Carnival of Lodè

The Lodeino carnival, which starts on Shrove Thursday, is characterized by the parade of two opposing groups of masks: sas Mascara Netas and sas Mascara Bruttas.
Sas Mascara Netas, move in pairs in silence, accompanied by the cowbell ringer (on Marrazzaju) to arrest a person identified in the crowd. If the person identified is a man, he must try to flee home or to a certain goal to consider himself free. If a woman is being followed, a characteristic ritual is staged. Sas Mascara Netas stop a few meters from the girl while on Marrazzaju, waving the cowbells, he goes around three times and stops in front of her, bowing his head in appreciation. At that point, the chosen one is taken under arm and accompanied by the three masks to the house, where she offers them wine and sweets before being taken back to the same point where it was picked up.
Sas Mascheras Bruttas are rather loud unlike the first ones. The group is accompanied by Su Maimone, a puppet made of rags, straw, cork and other materials. Inside, a demijan connected to the mouth through a tube is inserted. Depending on its size, two or four people take it from house to house to fill the demigiana with wine to then share with the ommunity.

The masks
Sas Mascara Netas: the clean masks. They are mute, they wear men's and women's clothing but can only be represented by men. The clothing consists of typical male costume elements: shirt (sa kamisa), white socks (sas kalzas biancas) and headwear (sa berritta), but also garments of women's costume: corset (on kuritu) and handkerchief (on mukkatore). An additional mukkator is tied at the waist to cover the upper legs. Among all these elements, the bodice, colorful and worn backwards, and the headdress, traditionally filled with rags or paper and embellished with a large shawl with long fringes that cover the face, stand out.
Sas Mascara Bruttas: the ugly masks. Their faces are covered by a mask (sa caratza) composed of cattle bones, they wear orbace, velvet and leather clothes, rags and shoes and are equipped with accessories such as wooden sticks, work tools, weapons.
About Marrazzaju: the cowbell ringer who accompanies the Mascara Netas and takes part in their ritual.
About Maimone: a puppet of rags, straw, cork and other materials. Inside the puppet, a demijan connected to the mouth by a rubber pump is inserted. By popular tradition, it symbolizes abundance and the hope for a prosperous wine year.

History
Thanks to the testimonies handed down by the elderly, the town has recovered the ancient Lodeino Carnival. In the past, Mascara Bruttas was mainly used in Lodè, made with rags and old clothes. During the evangelization process of central Sardinia, the Church banned disguises in an animalistic or diabolic form that recalled the pagan Dionysian rites. It was then, probably, that clean masks (sas Mascara Netas) were introduced in contrast.

Update

5/2/2024 - 12:39