Children
are an essential component of the ritual of Doudou.
They participate
in the procession, hum the Doudou song, joined the drawing competition.. they
are fully involved in the festive spirit.
So the
following Sunday after the Battle of Lumeçon,
they have their own battle called Petit Lumeçon.
The little Lumeçon looks so similar with the real
battle.
It is aimed for children around 12 years of age
and done under adults supervision.
Safety is the top priority. Each
year, the organizers do their utmost for the highest "comfort" of the
little ones.
Prior to
the battle, children need to get an
official t-shirt from the organizers at the Place du Parc. They are measured by
the staff and given a specific color t-shirt. They must put it on to
determine in which zone they need to stand (assigned by the height of the
child). They also need to follow the rules such as: to stay behind the rope and
their zone, to pay attention to others and listen to and respect the
instructions of adults.
Around
the arena, they look very excited and hysterical, mimicking the elders.
The
preparations and the battle done in similar manner.
The characters
and costumes, timing (12.30 - 1 pm), arena.. but of course they use smaller
dragon.
After
the battle, they also have the chance to collect the lucky mane, meet and greet and take photo with the iconic dragon and the little hero of Saint George.
This event is very important because it is used to prepare the public for the coming
years. It’s a big ongoing project
for the town of Mons. A guarantee for the future battle and to continue the
tradition.