Would you consider a yodelling holiday?
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What is the Swiss Federal Yodeling Festival and where is it held?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk with Aviva Insurance.
If you're looking for an adventure that is really different, why not consider yodelling? Why should I, says I. Well, Ed Finn is here to tell us all about it. So you're going to this unique cultural festival. It's called the Swiss Federal Yodelling Festival.
Yes, Clare. And it's in Basel in Switzerland, which, of course, is at the confluence of three countries, France, Germany and Switzerland. So it's a beautiful location, one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Europe. And it has the world's biggest yodeling festival, Alporn and flag throwing. Now, this happened. I don't know what any of that is. Well, you know, I'll tell you when I come back, I'll send you a few videos. But when, the last time it was in Basel, there was a hundred years ago. Now, yodelling started, as we know, when people in the mountains, when there was no phones or anything, they communicated to each other. There's four cows gone missing up there, yodelling. So that's how it was.
That's where it actually came from. It was a language.
And there were champions who were very good at this.
Yeah. And it's intricate. And I mean, when you hear them doing it up on the mountains in unison, in big, large groups, it's like, I mean, it's like the sound of music to the power of 10.
Where are you going to this thing?
Well, I don't know. I love Switzerland, right? I went there when I was 14 on a school tour. I absolutely love mountains. I love being up high. And it's just got something special. Now, the alporns as well, of course, the big, huge wooden alporns are amazing. And they kind of perform in semicircles. And when you hear all these... blowing across the valleys and the mountains. It's like nothing else.
And what's the flag throwing then, element of this?
Yeah, flag throwing, of course, is a big Swiss tradition as well. Do you know, I suppose, you know, in the parades, what you see here, people, you know, majorettes throwing things up into the air. So it's similar to that. They're going to do tricks with the flags. Yeah, but these are beautiful, big red Swiss flags. And everybody dresses up. You're talking 200,000 people going to this. It's a huge thing. It's the Swiss flag here. Yeah. That's how I can describe it in a nutshell to you, right? But it's such a beautiful city, Basel. It's the Rhine there, right on the Rhine. As I said, you can walk into France, you can get the train to Colmar, you can go into Mühlhaus. It's stunning. And what's lovely, you can see people swim in the Rhine.
Imagine the Liffey being crystal clear. That's what they have there.
Why is yodelling significant in Swiss culture?
It is famous for Art Basel. It has 40 museums. Probably one of the most beautiful museums that I've been to in Europe, Foundation Baylor. is stunning. So like there's so much to do and see there.
This is coming up this weekend.
This Thursday I'm heading off. Two hours. We have a direct flight from Dublin to Basel and I'm staying there. Nice hotel, the Motel 1. We have them here in Dublin and I'm really excited. It's a big programme for three days.
Will you bring noise blocking headphones?
No, because I want to hear it all. You like this noise, do you? I do. Cowbells. Have you ever been up in the mountains asleep and you hear the cowbells? It's so romantic.
I haven't really been in the Swiss mountains listening to the cowbells.
We'll have to fix that. You will have to fix that. Yeah, but the yodelling is fabulous. I mean, you know, we all know, once on a hill was a lonely goatherd, remember?
You gave us a little flavour of a yodel. Can you give us a, can you belt it out now?
Yodel, yodel, yodel. Bad?
What unique experiences can attendees expect at the festival?
Too bad. No, I have been practising a little bit. My Alporn blowing is better though. And that's not easy, Clare, I can tell you. There's a lot of pressure.
What about the flag tricks? And we got that great down fast.
Not great on the flag throwing yet. But I am meeting the Director of Tourism there and they have arranged a workshop for me because I do, the yodelling thing is great fun. And it is a real talent, you know, and a skill. And when you hear it all being, I'll send you a few videos.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the Swiss Federal Yodeling Festival and where is it held?
0:01–2:30
2
Why is yodelling significant in Swiss culture?
2:30–3:20
3
What unique experiences can attendees expect at the festival?
3:20–4:35
4
How does the festival incorporate traditional Swiss elements like Alporn and flag throwing?
4:35–5:17