The Parrot Festival (Fêtes du Papogay/Festival of the Parrot) is held in Haute-Garonne (a department in southwestern France) on the first weekend of May and brings together about 40 archers dressed in medieval clothes. They must hit a seven-kilogram parrot placed on top of a 45-meter mast with a bow. The shooter who manages to knock down the bird becomes the king of the holiday.
The holiday dates back to the Middle Ages, when, squeezed by fortress walls, from a life far from comfort and carelessness, the city dweller rushed with childish delight into the midst of mass fun. And there were a great many reasons for this. The — calendar of the Catholic era was full of red days in honor of the patrons of the city, guild, and profession.
Next to these memorable dates, holidays inherited from village paganism coexisted peacefully. Then important dates for the economic, political and military life of the state began to be added to the calendar. The latter include tournaments that have spread throughout Europe and shooting festivals.
The birthplace of shooting competitions — Flanders. There, under the walls of the city of Courtrai, the people's militia for the first time broke the color of French chivalry and the myth of the invulnerability of lats-chained horsemen.
The crossbow became the miracle weapon of the townspeople. He was easy to use, and it took much less time to master his secrets than to comprehend knightly science.
Shooting competitions were called parrot drinking parties. Why parrots? Parrot — is the favorite of the German people. Probably, in this strange bird lived the memory of the exploits of the crusaders. Together with German colonists, the parrot reached all other countries.
On a warm spring day, the city streets were filled with festive noise. At the head of the procession was the winner of last year's competition. The servants carried the hero of the occasion —, silver-plated and painted in all the colors of the rainbow.
On the square, the main structure was a «nast» for the treasured target. Its height was amazing — built perches by ship's mast masters. Of course, only the most accurate shooter could become the winner, the king of the holiday.
The winner was entitled to a title, a silver target double, and a royal treat.
Modern celebrations are not much different from medieval ones. Only the parrot is made of foam rubber, but the arrows still ring.