Living traditions – The bridge as a stage
Every January, the ‘wild man’ known as Wild Maa travels down the Rhine on a raft, amid gun salutes and drum rolls. That is when Kleinbasel’s biggest holiday begins: In magnificent costumes, the griffin Vogel Gryff, the lion Leu and Wild Maa dance through the streets and across the Middle Bridge. They are the heraldic animals of the three Kleinbasel honour societies, brought to life. Each of the three has its own character and tradition. These three wild creatures were loners for the first centuries of their existence, before appearing together for the first time in 1838: What a spectacle! They are accompanied by drummers, as well as the ‘Ueli’, jesters who collect donations for social causes in Kleinbasel. Their performances are an embodiment of the pride, defiance and confidence of Kleinbasel’s citizens, directed at Grossbasel.
Bildquelle: Druckgrafik nach einem Aquarell von Constantin Guise, Mitte 19. Jahrhundert, Archives Jura Brüschweiler, Inv. FH-3010-0091