February 24, 2025

"They have been drinking live fish from goblets of wine in the Belgian town of Geraardsbergen for more than 600 years."

"But a ban on animal welfare grounds drew protests over the weekend from traditionalists who wish to defend the custom. The Flemish town’s Krakelingen carnival celebrations were first recorded in 1413 and revolve around the throwing of ring-shaped bread crackers, or 'Mastellenworp,' by town worthies dressed as druids on the Oudenberg hill. Before the throwing of the breads, after a costumed procession from the town, the local church priest, the mayor and aldermen drink a sip of wine with a live fish from a 400-year-old silver cup...."

From "Animal welfare laws stop tradition of drinking live fishThe ban on the 600-year-old practice, which sipping wine from a goblet at Geraardsbergen’s carnival in Belgium, has prompted protests from locals" (London Times).

Here's some older video that demonstrates respect for the tradition:

39 comments:

Wince said...

The "Dean" swallows a live fish?

Next, we watch to see how many deans can fit in a phone booth.

Dave Begley said...

How is that really that different than eating sushi?

Ice Nine said...

>Animal welfare laws stop tradition of drinking live fish
In recent decades gudgeon were replaced by small fish typically used as feed by aquariums<

...where their welfare is so inviolably protected...wait...

RideSpaceMountain said...

"How is that really that different than eating sushi?"

Different, but even the Japanese and Korean have a tradition called Ikizukuri ("prepared alive"). I guess they're trying to say they're better than those beastly asians, lol.

Ice Nine said...

>Dave Begley said...
How is that really that different than eating sushi?<

Find me a sushi bar where live fish are consumed and we can sit down and discuss your question.

Aggie said...

"....but even the Japanese and Korean have a tradition called Ikizukuri ("prepared alive")..."

Did you ever notice that there's a class of 'activist' that has an innate talent of selecting targets with a strong propensity to remain polite? Kind of like the environmentalists that studiously avoid protesting in Russia, China, or India?

n.n said...

Abort then consume, or sequester in a fashion, is a humane choice. Do they at least earn carbon credits?

The Vault Dweller said...

I wonder what would make Don Quixote feel better, slaying Giants or protecting fish?

RideSpaceMountain said...

"Did you ever notice that there's a class of 'activist' that has an innate talent of selecting targets with a strong propensity to remain polite? Kind of like the environmentalists that studiously avoid protesting in Russia, China, or India?"

Not even a fish would be shocked if St. Greta and her ilk were on China and/or Russia's payroll.

Lazarus said...

Goldfish swallowing was supposed to have been a fad in the Roaring (Nineteen) Twenties.

Disparity of Cult said...

The SCTV Schmenge Brothers followed several traditions, among them, the exchanging of the socks.

https://youtu.be/I0mwv0rqmso?feature=shared

gspencer said...

Hey, this is an infringement of my free exercise of religion.

Jupiter said...

Typical Commie bullshit. I'm sure Anti-Communist Dumbass (ACD) Mark will be along to put a stop to it shortly.

RideSpaceMountain said...

"Hey, this is an infringement of my free exercise of religion."

Eating living animals is haram and since most of those people will be muslims by 2050, you won't have to worry about freedom of anything.

Peachypeachy said...

Yuck

n.n said...

A fish has less neurons than a fetus.

Tina Trent said...

At least they let the fish get drunk first.

Rabel said...

Dummies. When you throw the Mastellenworps to the crowd you're supposed to say "Show us your tits!" first.

Also, the marchers in the parade all look like they're on the Bataan Death March. Don't Belgians smile?

Tina Trent said...

Sea Urchin is served alive. Also raw clams and oysters. Ikizuriki sushi is served in America, but it's rarely advertised as such. It's common in Japan.

Another fine cultural tradition promoted by the morally hypocritical Dead Anthony Bourdain, who also bragged about hiring illegals to work for him and loving cultures where women couldn't invade restaurants and other public spaces.

By the way, never eat swordfish unless you like giant worms in your food. Which, frankly, is just another protein, but don't expect an explanation on the menu. We used pliers to pull the biggest worms out. If we weren't in a hurry.

MadisonMan said...

I'm sorry Locals, but The Government must be obeyed, as it knows better than you do.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Aggie said...

Did you ever notice that there's a class of 'activist' that has an innate talent of selecting targets with a strong propensity to remain polite?

Why would they not? The point is to garner attention, not get punched in the nose or beheaded. It's why they vandalize churches and not mosques.

tcrosse said...

Would it be better if they killed the fish first?

Quaestor said...

So the ban embraces the drinking of any live fish, and not just the traditional gudgeon. The affected town worthies are holding a grudgeon. (oof, what a stretch) That humble little fish (known to the cognoscenti as Gobio gobio) inspired the name of the first American submarine to sink an enemy warship in WWII. I doubt anyone has done any submarine swallowing to commemorate that historical moment, though Maxine Waters has a mouth almost cavernous enough to give it stab.

This reminds me of another amusing European tradition. There is a tiny song bird known as the ortolan bunting, that used to be caught in net by the hundreds while on their annual migration from North Africa to Southern Europe. And what does one do with a small bunting caught on migration? Why one first drowns the poor peeper in Armagnac. Then it's roasted whole (minus the plumage) and eaten whole by a wholly absurd gourmand who devours every bit except the beak while wearing a napkin over his head, but not in shame. Eating those birds is not unlawful, though catching them is due to their endangered status.

Tacitus said...

Well, its Belgium. Until pretty recently the town of Ypres had a festival where they threw live cats off the biggest building in town, the medieval Cloth Hall. Well, its the biggest building again, as the entire city was leveled during WW I and rebuilt exactly the same!

Quaestor said...

The growing mood in Europe may see the establishment of a much more deserved and understandable tradition -- live Green activist swallowing.

Quaestor said...

That tradition in Ypres (known to Tommy Adkins as Wipers) is called Kattenstoet, and is today a celebration of cats that attracts cat fanciers from all corners. Though no cats are tossed from high places during that festival, the exasperated Ieperians will soon be launching cat ladies from the Cloth Hall tower.

RideSpaceMountain said...

"There is a tiny song bird known as the ortolan bunting, that used to be caught in net by the hundreds while on their annual migration from North Africa to Southern Europe."

Reminded me of "The Three Emperor's Dinner":

Rôts
Canetons à la Rouennaise
Ortolans sur Canapés

Dude1394 said...

Karen’s everywhere

Wince said...

I suppose Richard Gere would take a slightly different approach to this live fish thing.

William said...

Instead of throwing "small, ring shaped bread crackers", they should throw goldfish crackers and take a pass on the live fish. That would be a statesmanlike compromise that would leave everybody happy.

Jupiter said...

They're eating the dogs ....
They're eating the cats ....
They're eating the fish ....

Jael Gone Windwalking said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mezzrow said...

No live fish were harmed making this video.

Monty Python Fish Dance

Jael Gone Windwalking said...

At least they bought it a drink.

stlcdr said...

If there’s any tradition around the world which needs crushing under a boot, it’s this one.

Jaq said...

"Then it's roasted whole (minus the plumage) and eaten whole by a wholly absurd gourmand who devours every bit except the beak while wearing a napkin over his head, but not in shame"

It's my understanding that every once in a while a beak gets swallowed, the gourmand dies of peritonitis, and his body is cut open to recover the ambergris before it is interred.

john mosby said...

Quaestor: "So the ban embraces the drinking of any live fish, and not just the traditional gudgeon. The affected town worthies are holding a grudgeon."

Not only that, but they're in high dudgeon!

JSM

tolkein said...

Of course, if it was an Australian Aborigine custom, or of the First Peoples (in Canada) or of Native Americans it would be fine if carried out by them.

boatbuilder said...

A gudgeon is the fitting on the transom of a boat into which the pintles of the rudder are inserted. The rudder pivots on this assembly.
This is your nautical lesson for the day. It has nothing to do with birds.

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