Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France
processional giant dragon french géants et dragon processionnels belgium france set folkloric manifestation involving processional giant inscribed unesco list intangible cultural heritage originally proclaimed november festival giant concern set gigantic manifestation specific country case belgium festivity dendermonde ommegang van dendermonde mechelen ommegang van mechelen mon ducasse de mon fight named lumeçon ath ducasse dath brussels meyboom france feast douai feast gayant cassel carnival totemic animal celebration tarascon pézenas mardi gras inauguration mirondela dels art first sunday july proclamation allows valorisation popular festival protection processional giant gigantic costumed figure represents fictitious real inherited medieval rite tradition carried dance street procession festival physiognomy size variable namegiving varies according region among fleming known name reus among picards called gayant large biblical figure procession also served purpose catechising largely illiterate population belgium nearly giant soil appearance date back th century goliath nivelles mentioned early oldest known belgian giant belgium also largest giant europe jean turpin nieuwpoort exceeds metre ft belgian cultural heritage includes following event ducasse dath withdrawn ducasse de mon meyboom brussels ommegang van dendermonde ommegang van mechelen giant one symbol nordpasdecalais region object ancestral cultural practice still kept alive present regional festival event represents northern community region currently giant spread whole territory nevertheless dynamic intraregional zone located around central point flemish part region land giant city one example include reuze papa reuze maman cassel tisje tasje hazebrouck jean de bûcheron la belle hélène steenvoorde totor steenwerck south languedoc region pézenas colt provence tarasque tarascon bouchesdurhône cassel reuze papa reuze maman douai gayant marie cagenon fillon jacquot binbin pézenas le poulain tarascon la tarasque processional giant processional giant dragon belgium france unesco website leffigie et la rue historical article giant northern france french federation giant northern france french