Photos from the previous years
welcome to the Carnival in Vevcani!
The Carnival of Vevcani, older than 1.400 years, is an interesting mix of paganism and modernism. This year is held on 12 and 13 January (on the last eve of the old and at the first day of the New Year, according to the old calendar). The main characteristics of the carnival are: archaism, secretiveness and improvisation. According to its specific features, it differs from all other carnivals in the world.
The arena of the carnival events is the whole village of Vevcani, which turns in a boundaryless theatre of its kind during the carnival, where each house, each street is a scene onto which disguised people perform their plays like real actors.
There are three traditional masks: bridegroom and bride, August the Stupid and musicians. Remaining masks are, in essence, major or minor carnival groups, who, through their costumes, gesticulations and movements usually ridicule and point to phenomena and persons of the social life.
The role of August the Stupid is particularly distinct. Young people, full of energy bear this mask and communicate with the audience by peculiar movements and gesticulations, as well as by specific screams.
During the carnival, the disguised participants enjoy all possible freedom and passion to “place the world upside down”, freedom in which the creativity of the spirit is expressed, as well as the sense for improvisation, criticism and sarcasm. Officially, women do not participate in the carnival. Yet, they do disguise, but, compared to men, do not take off the masks at the end.
On the occasion of the carnival, people from Vevcani come home from all over the world, in order to take part in the unique performance, abundantly drowned in a red wine, which has enough room for every good-will guest possessing a carnival spirit.
written by zelencentar
