My name is Meli, short from Murmeli (Swiss for marmot). Marmots are large, social rodents native to the Swiss Alps. We live in colonies in alpine meadows and rocky areas, creating extensive burrow systems. We are known for our loud whistles to signal danger. We gain significant weight in summer and we sleep in the winter. We marmots are culturally significant in Switzerland and we are often featured in folklore and as mascots for alpine tourism. We bring joy to hikers who can spot us sunbathing or playing in our natural habitat. ​

I am one of the dairymen (die Geele) from Appenzell, wearing a colourful and instantly recognizable outfit. My knee-long trousers are made of deerskin and are hand-painted in yellow. I have an embroidered red vest, a white short-sleeved shirt whose collar is decorated with an intricate brooch. I wear knee-long white socks, traditional leather shoes and a black hat which is adorned with Alpine flowers and ribbons. Do you know how to tell the difference between a dairyman and a farmer from Appenzell? The trousers – dairymen’s are yellow, farmers’ are brown. 

It is customary that men wear earrings in Appenzell – typically a long hanging one, on the right ear (sometimes accompanied by a small stud earring one on the other ear). I too have them and wear them with pride. The one which I would like to tell you about is the long hanging one, because it is really special. We call it ‘Schueffle’ – it is made of gold in the shape of a milk ladle (that makes sense – we are dairymen after all). If you look closely, you will see that the handle is shaped as a snake which bites its own tail. This symbolizes the never-ending cycle of life and change of seasons.

The ‘Alpfahrt’ is a traditional Alpine mountain festival which takes place every May or June, when cattle is brought to the high mountains to graze on fresh grass for 8-10 weeks, then returned for the winter. The procession is led by children and goats, followed by calves, cows and even bulls. Cows wear three harmonized bells and as they walk, they create music – the only music known to be played by cows! Accompanying them are herdsmen, dressed in colourful Appenzell clothes who sing and yodel. Helping them is a hard-working ‘Bläss’ (Appenzell Mountain dog), which makes sure that all animals stay together.

One thing I am really love on my outfit is the elaborate leather band on my chest, including with an intricate brass piece and other decoration. Each brass piece is hand-made by skilled craftsmen. It depicts scenes of daily life (cows being the centre of it all) and important traditions like the ‘Alpfahrt’ (explained in the post above). What is the purpose of the leather band? It is decorative, but also connects the two suspenders which help hold the Appenzell trousers up.

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Photo credit: www.appenzell.ch

During festivities (such as the ‘Alpfahrt’ explained earlier), us Appenzell dairymen can be seen carrying a wooden milking bucket (‘Fahreimer’) around the left shoulder. It is decorated with a beautiful round painting. You can tell how much we love our cows and milk, so you can imagine how much care we put into our cheese. The Appenzell cheese is a well-known Swiss cheese. The taste comes in different strengths (from mild to extra strong), depending on the time it is left to mature. Do you think you are tough enough to handle the ‘extra strong’ one?