carnival in czech republic

CARNIVAL IN CZECH REPUBLIC

Text by Petr ChudobamyChechRepublic

FROM EPIPHANY (DEN TŘÍ KRÁLŮ) UNTIL ASH WEDNESDAY (POPELEČNÍ STŘEDA), THE PEOPLE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC CELEBRATE A SEASON OF MERRYMAKING AND MASQUERADING CALLED MASOPUST. LITERALLY, THE WORD MASOPUST (LIKE ITS ENGLISH COUNTERPART "CARNIVAL") MEANS "GOOD-BYE TO MEAT". THIS IS A TIME OF PLENTY, IN WHICH BUTCHERING AND PORK FEASTS ARE TRADITIONALLY HELD ALONG WITH PRE-LENTEN CARNIVALS. THESE CELEBRATIONS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN BOTH THE MOST COLORFUL AND THE WILDEST FOLKLORE EVENTS HELD UNDER A VARIETY OF NAMES.

CARNIVAL IN CZECH REPUBLIC......................................

A MULTITUDE OF MASKS - WHOSE SIGNIFICANCE AND SYMBOLISM ARE NOT WELL KNOWN NOWADAYS - ARE PRESENT IN THE TRADITIONAL PARADES. THE MOST POPULAR HUMAN CHARACTERS ARE DEVILS, CHIMNEY SWEEPS, COW HERDERS AND RING MASTERS. THE MOST POPULAR ANIMALS ARE BEARS, GOATS, DOGS, SHEEP, RAMS, PIGS, CHICKENS OR A HORSE WHO CARRIES A BAG IN HIS MOUTH AND COLLECTS DOUGHNUTS INTO IT.


WHILE NOISILY SINGING, SHOUTING AND DANCING, THE COSTUMED CHARACTERS MAKE THEIR WAY FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, WHERE THEY'RE TREATED TO FOOD AND DRINK. THE PROCESSION USUALLY ENDS IN THE PUB, WHERE THE EATING, DRINKING AND MERRYMAKING OFTEN CONTINUE UNTIL MORNING.


IN THE BORDER REGION BETWEEN MORAVIA AND SLOVAKIA, DANCERS WALK AROUND IN A PROCESSION CARRYING WOODEN SWORDS INTERTWINED IN A CLOSED CHAIN. THIS CUSTOM IS THE ANCIENT SWORD DANCE SYMBOLIZING THE ETERNAL CYCLE OF LIFE AND SEASONS AND BELONGS TO THE GROUP OF DANCES CELEBRATING THE SUN. IN STRÁNÍ, THE DANCE IS STILL PERFORMED IN TRADITIONAL COSTUMES. IN THE HORAĽĎOVICE AND STRAKONICE REGIONS IN SOUTH BOHEMIA, A COMIC WEDDING IS ACTED OUT DURING THE PROCESSION.


CARNIVAL IN STRÁNÍ(FAŠANK)


CARNIVAL IN STRAKONICE


IN DOBRKOVSKÁ LHOTKA NEAR TRHOVÉ SVINY, YOU MAY ALSO SEE A CHORUS OF CAROLERS

DURING THE FESTIVAL


CARNIVAL IN DOBRKOVSKÁ LHOTKA FESTIVAL


THE CZECHS AND MORAVIANS ENJOY USING A VARIETY OF NOISEMAKERS ON THIS HOLIDAY, AND A FAVORITE ONE IS A WOODEN RATCHET (ŘEHTAČKA). THESE COME IN MANY SIZES, AND MOST OF THEM WORK BY WAVING THEM IN THE AIR, WHICH CAUSES THEM TO SPIN WITH A LOUD CLATTER. IN SOME VILLAGES THEY HAVE RATCHETS SO BIG THAT THEY'RE LIKE WHEELBARROWS, AND YOU HAVE TO PUSH THEM DOWN THE STREET.


THE CARNIVAL CELEBRATION PEAKS ON THE LAST FEW DAYS BEFORE LENT, WHEN YOUNG AND OLD ATTEND DANCES AT THE VILLAGE INN. THE PREPARATIONS FOR MASOPUST, STARTING ON "FAT THURSDAY", USUALLY INVOLVED THE SLAUGHTER OF A PIG AND THE SERVING OF THE TRADITIONAL CZECH MEAL OF ROAST PORK WITH SAUERKRAUT.ACCORDING TO TRADITION, THIS WAS A DAY FILLED WITH EATING AND DRINKING TO KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP ALL YEAR LONG. THE MAIN MASOPUST CELEBRATION BEGINS ON SUNDAY WITH A RICH DINNER. IT IS THEN FOLLOWED BY DANCING, ENTERTAINMENT AND FUN ALL NIGHT LONG.


BRIGHT AND EARLY ON MONDAY MORNING, MASQUERADERS AND MUSICIANS MEET IN THE VILLAGE SQUARE AND THEN PARADE AROUND THE VILLAGE. THEY STOP IN FRONT OF ALL THE HOUSES AND DANCE OR PERFORM A SHORT SKIT. THE HOMEOWNER THEN ASKS FOR SMALL FAVORS OF THE GROUP "THAT THERE BE NO HARD FEELINGS DURING THE DAYS OF MERRIMENT". THE SMALL FAVOR IS PAID FOR BY THE DONATION OF DOUGHNUTS, BACON, EGGS, KOLÁČKY, ETC.


THE DAY BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY IS CALLED MASOPUSTNÍ ÚTERÝ. ON THAT DAY, THE PARADE GOES AROUND THE VILLAGE AGAIN, ENDING WITH A DANCE AT THE INN. THIS DANCE IS THE MOST FESTIVE OF THEM ALL, WITH EVERYONE TAKING PART. THE WOMEN OF THE VILLAGE BAKE A LARGE AND BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED PASTRY WREATH, WHICH IS PLACED ON THE TABLE. THEY THEN FORM A CIRCLE AROUND IT AND DANCE. THE MEN TRY TO BREAK THROUGH THIS RING AND GET A PIECE OF THE PASTRY WREATH. THE MAN WHO ACCOMPLISHES THIS MUST THEN TREAT THE WOMEN WITH CANDIES. ONCE REACHED, THE REST OF THE WREATH IS CUT UP AND SOLD TO BIDDERS.


AS MIDNIGHT NEARS, THE YOUNG FOLKS MAKE PREPARATIONS TO BURY THE BASS FIDDLE. THE BASS FIDDLE IS DRESSED IN A WOMAN'S DRESS AND DRAPED WITH RIBBONS AS A SYMBOL OF MUSIC AND CHEERFULNESS. IT IS THEN LAID ON THE CHAIRS AND THE GROUP, IN THE CIRCLE, PROCLAIMS THE SORROW OF PARTING WITH HAPPY TIMES AND MUSIC. THE EULOGIES ARE SAID AND THE BASS FIDDLE IS THEN CARRIED IN A FESTIVE PARADE AROUND THE HALL UNTIL THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT. AT THIS TIME, ALL MERRIMENT CEASES AND ALL DEPART FOR THEIR HOMES TO START THE OBSERVANCE OF LENT.



CARNIVAL IN HUKVALDY

IN SOME REGIONS, THE FIGURE BEING BURIED IS BAKUS, REPRESENTED BY A FIGURE OF AN OLD MAN. IN MILEVSKO, THIS CUSTOM HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES. BAKUS WHO WALKED AROUND THE PUBS ON CARNIVAL MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND ON ASH WEDNESDAY USED TO BE BURIED FIRST IN THE BROOK WHICH WENT THROUGH THE SQUARE, LATER IN KUKLÍK POND OR AT SÁDKY.



The procession of Bass consisted of the comical characters of his wife and child, a gravedigger, a sexton, a priest, mourners, and acolytes. Bass was carried on a cart and was wearing a dress stuffed with straw.

CARNIVAL IN HUKVALDY

CARNIVAL IN HUKVALDY......................................

carnival in czech republic

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