Chalandamarz - an old Engadin custom 2025

Once upon a time, on March 1, elections to public office were held, and at the same time winter was driven out. The male youth paraded through the village with cowbells and then ate together and danced with their daughters who were ready to marry. Today Chalandamarz is a celebration for everyone: boys, girls, parents and guests.

During the Chalandamarz procession, everyone has their task and their costume: the little children with the small bells are the calves. The boys and girls with the big, deep-sounding bells, the "Plumpas", are the cows. They all wear the typical blue farmer´s smock and the red cap in Sils. The three oldest of the procession, the "Senn", the "Zusenn" and the "Hirt" herd the wild herd of children. They also sing the songs. On a decorated wagon, donations and food are transported, which are given to the children.

Everywhere in the world people know "Schellen-Ursli", be it as a film by Xavier Koller (produced in 2015), be it as a picture book by Alois Carigiet and Selina Chönz (published in 1945). Little Uorsin (Ursli) doesn´t want a bell for Chalandamarz, but a really big bell. He fetches it from the snow-covered alpine hut ? and in the end is proud to lead the Chalandamarz procession. As a picture book, the ancient Graubünden custom has become known as far away as China and Japan.