The Inventory Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the Netherlands contains ICH of which the communities, groups or individuals involved have written a safeguarding plan. Those plans are reviewed by an independent review committee. Every three years an evaluation of the safeguarding takes place.

Description

For milk churn shooting, shooters drill a hole in the bottom of a milk churn, which is necessary for ignition. The milk churn is loaded with carbide and water, and then the lid is placed in the opening. The lid is weighted down with a large heavy wet piece of cloth, from an old pair of jeans for example, which is firmly attached to the lid handle.
Then the milk churn is placed on the ground on its side and the shooter sits on top of it. For stability and against any recoil, he or she places the feet with the heels against the bottom and checks that the shooting direction is clear and safe. Then the shooter fires the milk churn by lighting a lighter at the hole in the bottom. Agreements are made to fire at the same time or take turns.

A total of about 55 shooting locations have been established in Kampen, of various sizes. They range for groups from 5 to 100 people. The locations are mainly within the built-up area of the municipality and mostly on streets and roads between buildings.

On New Year's Eve, the entire municipality of Kampen is milk churn shooting from early morning until night.

The Kampen district of Brunnepe, where milk churn shooting originated, has a special status. Here, at a number of set locations, people are allowed to shoot as early as after Christmas in the evening hours.

Milk churn shooting is a social event in which the shooters usually consist of groups of friends and families often combined with each other. It is customary to visit the others during the day at the various locations.

During the evaluation, the Copper Milk Churn is awarded. This aims to raise awareness and responsibility of the shooters and support local charities. The challenge cup can be awarded for various things, such as beauty, good organisation, safety et cetera. The corresponding check must be spent in full on a local charity. In addition, to encourage young people, the Shooter’s Guild also awards a prize for the most beautifully decorated milk churn for youths up to age 12.

Community

There are just under 2,000 active shooters in Kampen. Shooters come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from young to old. They may be groups of friends but people are also often related.

The Shooter’s Guild consists of representatives of the shooters and has an advisory and supporting role within and between the various authorities involved and the shooters and contact persons. Its objective is to safeguard milk churn shooting and increase social involvement. In addition, the Shooter’s Guild meets regularly, where new developments are discussed and input is provided for the long-term vision "turn of the year" and the policy of the municipality of Kampen. It offers advice, identifies and discusses the needs among the shooters and represents the shooters in the working group New Year's Eve celebrations.

History

It is likely that farmers on the St. Nicolaasdijk in Kampen (on the outskirts of Brunnepe) started milk churn shooting in the 1930s after which the phenomenon was quickly adopted by the "Brunnepers" on the Noordweg. At the time, the Brunnepe neighbourhood was largely inhabited by former Schokkers, residents of the island of Schokland who were forced to move. The Brunnepers were known as eccentrics who were averse to rules and authority.

Partly because of the Brunnepers' wilfulness, the milk churn shooting and the lighting of bonfires in the middle of the streets and residential areas came into being. These were activities with which they emphatically distinguished themselves from the farming population in the immediate area, who shot carbide mainly in the meadows around town. From the Brunnepe neighbourhood, the tradition then spread throughout the rest of the municipality of Kampen.

Over the years, the popularity of milk churn shooting increased with the result that in the 1970s problems arose regarding security and public order in which even Mobile Unit had to be deployed to restrain the revellers. Partly because of this, in the following years the local government tried to put an end to milk churn shooting “in the Kamper way”. As a result of the reduction in the number of locations, safety was at risk and social unrest threatened. Bort Koelewijn, mayor of Kampen from 2009 to 2021, then entered into talks with the carbide shooters. This improved relations, allowing the tradition to continue by mutual agreement.

In 2018, the Shooter’s Guild was established; they are committed to preserving heritage in a safe and socially responsible manner. In addition, the guild aims to link tradition to socially responsible local charities and uses its network in helping residents with problems.

With the Shooter’s Guild, the approximately 2,000 active milk churn shooters from the municipality of Kampen became an equal discussion partner within the municipality of Kampen.

Safeguarding

2023-2025

  • One will conduct clinics/workshops on responsible milk churn shooting for the youth.
  • Teaching materials will be prepared for schools and offered to schools.
  • The guild will offer quality control checks on milk churns.
  • Class locations will be designated during New Year's Eve where a "teacher" will be present.
  • A proposal will be made for adding additional shooting locations in the expansion areas of Kampen.
  • Promotional materials will be prepared for new residents/youth.
  • Milk can shooting is promoted during events.
  • It is being investigated whether the municipality has room for intangible cultural heritage in the new Environment Act, and if so what that policy is and what this means for them.
  • Consultations will be launched with the city park group for the establishment of shooting-free areas in Park Het Groene Hart.

 

Contact

Het schuttersgilde
KAMPEN
Website