Customs & Traditions
The mountain villages of Damuels and Fontanella-Faschina were settled by the Walser people coming from the Swiss Canton of Valais about 700 years ago. Over the centuries numerous traditions have been preserved and maintained by the locals while other customs disappeared.
The land was first cleared and cultivated by the Walser, introducing the so-called three-phase agriculture still used today. It was the foundation of today's natural and cultural heritage. Among the most important pillars are the desire for independence, the passion for farm animals and a life in close touch with nature. The rich Walser heritage can look back on a long lived tradition and a typical dialect. Wearing hand-embroidered, traditional costumes on festive parish days adds to an authentic way of life.
The very special geographic location of Damuels at the cross-point between the Grosses Walsertal is just one of the region's peculiarities: after completing the road from Au to Damuels, the connection to the Großes Walsertal was nearly interrupted. Therefore, one question is omnipresent in Damüls and its surroundings: Do the people from Damuels belong to the Bregenzerwald or do they think they are Walser? A fairly interesting topic dealt with also at the Kulisse Pfarrhof exhibition.
Also in the little mountain village of Fontanella and other villages in the Grosses Walsertal genuine traditions are passed down from one generation to the next. Ancient customs, the original Walser dialect and traditions steeped in history can still be found within the whole area.