Krampus
From Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers
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Krampus is an indigenous Germanic woods-god associated with goats and birch trees. His yearly festival, called Krampusnacht ("Krampus Night"), originally took place in early December, and it still persists, but with the advent of Christian religious traditions, Krampus was characterized as a demon and made to be the servant or assistant of Saint Nicholas whose feast day on December 6th happens to fall near the same time as the old Krampusnacht. In modern times, therefore, Krampusnacht has been standardized as the night of December 5th, the eve of Saint Nicholas Day. In Slovenia Krampus is known as Parkelj, in Finland as Perkele. In Austria and Bavaria the pair may be accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht ("Servant Rupert") a farmhand character who presages the contemporary figures of "Santa's Helpers."
Interestingly, despite the attempt to subjugate Krampus to the Catholic Bishop, and to identify him as a form of Satan, the focus of the festival still remains squarely on Krampus himself. During this celebration, which is sometimes called a Krampuslauf ("Krampus run"), bonfires are lit and people dressed in shaggy goat-headed costumes parade through the streets, menacing onlookers with birch besoms, as other revelers, dressed as Saint Nicholas try to capture and lead the rambunctious woods-spirit away in chains. In Slovenia, sweet bread treats called Parkelnji are given to children as treats.
Krampus is typically depicted as a goat headed human figure with goat hooves and horns, sticking his long tongue out after the manner of a sexually aroused buck goat approaching a doe goat in heat. He carries a bunch of birch twigs, with which to flog onlookers, and he may give lumps of coal to bad people. He often has chains around his waist, to symbolize his subservience to Saint Nicholas, and he may carry a woven willow peddler's pack on his back, in which to carry away naughty children. He may also carry a basket of fresh fruits to distribute to good children at Saint Nicholas's behest. In the 21st century Krampus experienced a popular revival of interest, not just in Europe, but also in the United States. An array of seasonal Krampus-themed festivals, parades, live music events, and bar crawls take place on Krampusnacht in many US cities, including Baltimore; New York; Birmingham, Phoenix, New Orleans; Chicago; Washington DC; Los Angeles; Columbia, South Carolina; and Cleveland, Ohio.
Credits
This page is brought to you by the AIRR Tech Team:
- Author: catherine yronwode
- Contributors: Lukianos, Papa Newt, Mama Vergi
- Images: Unknown Postcard Artist, Unknown Photographer; Sara Kališnik, photo-edited by nagasiva yronwode
