Near Ptuj, spring comes with bells

Before you see the costumes, you can hear the bells. In the region of Ptuj, Slovenia, the Kurenti pass from house to house during the carnival period. Their outfits include sheepskin, mask and bells hanging at the waist. They jump and move in groups with the inhabitants.

According to the belief attached to this custom, their passage takes away winter and calls for spring. It is a ritual meaning, not a proven effect on the seasons. The forms of the costume have variants, including feather or horn ornaments. The distant origin of the tradition remains discussed, despite the genealogies sometimes affirmed with assurance.

The tours, recognized by UNESCO in 2017, are transmitted in families, associations and educational activities. They concern several neighboring territories, including the plains of the Drava and the hills of Haloze. Their national notoriety must not erase this anchoring: behind the large sound silhouette are local groups and practices that evolve.