Anyone who came to the city hall in Eindhoven last weekend probably had to blink twice. No officials and politicians in smart suits, but in carnival costumes. They had a reason: the lampegatse Lulkoek* evening.
The tone was immediately set by the mayor and presenter on duty, Jeroen Dijsselbloem. He opened, with a wink, the attack on departing Prince Kachelaan*. “One of his adjutants was stolen from my staff. That is pure subversion. I want him back soon, and preferably in one piece.”
Then it was the turn of the political parties. They, or at least delegates, entered the barrel* and showed their most carnivalesque side. Nothing and no one was spared. “Vegans, climate freaks and environmental knights from the council have ensured that Eindhoven has participated in the National ‘Tegelwippen’ Champonships (Tile removal) in recent years. In our time that was called street prostitution.” The Ouderen Appèl contestant was met with laughter.
Changing cup
Vice party leaders did not escape the jokes of barrel speakers either. “PvdA and GroenLinks are interested in a merger, but only without Tjeerd Ritmeester. And when asked around a bit and that turned out to be mainly a wish of the PvdA itself (his party, ed.),” joked councillor Chris Dams of D66.
In the end, only one top performer could win the coveted challenge cup. “And the winner of the Lampegatse Lulkoek is Johan van Ouderen Appèl,” Prince Kachelaan announced. So, the trophy will be shining in the party room for a year.
*Carnival vocabuary:
Lulkoek: piffle, hooey – Prince Kachelaan: Prince heated stove (Carnival Princes get jokey names, probably related to their standard life business or habits) – Tonpraten: Barrel oratory, a carnival version of stand up comedy.
Carnival means the general order is put on its head. The mayor is no longer in authority, Prince(ss) Carnival gets the keys to the city and takes over.
Carnival tradition dictates that the orators speak from a beer barrel, probably to emphasize the fuel for many of the jokes. The Tegelwippen joke is a risqué joke, punning on the slang meaning of wippen. tegelwippen is flipping up the tiles, a drive to remove tiles and plant something to help the city absorb rain and lose heat. The slang meaning of wippen is to have sexual intercourse. (added by editor, EN)
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translated by Yawar Abbas
