Bandn giahn – Customs of the Axamer Fasnacht

The Axamer Fasnacht is one of the most famous traditional carnivals in Tyrol. The "Nonsensical Thursday" with the Wampelerreiten is now even a world cultural heritage site.

It begins on the Monday after Epiphany Sunday - a custom known in Axams as „Eintampern“. Nonsensical Thursday" falls on the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday or Ash Wednesday. It is therefore directly linked to Easter, which in turn depends on the first full moon in spring. The carnival in Axams therefore does not end on Shrove Tuesday as usual, but on the aforementioned Unsinnigen Donnerstag.

BANDN, MUSIG AND A SCHNAPSL

During the carnival season, the Axamer:innen get up to mischief on Thursdays in particular. Every Thursday evening, the „Bandn giahn“ takes place, an integral part of the Axamer Fasnacht. Accompanied by their own musicians, the gangs enter the inns, dance to three songs each and then drink a Schnapserl (small glass of schnapps) before moving on together to the next inn.

The Banden consists of a minimum of seven and a maximum of 15 people in costume. The start is at around 20:00. Beforehand, the gang meets to dress up together. Adults always wear a Larve (mask), which may only be removed at midnight, and a Gewand (costume). The costumes either depict traditional carnival characters such as witches, Bujazl, Flitscheler, Tuxer, bears, bird catchers or married couples. Alternatively, the gangs choose creative themes, often with a topical reference to village life. The members of the gangs are usually made up of local clubs or groups of friends.

You can read about the classic figures of the Axams carnival on the website of the Axams carnival association.

Musically, each band is accompanied by its own „Musig“ (music). An accordion is never missing, and often the guitar, spoons or double bass are also used. Less frequently, the „Waschrumpl“ or the "devil's violin" are played. The Waschrumpl - an old washboard that is beaten with a wooden spoon - has long been regarded as a simple rhythm instrument of the Axamer Fasnacht. The devil's violin is also a simple "instrument": various jingling objects such as cans or metal parts are attached to a sturdy stick. Shaking or stomping on them produces loud noises with which the musician sets the rhythm.

The music is perhaps the most important part of „Bandn gian“. The musicians (usually two to four members) always enter the pub first, even before the gang itself. Three songs are played in each pub „aufgspielt“ (axameric for "making music"), usually including a waltz, an Boarischer and a polka. Everyone in disguise chooses a person from the audience to dance with. It is often difficult to guess who is hiding behind the mask - but if a woman from the audience is asked to dance, it can be assumed that a man is hiding under the mask. After each dance, the person in disguise is given a schnapps - this applies to every dance.

The gangs parade through seven to twelve inns each evening. Depending on the length of the carnival period, they are on the road several times. The first round takes place on the Thursday after Epiphany (January 6). The last „Bandn gian“ of the season is the Thursday before Unsinnigen Donnerstag.

Further information about the carnival activities in Axams can be found on the website of the Axams carnival association.

Photo credits: Fosnachtsverein Axams, Lisa-Marie Schaffenrath