Kurent is the main character in one of the world's famous Carnevals "Kurentovanje". In 2016 was Kurentovanje proclaimed as the 7th greatest carnival in the world by Lonely Planet. This 11-day rite of spring and fertility highlight event is held in Slovenia, Ptuj, and is ongoing since 1960. I will write more about Kurentovanje in a travel post, but here we will take a closer look at Kurent. Reasonably in black and white.
The Kurent is a traditional Slovenian carnival figure that is associated with the celebration of "Pust" (Carnival) and is believed to have originated in the eastern part of Slovenia, in the region of Ptuj. The Kurent is typically depicted as a large, hairy, and horned beast with a long tongue, wearing a sheepskin or fur coat, a belt with cowbells, and sometimes a mask. The Kurent's appearance can vary depending on the region, but it always carries a wooden club and is accompanied by a group of other carnival characters.
The Kurent is actually a demon but it is known as a good one. They are believed to possess supernatural powers and are said to chase away winter and evil spirits, bringing about the arrival of spring and fertility. The Kurent is also a symbol of Slovenian culture and folklore, and the tradition of the Kurent has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
During the Pust celebrations, which take place in February or March, groups of people dressed as Kurents parade through the streets, making noise with their cowbells and wooden clubs. The Kurents also visit homes, where they perform rituals to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck and fertility to the household.
The Kurent tradition dates back to at least the 18th century, but it is likely much older than that. The exact origin of the Kurent is unclear, but it is thought to be related to pre-Christian Slavic and pagan beliefs. No matter where we look for the roots of this figure from Ptujsko-Dravsko Polje, Haloze, and Slovenske Gorice, we will find lore similar to the one carried by the Kurent.
In addition to driving away evil spirits, the Kurent is also believed to have the power to heal and protect. Some people believe that being hit by a Kurent's wooden club can bring good luck and ward off illness.
The costume is made of sheep wool, the mask is made of wood and the tongue is made of leather, traditional cowbells are made of steel. The whole costume weighs around 40 kilos and you can only imagine how hot it must be jumping around in it. Are these jumps necessary? Yes. As tradition says, the bells are driving winter away. Louder is better. There must be exactly 5 cowbells. 5 bells apparently is the perfect number for making the perfect noise to carry winter away. You will see also napkins around Kurent's waist. Those are from girls who show their affection to them.
There are many rules about Kurents. One of them is "no one should see who is carrying the mask, and Kurent could take it off at home and hide it." One of the rules is also only grown single males could wear a mask. Today we can see also kids, women, and of course married men wearing it.
How was photographing Kurents? Well just like every carnival, pretty hard. There are a lot of dynamics, and the street is giving you either a harsh shadow or bright sun. The crowd is also making everything hard. Once when I was leaning and taking photos one of Kurents bumped into me and smash my camera straight into my eye :) Well, at least I got some cool shots and used the sun and shadow to my advance. I hope you like the photos and see you next time with another theme. If you would like to know more about this carnival and see more photos, please check my account in these days. More to follow.