Culture
Belgium has a very unique culture in my perspective. With over a hundred popular festivals and events, how could they not? By presenting a mixture of the countries heritage and the modern age, many of the festivals are out of this world.
Language
The official language of Belgium is Dutch with about sixty percent of the population speaking it fluently. Second to Dutch is French, at around forty percent. Other languages, including German, are spoken by less than one percent of the total population. This explains why some of thefestivals, such as the Festival van Vlaanderen, are in Dutch.
Gilles
The Gilles only make an appearance during the Carnival of Binche. Ranging from ages three to sixty, men and boys alike in Belgium pray for the opportunity to be one. Belgium has been known to have up to a thousand Gilles at one time. The Gilles main job is to go out on Shrove Tuesday* at four o'clock in the morning and dance and sing the traditional songs until the late hours of the evening. Other cities in Belgium have been known to have Gilles attend other carnivals in the city. However, the Gilles attend the Carnival of Binche every year.
Language
The official language of Belgium is Dutch with about sixty percent of the population speaking it fluently. Second to Dutch is French, at around forty percent. Other languages, including German, are spoken by less than one percent of the total population. This explains why some of thefestivals, such as the Festival van Vlaanderen, are in Dutch.
Gilles
The Gilles only make an appearance during the Carnival of Binche. Ranging from ages three to sixty, men and boys alike in Belgium pray for the opportunity to be one. Belgium has been known to have up to a thousand Gilles at one time. The Gilles main job is to go out on Shrove Tuesday* at four o'clock in the morning and dance and sing the traditional songs until the late hours of the evening. Other cities in Belgium have been known to have Gilles attend other carnivals in the city. However, the Gilles attend the Carnival of Binche every year.