One of them is the initiation into the Guild of guests to the festivities in Rebild Hills. Of cause again this year such a ceremonial initiation took place.
Chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen led the new members expertly through the initiation rituals, according to which they have to take a walk around Jens Bang’s Stenhus in order to reach the secret back passage to Duus´ Vinkjælder and try their newly received keys in the lock, to make sure that they – as all other members of the Guild – may get into the cellar on their own. Afterwards they got the traditional menu: Danish red sausages, bread and the absolutely necessary “potato juice”.
Among the initiated were the keypersons from the festivities in Rebild Hills: Chargé d’ Affaires Laura Lochman, who is acting USA-ambassador to Denmark, the American head speaker Rene Gross Kærskov, the adventurer etc. and rector dr. Lyle Loelofs from Berea College, who was also a speaker at the Rebild festivities. The Danish head speaker was former Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was initiated into the Guild on a former occasion.
Then everyone went to Rebild Hills to the traditional “tent- luncheon” on the parking area in front of Rebildhus. Here the Guild again had a role to play, and the benchers entered the tribune accompanied by the grand and forceful tones from the Guild’s music-director, solo trumpeter Per Iversen’s “lure” - and then the chief bencher donated scarves to the ladies and ties to the gentlemen.
After the luncheon people went out to find themselves seats on the hillsides surrounding the open air scene, and it was soon obvious that – presumably thanks to the fine weather - the number of guests were greater than last year - and that is a fine thing for the 105 years old tradition. <<<
Photo: Jens Morten og Fini Ryming