A New Tradition Flourishing
by John Clarke
While the early German settlers in the Barossa Valley brought with them many of the customs of their homeland, they did not continue the age old practice of the Laternenlauf (Lantern Walk). The Lantern Walk was especially popular with children, who carried bright, shining lanterns through the dark streets of their villages and towns.
Ten years ago the Barossa German Language Association decided it was time belatedly to introduce the custom into the life of the Valley. But there was a problem, most likely the same problem that discouraged the early settlers. Traditionally the event is held on St Martin’s Day (11 November), night coming early to the German states. How in a hot, sunny South Australian evening would the Lantern Walk be able to carry on?
BGLA President and instigator of the event, Steffi Traeger, came up with a solution. Simply change the time from summer to winter. And so ten years ago with their hand made lanterns a small number of children paraded through the streets of Barossa Village, singing the traditional lantern songs.
This year with approximately 150 in attendance the Lantern Walk was celebrated at the Nuriootpa Rovers Football Club. Apart from the date the traditions were retained.
The children arrived early and with assistance from Liz Henderson and their parents they produced colourful lanterns in a variety of shapes. Safety standards were higher than those in practice in medieval Germany; tallow candles and oil lamps were replaced by battery charged candles.
Sitting around decorated tables, the adults (and the children when they could be drawn away from lantern making) enjoyed typical German fare: pea soup, potato soup, different types of sausage with or without sauerkraut, tea and coffee and Apfelschorle (sparkling apple juice).
There was the traditional short play of St Martin, the soldier saint who in the middle of winter used his sword to cut his cloak in half so that he could share it with a beggar.
Members of the Liedertafel were there. They sang some German songs, accompanied by Ute Schwarz on the piano accordion. They conducted a practice session of the lantern songs and then led the children with their glowing lanterns around the Nuriootpa Oval:
Ich geh’ mit meiner Laterne
Und meine Laterne mit mir.
Dort oben leuchten die Sterne
Und unten leuchten wir.
Wie schön das klingt wenn jeder singt!
Rabimmel, rabbimel, rabum.
(I go with my lantern and my lantern goes with me. Up there above the stars throw out their light, and here below we throw out ours. How beautiful it sounds when everyone sings! Rabimmel, rabimmel, rabum.)
Back to the clubhouse for more Apfelschorle and cake, and for the adults a well deserved Glühwein.