The “Kirchtagsmichl “ in the Pustertal

This is a life-sized straw doll that is set up in the village square for the church consecration festival. The doll is dressed in the traditional costume of the place and hangs at the top of a long spruce trunk. The church consecration festival is celebrated very extensively in the Puster Valley – often for several days. The custom of the Kirchtagsmichl – also called "Kirschtamichl" or "Kirchtamichl" – is reminiscent of the maypole setting and has its roots, like this, in ancient fertility rites. Presumably the custom comes from Bavaria, where it was practiced in the context of the Thanksgiving festival in autumn.

As with the maypole, there was also the widespread tradition with the Kirchtagsmichl that the neighboring villages tried to steal it. A village from which the Michl was stolen was exposed to ridicule and scorn. For this reason, a special guard was always set up to protect the Kirchtagsmichl. These watchers were not allowed to take their eyes off the Michl for a second; but of course, they were never alone, friends, relatives, even half the village came by and brought food and drink for strengthening and also the odd shot of schnapps.

Although the stealing of the Kirchtagsmichl is hardly practiced anymore today, a guard is still set up because you never know... Today, however, the Kirchtagsmichl has mainly symbolic significance, it's no longer the rivalry of the neighboring villages that is the focus, but the festival itself with the countless South Tyrolean specialties and delicacies as well as the large music bands playing. After the church consecration festival, the Michl is brought down on Sunday or Monday and often auctioned off publicly, with the proceeds going to charitable purposes and the "watchers".