Carnival of Lodine

The Lodine Carnival takes place on Ash Wednesday (Merhulis de Lessia).
The protagonist is a puppet with a wooden mask (called on Ziomo), who has the features of either a community character who during the year has distinguished himself for behavior not well accepted by the country or of a national or international figure who has stood out with negative connotations. The puppet is taken from house to house, mocked and mocked, by a large group of men disguised as widows in traditional local clothes: Sas Umpanzias. Their faces are dyed black, wearing a cork mask that represents a politician or a local figure, they wear black clothes.
During the visits, the inhabitants of the town offer the group wine, bread, pastries and cold cuts that will enrich the final banquet. At the end of the day, on Ziomo, he is tried and sentenced to the burning scheduled for the day of the Pentolaccia. According to tradition, only the wooden mask will be saved from the flames, to be preserved and exhibited in the parades of subsequent carnivals.

The masks
Sas Umpanzias: men wearing the widow's clothes, their faces dyed black and hanging around their necks the masks of Su Ziomo from past carnivals. Long skirt (fardetta), shawl (issallu) and handkerchief (muccadòre).
On Ziomo: a straw puppet dressed in rags who wears a wooden mask, is carried in his arms or on a cart by the corteo de sas Umpanzias.

History
The tradition of condemning Su Ziomo's puppet to the stake symbolically represents the ancient rite of purification of the community. Originally, the participants disguised themselves with a simple cloth cap. The desecrating aspect of the festival has been introduced in recent times.

Update

5/2/2024 - 12:48