizarre that so many children are involved. The rinse in the search for a new prince will soon be very thin. Moreover, the children cannot do anything about it. I think they will have to adjust the protocol,” she says.
“We indeed have a problem there,” confirms Jacqo van Gastel, chairman of the carnival foundation in Roosendaal. According to him, there are still enough candidates to become prince in the short term, but in ten to fifteen years they may need a magnifying glass in Tullepetaonestad to find a highness.
“Do they have so many Krabbekes walking around in Roosendaal?”
The problem could easily be solved if Tullepetaonen let go of the obligation to be born in Roosendaal. However, Jacqo does not want to do that yet. “Fortunately, it is not happening right away, but we will have to seriously consider it. That much is clear.”
His colleague Bas van Oevelen, chairman of the Vastenavend Foundation in Bergen op Zoom, sees the humor in the ‘problem’. “Do they have so many Krabbekes walking around in Roosendaal? That only improves the atmosphere. We like to set a good example for them and we are not ashamed of our export products.”
The playful rivalry between ‘t Krabbegat and Tullepetaonestad always blossoms during carnival and Lent. Some Tullepetaon parents try to avoid Bergen op Zoom at all costs. For example, Martijn Voeten and his wife chose to have their daughters Noor (8) and Jade (5) born in ‘t Kielegat.
“When the midwife said that we would have to go to Bergen op Zoom, we immediately started itching.”
“We initially wanted to give birth at home, but that turned out to be no longer possible. When the midwife said we would have to go to Bergen op Zoom, we immediately started itching. ‘Anything but that!’, we said to each other. They don’t realize it yet, but they will certainly be grateful to us later, hahaha.”
The Mother and Child Center of the Bravis Hospital is currently still in Bergen op Zoom, but in 2029 the clinic will move to the hospital’s new location in Roosendaal. This means that in three years the situation will reverse: Krabbekes will then be born as Tullepetaons. The ‘prince question’ thus shifts from Roosendaal to Bergen op Zoom.
“Rub it in again,” laughs Bas van Oevelen. “Fortunately for us, this will only happen in about twenty-five years. By then we will certainly find a solution for this. We will probably have to let go of the requirement to be born in ‘t Krabbegat and introduce some more diversity.” Bas does not rule out a princess. “Why not?”
“Although we like to maintain mutual conflict on stage, we get along very well behind the scenes.”
Jacqo van Gastel expects that both cities will eventually find a solution to resolve the prince issue. “We should start negotiations on this soon. After all, governing means looking ahead.”
He continues: “Although we like to maintain mutual conflict on stage, we get along very well behind the scenes. And as far as our young Tullepetaons are concerned: they are not Krabbekes. They are also real Tullepetaons.”
The thought that a highness from Roosendaal will one day hold sway in ‘t Krabbegat, or that a resident of Bergen will lead the carnival in Tullepetaonestad, still causes stomach ache. Yet it seems inevitable that they will have to get used to it. A first step has already been taken in ‘t Krabbegat: until last year, Diemer van Wijk from Roosendaal was there for years during Lent.
