Cheese father calls the roll
Cheese carriers are required to be present at the Waaggebouw (weighing house) at 7 am, but in reality only the kaaszetters are on time. Cheese carriers arrive at 9.30 am. Those arriving too late are stated on the “stocks” and are required to pay a fine which is collected by the “provost marshal”. The provost marshal punishes the cheese carriers if they are too late or break the rules. Part of the money collected in fines is used by the guild to sponsor a school in the small city of Alkmaar in Surinam. The remainder goes to the guild. At 9.30, the cheese father – head of the four forwarding companies – gives a talk to the cheese carriers in the Waaggebouw, stating the number of metric tons of cheese on the market and whether important guests, journalists, or TV crews will be present. He makes a roll call to see whether the guild is complete or whether anyone is sick, and divides the forwarding companies over the market: the part of the market where the cheese carriers are to work.