THE CARNIVAL OF COMELICO
La Val Comelico it is located in the upper part of the Province of Belluno, is of Ladin origin and is made up of 5 municipalities: Santo Stefano di Cadore, Danta di Cadore, San Pietro di Cadore, San Nicolò di Comelico and Comelico Superiore.
In some of these towns and in particular in some of their hamlets, Carnival has become a deeply felt tradition that is handed down from generation to generation.
THE "MASKARADA"
Choose to visit the Dolomites during the Comelico Superiore Carnival, defined in the dialect "maskarada", very much felt by the population who live there and by the many tourists who participate: it is a party that involves elderly and young people, no one excluded, where people dance for the country to the sound of accordions that invade the streets and animate them until late at night.
There is an ancient ritual of disguise that involves the colorful masks protagonists of the festival: the “lachè” and the “matazin”, prestigious, refined and kind figures (they have a high headdress covered with velvet, full of pins and precious objects).
The masquerade begins at the first light of the morning with the matazin and the lachè on the head, accompanied by the “paiàzi” (clowns), going around the village to draw attention and gradually collect the other masks. All this while continuing to dance and jump to polka time.
A very special atmosphere, very original, which cheers everyone up and turns out to be an unmissable event in the Belluno Dolomites!
THE CARNIVAL OF SAPPADA
The famous Sappada Carnival is one of the most heartfelt celebrations in the country and truly involves everyone, from adults to children.
We are located in the Province of Udine on the border with the Province of Belluno, Sappada is a country of German-speaking origin, founded by peoples who came from Tyrol and Carinthia, and is made up of 15 villages.
The three Sundays preceding Lent are celebrated in three of these villages, each dedicated to a category of Sappadians who lived in the village: the peasants (Paurn), the poor (Pettlar) and the gentlemen (Hearn). On these Sundays they are made fun of by the masks that represent them in a playful way.
THE "ROLLATE"
The main figure of the Carnival, however, is only one: the "Rollate", a mask that has now become the symbol of Sappada. In the past the Rollate was a worse mask: it is said that dressing up as Rollate was an opportunity to take revenge for the offenses suffered and old grudges. The Rollate, during their travels around the country, were preceded by clowns (pajazn), colored masks with a cone-shaped hat, who skipped around them. Now they are characters who run after children and bring movement to the village.
The Rollate is an imposing figure and wears a heavy dark sheepskin fur (pelz) reminiscent of the bear's mantle, the face covered by a strictly wooden mask (lòrve) that alters the voice of the wearer (mask sculpted by craftsmen locals). When they move they make a lot of noise and this is due to the rolln, the noisy cowbells in the form of metal spheres that the mask carries tied at the waist with a chain (kettn) and that makes its path resonate. The only coquetry is a handkerchief (hòntich) around the neck, over the fur and folded in a triangle, which varies in color according to the marital status of the wearer: red for married men and white for single men (but the color can be inverted at the helper's discretion).
A characteristic appointment, among the splendid villages of Sappada to relive ancient crafts and celebrate in company in time to music, definitely to be marked on the calendar!
