Merville

The Mervillois have been called the CAOUS since 1566, which means “ the cats “ in picard dialect.

The middle of decade from 1560 till 1570 was particularly trying for the inhabitants of the valley of the Lily who experienced both a terrible famine and the revolt of the Protestants.

The famine

The famine : The winter 1564-1565 had been rough and late spring frosts further aggravated the situation. From September, 1565, when the harvest was finished, the rarity of seeds activated a speculation. Wealthy people were able to make reserves. But soon there was no more grain to be sold on the market, no more bread at the baker’s. The common people of Merville were very hungry. From the middle of the 19th century, the progress in agriculture and particulary the use of fertilizers, removed the spectre of famines. The last scarcity which raged in France, dates back to more than 150 years and the parents of the oldest people did not experience it. So it is difficult for our contemporaries to understand the terror that famines could inspire in the populations which formerly arose periodically.

The revolt of the Protestants : At the beginning of the 16th century, there were quite a lot of Protestants in the region. Flanders and Artois, as well as territory of today’s Belgium, were then a part of Spanish Netherlands. Marguerite of Parma, half sister of the king of Spain Philippe II, was the regent in 1556. The Calvinists felt bullied by the catholic sovereigns. There had no right to celebrate their services inside cities. Among the three big monotheist religions, only the Catholics decorated pictures, paintings and sculptures, their places of cult or prayers with. The Jewish tradition for example, absolutely forbids the representations of the things which are in the top of heavens.

For the Protestants, the use of pictures is not compatible with the essential dogmae of their religion, neither is worship of the Saints and of the Virgin.

From 1521, at the instigation of a theologian who condemned the cult of pictures, WITTENBERG churches in Germany were plundered. Luther condemned these excesses. A little later, destructions were operated in Switzerland in the churches of ZURICH and GENEVA. On August 10th, 1566, after preachings of Calvinist ministers, the Saint-Laurent de STEENWOORDE convent was destroyed. This was the beginning of a wave of violence which, during the end of summer, 1566, submerged Netherlands. A real revolt occurred the day before August 15th, day of the Assumption of the Virgin. From August 14th till 20th, the called Protestants Beggars burst into churches. They broke statues, sacred objects, crucifixes and tore up pictures.

The revolt of the Protestants

In Merville, height of horror, on August 20th, they locked a cat, symbol of lust and sometimes representation of the devil, into the tabernacle of the parish church; That why the Mervillois were nicknamed “ CAOU ”.

The repression of the troubles : Obviously, these troubles caused a strong reaction of the catholic power. In 1567, all the officials who had been arrested, strong and among them a lot of ministers, were hung. The governess of the Netherlands, Marguerite of PARMA didn’t hesitate to let blood flow.

But Philippe II, as soon as he heard of the devastation committed during summer, 1566, decided to chastise the rebels. From October 30th, he gave his best general Duke of DALBE the order to get ready to advance towards Flanders with the cracks of the Spanish army, which were in LOMBARDIE. The repression was terrible and Marguerite of PARMA who was only a governess at the time, asked the king to be relieved from her duties on August 29th 1557.

Marmiton 1er

The giants of MERVILLE : After the second world war, to restart the cavalcade of Easter, some Mervillois, like father Georges DUCROQUET and Mister Pierre BART made several giants built, among which MARMITON 1-st and TINTIN and TITINE. Then, they imagined a CAOU.

Tintin and Titine

The first CAOU : This giant first came out on April 11, 1955. This one was realized by the J.A.C, on initiative of a farmer’s son, AMAURY DESPREZ, who lived in LA REINETTE, and who was regrettably killed in Algeria. The frame of the CAOU was in wire netting. Its coat was made of some absorbent cotton given by a chemist, Mr Jean LECOMTE, predecessor of Mrs VANBREMEERSCH.

The first CAOU

The CAOU was made in COURTEFOY’s farm , Mr Liévin TAFFIN's property. During several years, members of the J.A.C made it walked in town during the parade at Easter. Then, after the dissolution of the J.A.C, the M.R.J.C (Rural Movement of the Catholic Youth) took over. This first CAOU was not articulated. Originally, the cart was pulled by four horses and then by a tractor.

The second CAOU : Unlike the first CAOU this one is lain. The head was much more beautiful. At the extremities of the tank there were four cats playing music. Heads were articulated. The CAOU was bought by the A.P.E.L. from the association of Bourbourg. In their city, it was used for only one parade. This CAOU walked only twice in the streets of MERVILLE in 1986 and in 1987. The A.P.E.L. not knowing where to shelter it, entrusted it to a farmer. As the cart liked a lot of space in his barn, He left it in a neadow outside. The cats being made of cardboard, after there was nothing left.

The second CAOU

Today’s CAOU

Today’s CAOU : In February, 1998, during a meeting of the committee of the youth, chaired by Patrick MULLIEZ, Councillor, young people wished a giant Caou was built again. Informed, René DUTRIEZ found this an excellent idea and he created in June of the same year, an association " Les Amis du Caou " whose objective was the realization of this giant. Elected president of the association, René DUTRIEZ asked Albert UYTTENHOVE, a builder of giants of LILLE, to run the project. It is under his supervision that about seven young people of the association, all volunteers, built the giant. Unlike his two predecessors, today’s giant, with its grey hair, is carried by men. The Baptism of the CA0U : On April 8th, 2OOO the CAOU was presented to the inhabitants and baptized on the square of the city hall in MERVILLE. Mr Dean, of all the inhabitants of Merville, asked Our Lord as a grace to reserve us for this day, his most beautiful spring time. His wish was fulfillled and we can thank Our Lord for that and our dean too. Anyway the ceremony was successful. The godfather and the godmother were two giants: Henri the Customs officer of GODEWAERSVELDE and Belle Roze D'ARDRES.