Fellow steemians!
With winter going strong in central Europe, Slavic people are already tired of it. From today Tuesday the 6th for a week, until Tuesday the 13th, one day before ashen Wednesday most Slavic countries are celebrating pust (mesopust, poklade, masopust, fasank, mięsopust, zapusty, postnicy, maslenitsa) in order to scare winter away.
As with myself being a Slovene I have little to no knowledge about Slovakian or Czech carnivals, so here we will only explore the pustovanje in Slovenia.
Thus, without further ado, let me introduce to you the last remnants of pagan culture in an otherwise very catholic world.
RAVENSKI PUST
Let us start with the most authentic celebration there is, actually starting 10 days before pust. To the far west, in the Littoral region (meaning the seaside region) bordering Italia every year the pretty ones who are representing a pagan wedding are followed by the ugly ones who are chasing away children from adult business with socks filled with ash. They, sticking to the rigid authentic structure of the celebration allow only single young men to dress up as masks.
Ravenski pust as it's called also unfolds as to a precise script kept through generations. And with preparation starting in December when married men are let go from the group and young single boys are welcomed, people are trying to guess who is playing which character this year, and comparing their show to the one they witnessed last year.
ŠKOROMATIJA
On the very eastern border of the Littoral region with Carniola region we encounter Škoromate from Hrušica who perform the act of Poberija early on Carnival Saturday (this year it will be the 10th of February) when they gather in the centre of the village from where the party tours the village and then heads towards the most distant houses in the village. From there Poberini break from the main party to gather the gifts from door to door.
The modern times can be noticed even in the nature of the gifts: in the past locals mainly gave sausages, ham, lard, eggs and other food but nowadays people mainly give money. Poberini are different from other Škoromati since their faces are not covered and they wear more usual attires so people are able to see who they are letting into their homes. Poberini receive gifts from a housekeeper, thank for them and wish for plentiful harvest, happiness and health in the upcoming year, and at the same time invite the family to a dinner at the end of Poberija where the whole village would gather. The rest of Škoromati in the meantime roam freely around the village and stop in local pubs or in front of the houses where they are greeted by tables full of food and drink. These masks are as well divided amongs the pretty ones and the ugly ones. This symbolism probably depicts the eternal struggle between good and evil or life versus death.
As this week is filled with festivites, food and drink in Slovenia join me in exploring each region on each day, so when Tuesday the 13th, a day before ashen Wednesday comes around, you will be ready to chase away winter for the upcoming year!