Dick reports...

Carnival in Canada is Slowing Down

It is with some regret that we have to admit it – we are getting old. Our "Nachwuchs" is only marginally interested – this is where we missed the boat – and there was no young blood at the Carnivals Dance at the Hansa Haus. The untimely snowstorm kept many of the usual guests away, especially the ones that have a long trip to the club.

That kept the hall was not as full as expected, which meant more room on the dance floor. It also meant more food and drink for the revellers and less work for the kitchen staff, but likely more leftovers.

Mississauga Express Band

The familiar sound of the Mississauga Express Band kept people moving.

Dancing the night away

Most of the guests wore the prescribed headgear – since it was a sort of "Kappenabend" – at least for the beginning of the evening. The hats soon came off, and we could admire a number of costumed guests, including a real wild Frenchman(?) and a clown whose nose kept falling of. To start the evening off a video about German Karneval was projected on the giant screen at the stage, showing what fun they have over there in the old "Heimat". The screen was rolled up again when the band was ready to play.

The video was a great reminder of what Mardi Gras could have been here also - if we had had the foresight to "train" our youngsters early enough and had switched to English sooner then we did. In a recent conversation with Armin Hellmann, the president of the BDKK, (Bund Deutscher Karneval in Kanada) he reminded me that he tried to switch even in the days of the old Harmonie Club when they tried to interest young people in Carnival, Werner Graf even created the "Senat" that was comprised of young people And designed to keep them interested in this old custom. They were blown off or left quite soon because they did not do everything strictly by the book, and there was no help from the stout old traditionalists and the new members eventually gave up.

Guests & Costumes

I still remember the sessions in the Harmonie Club, the first "Dreigestirn" that was provided by the "Treue Husaren", Toronto, or the sessions in the old Palace Pier, at the mouth of the Humber River, even earlier. Yes, I even remember Armin Hau as "Prince"! But everything was done in German, even the "Büttenrede". The Garde Girls brought their boyfriends along – but only once! If we had switched at least to some English, many might have stayed on. Now, if we want real carnival we have to go to Quebec, the Caribbean, New Orleans or Rio de Janeiro, or of course good old Germany – places in the world where carnival or Mardi Gras is still celebrated as part of a catholic tradition.

The "Büttenredner" in the video at the Hansa Club, was out of this world!

The Polonaise

However, despite the fewer than expected visitors, the dance floor was always full, the band engaged the guests in a nice long "Polonaise", and a good time was had by all!

Alaaf, Helau & Ahoy,
As always

Dick Altermann