Gayant is a

processional giant Processional giants are costumed figures in European folklore, particularly present in Belgian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and English folkloric processions. The main feature of these figures is typically their wooden, papier maché or - ...

that symbolizes the city of

Douai Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...

. It is carried through the city for three days each year at the beginning of July as part of an eponymous festival alongside its "wife", Marie Cagenon, and their three "children", Jacquot, Fillon, and Binbin. The family arrives at the

belfry The belfry /ˈbɛlfri/ is a structure enclosing bells for ringing as part of a building, usually as part of a bell tower or steeple. It can also refer to the entire tower or building, particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached ...

at Douai on the final Sunday of the festival, which culminates with ''Le Grand Cortège'' (The Grand Procession) in the afternoon. Gayant is included in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List as an example of

processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France The processional giants and dragons () of Belgium and France are a set of folkloric manifestations involving processional giants, which have been inscribed by UNESCO on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, lists of Intangible Cultural ...

Family

The Gayant family consists of Gayant, his wife Marie Cagenon, and their three children: Jacquot, Fillon, and Binbin. The giants have gone through multiple rebuilding sessions (NR), restorations (R), and disappearances (D):L'étude des comptes annuels de la ville par les services des archives municipales de Douai a permis de retracer l'historique des mannequins de 1530 à nos jours. Des extraits de ces comptes sont disponibles dans l'ouvrage de Marie-France Gueusquin, et de Monique Mestayer, « ''Gayant, fêtes et géants de Douai'' », Béthune. Documents d'Ethnographie Régionale du Nord-Pas-de-Calais -n°5, 1994. Since 1827, plans to restore and rebuild the family have been coordinated, occurring in 1859, 1867, 1874, 1881, 1885, 1892, 1912, 1922, 1947, and 1954. Each year, the mannequins, which are constructed of

wicker Wicker is a method of weaving used to make products such as furniture and baskets, as well as a descriptor to classify such products. It is the oldest furniture making method known to history, dating as far back as . Wicker was first documented ...

, are cleaned and restored. Unlike other cities, Douai did not give a name to its giant; it is simply called ''Gayant'' (giant) in the language of Picardy, which was in use in Douai at the time of the original festival.

History

Jehan Gelon

According to local legend, at the end of the ninth century, the townsmen of Scarpe asked for Jehan Gelon to help them if the city were attacked by

barbarians A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice. A "barbarian" may ...

. Gelon advised them to take refuge in the tower and to expect him in the event of an attack. When the city was besieged by the

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...

, Gelon, accompanied by his three sons, arrived by traveling through a tunnel in the city and defeated the Normans. The attackers who, while leaving, destroyed his castle and massacred the women there. Gelon and his sons, now traumatized from the loss of their families decide to go to war. According to legend, Gelon died close to

Bavay Bavay () is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. The town was the seat of the former canton of Bavay. Geography Bavay is located some 20 km east by south-east of Valenciennes and 10 k ...

. The legend has it that the inhabitants of Douai, in remembering his acts of bravery, made him a giant—the symbol of the city.

The Giant, Maloré and Morant

An episode of '' La Belle Hélène de Constantinople'', a famous epic of the 14th century, takes place between Douai and

Cantin Cantin () is a commune of the Hauts-de-France region in the Nord department in northern France. It is southeast of Douai. Population Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 647 communes o ...

. Morant and his army ineffectively besiege the tower of the Giant, the perfidious and heathen vassal situated in Douai. This tower is linked by an underground passage with Cantin, where the giant brother of Douai, Maloré, was. Morant decides to take the tower of Cantin, which was easier to break in. Morant rushes to Cantin to help his brother. But Morant takes bulwarks, kills the Giant, and releases Douai and Cantin from the heathen.

Jean Wauquelin Jean Wauquelin (fl. 15th century), born in Picardy, was a writer and translator in French, active in the County of Hainaut in the Burgundian Netherlands, a county now located in Belgium near the border with France. Wauquelin died on 7 September ...

(1452) wrote this epic for the

Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...

Philip the Good Philip III the Good (; ; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) ruled as Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his reign, ...

in 1448.

Saint Maurand

Many historians reject the legend of Jean Gelon and prefer to see it as the city's homage to Saint Maurand. Two stories exist about the appearance of Saint Maurand in a dream, preventing the French capture of a city. The most commonly accepted example goes as follows: In 1479, the French invaded Douai, then Burgundian. On 16 June 1479, several French troops tried to open the Door of Arras; it was believed that St. Maurand prevented them from intruding. Several of his sacred artifacts were treasured within the church of Sacré-Coeur. The second story says that the procession of the giant had already begun, so the identification with the Saint came later. In 1556, St. Maurand told the guard of Sacré-Coeur's church to "sound the

matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning (between midnight and dawn). The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which w ...

." Subsequently, a knight of Light, Saint Maurand appeared to fight against Gaspard de Coligny.

Description

The giant has had his current form since 1954. The earliest description dates to 1530, and describes the character as twenty-two feet tall, wearing the costume of a feudal man of war in medieval armor with gloved hands. The mannequin was created by the corporation of the Manneliers. Until 1598, only one carrier was needed to move it. In 1665, it needed five carriers for the wicker mannequin. The appearance of the giant is no longer the same. The helmet has been removed, and he wears a wig. The lance has been replaced by a war hammer. The Sabre appeared beside the body in 1700. In 1703, during the construction of the new Gayant, the painter Martin Saint Leger was charged to paint specific colors for each giant. The helmet was reinstated, and then between 1724 and 1741, the giant wore a cap of

rabbit fur Rabbit hair (also called rabbit fur, cony, coney, comb or lapin) is the fur of the common rabbit. It is most commonly used in the making of fur hats and coats, and is considered quite valuable today, although it was once a lower-priced commodit ...

. Absent from 1792 to 1801, its return is marked by the will to equip Gayant with the fashion of the day (Consulate). In 1823, the feudal style returned. The artist Wallet then draws corresponding clothing of the time of Francis I. The sketches of WalletMonique Mestayer, Claude Vandalle, « ''Douai, Traditions et Mouvements 1815- 1848'' », catalogue d'exposition 1987, p. 45 were used as the model for all the restorations. Although in 1827, a cotton coat was added as well as a streamer of scarlet serge on the upper part of the lance.

Footnotes

Documentaries

The Gayant are the stars of the documentary "Giant!" by Thomas Deshays, released in France on March 21, 2018.

Bibliography

General books

* René Darré, ''Géants d'hier et d'aujourd'hui'', 90 p. * Claude Malbranke, ''Guide de Flandre et Artois mystérieux'', p. 92-96, éditions Presse Pocket, 1966. * Robert Chaussois, ''Les Géants Du Nord-Pas-De-Calais'', édition Téméraire, 1999, . * Francis David, Claudine Le tourneur d'ison, ''Le réveil des Géants'', édition Hoebeke, 2002.

Specific books

* M. Quenson, ''Gayant ou le Géant de Douai'', édition F.C. Houtland, 1991 (first edition, 1839). * Marie-France Gueusquin, Monique Mestayer, ''Gayant, fêtes et géants de Douai'', Béthune, Documents d'Ethnographie Régionale du Nord-Pas-de-Calais, no. 5, 1994.

External links

Gayant festival
{{Authority control European folklore Culture of France Nord-Pas-de-Calais Giants in popular culture