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Zvončari ("bellmen") is the characteristic folk custom maintained in the region around Rijeka, UNESCO: Annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant from the Kastav area
/ref> The custom dates to Slavic pagan antiquity and remains typical for this region. The primary task of Zvončari is to scare away evil spirits of winter and to stir up new spring-time cycle. During the Rijeka Carnival, Zvončari march from village to village throughout the region, following the same centuries-old route, making an extraordinary amount of noise, fueled in part by the wine provided by the locals en route.
The standard Zvončar costume includes white trousers, striped shirt, and a sheepskin throw. In their hands they hold a "balta" or "bačuka" - a stylized mace, and around the waist one or more big brass bells. The costume varies from village to village; for example, Zvončari of Halubje and (Dondolaši) wear special stylized masks representing fantastic animal heads, while Zvončari of
Zvončari of HalubjeDondolaši of GrobnikRijeka Carnival
Croatian culture Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Ritual animal disguise Culture in Rijeka Slavic carnival {{Croatia-stub
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
. It was added to UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergover ...
in 2009./ref> The custom dates to Slavic pagan antiquity and remains typical for this region. The primary task of Zvončari is to scare away evil spirits of winter and to stir up new spring-time cycle. During the Rijeka Carnival, Zvončari march from village to village throughout the region, following the same centuries-old route, making an extraordinary amount of noise, fueled in part by the wine provided by the locals en route.
Description
The standard Zvončar costume includes white trousers, striped shirt, and a sheepskin throw. In their hands they hold a "balta" or "bačuka" - a stylized mace, and around the waist one or more big brass bells. The costume varies from village to village; for example, Zvončari of Halubje and (Dondolaši) wear special stylized masks representing fantastic animal heads, while Zvončari of Žejane
Žejane ( ruo, Jeiăn; it, Seiane) is a village in the eastern part of mountainous Ćićarija area in Istria, Croatia. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Matulji in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. In 2011, the population of Žejane ...
and wear "flower hats". Local legend claims that it was the Zvončari that scared away invading Tatars
The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different
or in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different
Turks
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
during the Ottoman conquest, with shepherds doning masks on their heads, along with belted-on bells, produced a deafening noise that scared the enemy away. From that time on, a mace became part of the standard equipment of Zvončari.
The Zvončari participate regularly in the international Rijeka Carnival.
See also
* Busójárás *Kurentovanje
Kurentovanje is Slovenia's most popular and ethnologically significant carnival event first organised in 1960 by Drago Hasl. This 11-day rite of spring and fertility highlight event is celebrated on Shrove Sunday in Ptuj, the oldest documented ci ...
*Pre-Christian Alpine traditions
The central and eastern Alps of Europe are rich in folklore traditions dating back to pre-Christian times, with surviving elements originating from Germanic, Gaulish (Gallo-Roman), Slavic ( Carantanian) and Raetian culture.
Survival through t ...
* Rijeka carnival
References
External links
Zvončari of Halubje
Croatian culture Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Ritual animal disguise Culture in Rijeka Slavic carnival {{Croatia-stub