In some regions of Portugal, such as Podence, a pre-historical Celtic religious ritual known as the Careto is still celebrated, serving as a commemoration for Shrovetide. As the winter ends and spring begins, local residents, known as Caretos, dress up in colorful wool fringes, with leather masks and heavy cowbells, impersonating the devil, wearing costumes of colorful wool fringes.
The Careto tradition dates back to prehistorical Celtic civilizations settled in the region 800 years ago. Typically, three days are marked by raucous mayhem, for the Caretos raid taverns, stealing wine, a ritual much aligned to the coming of spring, and hitting women with their bells, granting them fertile wombs. They possibly represent fertility rites by interacting with others anonymously as they dance around the women.
A theatre play is staged on Monday night, when a group of men presents a fictional list of married couples, mocking them and making everybody laugh. On Shrove Tuesday, some people mask themselves as matrafonas. These are the women who were safe from the caretos. They wore masks made from layered clothes, similar to old rag dolls, and threw ash at anyone who was near them. The burning of a Shrovetide figure takes place on Tuesday afternoon. The group of Caretos then visit their friends and relatives' houses.
The village is barely populated during the rest of the year. Most buildings are sealed, and there are only two restaurants open. However, during the Carnival season, visitors flock from all over the country and abroad to take part in the festivities. In abandoned wine cellars, makeshift taverns are set up to serve local cuisine and wine. The Caretos are a relatively mild bunch when compared to years ago. At the time, shenanigans sometimes involved breaking into closed doors and stealing food, and it was sometimes the only way boys were able to get close to the girls they secretly wooed.
Today's Caretos de Podence are mostly composed of young men working abroad. These men are proud of being from the village that birthed the Caretos and thoroughly enjoy wearing their costumes, which preserve their anonymity while they have fun. According to one villager, "the mask allows you to show off your inner lunacy in a happy way." Couple that with the fact that Caretos are offered free drinks wherever they go, and it's easy to see why the activity appeals to the younger generation. However, taking part in the Carnival starts in childhood, and the activities of the Group of Caretos Association have significantly enlarged opportunities for its transmission.
The Careto tradition dates back to prehistorical Celtic civilizations settled in the region 800 years ago. Caretos Festival is not called a carnival by the inhabitants of Podence. Instead, the festival, which has attracted a lot of attention around the globe, is celebrated as a Shrovetide commemoration. As the winter ends and spring begins, local residents, known as caretos, dress up in colorful wool fringes, with leather masks and heavy cowbells, impersonating the devil, wearing costumes of colorful wool fringes.
In Trás-os-montes region, this local custom is typically observed in the village of Podence. Typically, three days are marked by raucous mayhem, for the caretos raid taverns, stealing wine, a ritual much aligned to the coming of spring, and hitting women with their bells, granting them fertile wombs. Caretos performs rhythmically near women while using cowbells. They possibly represent fertility rites by interacting with others anonymously. They dance around the women. A theatre play is staged on Monday night, when a group of men presents a fictional list of married couples, mocking them and making everybody laugh. On Shrove Tuesday, some people mask themselves as matrafonas. These are the women who were safe from the caretos. They wore masks made from layered clothes, similar to old rag dolls, and threw ash at anyone who was near them. The burning of a Shrovetide figure takes place on Tuesday afternoon. The group of Caretos then visit their friends and relatives' houses.
The village is barely populated during the rest of the year. Most buildings are sealed, and there are only two restaurants open. However, during the Carnival season, visitors flock from all over the country and abroad to take part in the festivities. In abandoned wine cellars, makeshift taverns are set up to serve local cuisine and wine. The caretos are a relatively mild bunch when compared to years ago. At the time, shenanigans sometimes involved breaking into closed doors and stealing food. They used to tease women who would try to hide from them, and it was sometimes the only way boys were able to get close to the girls they secretly wooed.
Today's Caretos de Podence are mostly composed of young men working abroad. These men are proud of being from the village that birthed the Caretos and thoroughly enjoy wearing their costumes, which preserve their anonymity while they have fun. According to one villager, "the mask allows you to show off your inner lunacy in a happy way." Couple that with the fact that caretos are offered free drinks wherever they go, and it's easy to see why the activity appeals to the younger generation. However, taking part in the Carnival starts in childhood, and the activities of the Group of Caretos Association have significantly enlarged opportunities for its transmission.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/winter-festivities-carnival-of-podence-01463) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Careto) (https://theculturetrip.com/europe/portugal/articles/the-caretos-what-it-means-if-you-see-these-colorful-monsters-in-portugal/) |Subject=Art, Craftsmanship and Practices, dance, Entertainment and Recreation, Food, Music |Country=Portugal |Region=Bragança }}