FEB 28, ZOUZ – I have spent the last 3 days in Zuoz, Switzerland catching up with friends from business school. Zuoz is a magical and extremely well preserved town in the Engadine mountain range with odd and interesting traditions.
One charming ritual is the signalling of the end of winter. Young lads, perhaps 10 or 12 max, take to the streets with full scale leather whips. During the day you can see them practicing in lane ways. Usually with a father or older brother standing near – arms folded, grunting with approval whenever the boy achieves an almighty ‘thwacking’ sound.
By Feb 28, the last day of winter, a group of boys take to the streets. The cacophony of whipping sounds carries on late into the night. These sounds supposedly crack the ice – accelerating the melting of the snow.
Do these boys actually believe they have in their hands the power to dissolve snow and control mother nature? Probably not. But so what if they do – this is probably a better class of illusion to have.
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