Ubersitz, the utterly unique – and deafening – Swiss custom
At the end of every year the villages around Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland are a hive of activity. The inhabitants of the Haslital, the Hasli valley, celebrate the ancient custom of Ubersitz in “Old Year’s week”. “Begone, evil spirits, disappear back into the realm of the dead!” Such banishments are widespread in Switzerland and are traditionally celebrated around the winter solstice. In the Haslital, people drive out the evil spirits with drums and “Treicheln” or trychels (giant cowbells). The custom called Ubersitz ... Читать дальше...