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Škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

škopiti

turek

turek

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turek

Cigan in ciganka sta oblečena v ciganska oblačila in se temu primerno tudi obnašata.

 

Ves čas se prepirata, pretepata, zraven pa kradeta vse, kar jima pride pod roko. Ponavadi imata s seboj še nekaj lutk otrok.

škopiti

This mask is the only true descendant of the original medieval Scaramatta mask and the central figure of today's Škoromati. Dark and threatening, he wears a broad cloak made of rabbit skins. The rims of his hood are adorned with bird feathers and to make the whole mask even scarier, Škopiti usually puts a bird of prey or a crow on the hood. The mask wears a broad black cloak and a big chain held together by a big wooden bar which he puts on his back. Behind the chain he puts a bell, lamp, some animal skins and a bird or some other carrion. His face and hands are covered with ashes and in his hands he has a giant clamps with which he produces a constant clamping sound. In addition to this the clamps serve to scare the children and capture young girls. The party sometimes has two Škopiti masks, however, Škopiti is usually represented by only one the tallest, strongest and wildest boy in the village. His task is to scare, threaten and catch as many girls as possible. Their faces are then smeared with ashes.

 

The ash symbolises male potency and the act of smearing is a part of fertility cult with which Škoromati ensure female fertility and with this the survival of the whole community. The name Škopiti derives from the word skopiti (to castrate) since the clamps Škopiti wears were used to castrate animals.

Škoromat with bells

Škoromati with bells are the most numerous and they use their bells to make as much noise as possible. Despite their colourful and lovely hoods they, due to their behaviour and symbolism, belong to »the ugly« group of Škoromati. Their task is to help Škopiti catch young girls and smear their faces with ash. They adorn their up to 70 cm high pin pointed hats with hundred or more colourful crepe flowers and long colourful paper straps that run from the hat over the back almost to the ground. Škoromati with bells wear sheep skin with bells strapped around their waist, white trousers with a single red line running at both sides and bright red socks. Beside their hat the most precious item of their gear is definitely the mask made of a single piece of wood behind which Škoromat hides. In one hand he holds krabalja (a walking stick) and in the other he has a rope attached to the front of his hat used for balancing the enormous clumsy hat.

 

Škoromati z Zgonci have to run and shake their bells loudly all day long and of course help Škopiti with smearing the girls. To be Škoromat z Zgonci is a great honour, however, only the strongest boys are capable of such a strenuous running, especially because the gear of this mask can weigh up to 15 kilos.

z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
z zgonci
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zgonci

The gathers

Poberini hold a sacred place within Škoromati masks because they are the only one who are allowed to enter houses where they wish for plentiful harvest. They need to make sure the party does not miss a house in the village otherwise the locals would hold it against them. That is why Poberini need to stay sober and always act nice and kind. They wear a better-quality festive suit and never cover their faces. Their only embellishments are a few straps of colourful paper on the hat, an apron and a small flower bouquet on their chest. Poberini usually come in two and are accompanied by one Škoromat with Bells who signals their arrival to a housekeeper. This particular Škoromat never wears a mask, for the locals need to see who they are letting into their homes.

Behind the simple act of gathering gifts is an underlying symbolism and granting of a special right. According to some experts the masks represent dead ancestors who in the Carnival time come back to Earth where they visit their past homes and claim the right to the gifts.

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

poberini

Pepeljuhar

Despite almost completely forgotten this mask is one of the oldest and most important masks among Škoromati representing an old man or a woman. He wears old, worn out and torn black clothes, and has a basket full of a mixture of ash and small pieces of hay.

 

By throwing the ash around the yard or at the house entrance he wishes for plentiful harvest and good health.

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

pepeljuhar

The Turk

turek

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At the time of Turkish invasion to Slovenian provinces the locals must have really liked this character and he therefore became a part of Škoromati.

 

He often takes over the role of the groom.

The bride and groom

The bride and groom are a well respected mask and it is considered as a special honour if the couple dances in one’s courtyard.

 

The couple stands for fertility well-known to many Carnival traditions around Europe.

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin in nevesta

ženin

The bear with its master

Škoromati bear even has a name – Marko. It is attached to a chain so it does not attack the bystanders.

 

The bear dancing among the masks is interpreted as a ritual with which the shepherds try to master their herds

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332158337_933815140943636_8172425567382307514_n

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved z gospodarjem

medved

The gipsy couple

Both man and woman wear gipsy style robes and behave accordingly. The couple quarrels and fights all the time and steals everything they can get hold on.

 

They usually bring their children (dolls) with them.

Cigan
cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

cigan in ciganka

The clothes man

Even though this mask is far from being the greatest and most beautiful Škoromati mask, it nevertheless takes a lot of time to make it, especially because his suit is full of small clothes that need to be carefully attached to the suit and trousers. Small pieces of cloth are attached to the rims of the hat to cover his face.

 

Cunjar or the Cloths Man represents a decaying body of our ancestors returning to Earth and is as such very important for Škoromati.

cunjar

cunjar

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cunjar

The fat one

This mask represents an overweight, clumsy and thus funny man with a big belly carried around in a heelbarrow.

 

In the past it stood for a promise of abundance.

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2023-02-18 11_29_33-9999-156

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2023-02-18 10_46_30-9999-122

ta debel

ta debel

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debel

The green ones

Ti Zeleni or The Green Ones are covered with branches of juniper, pine tree, heather, ivy and moss respectably and are among the most beautiful masks in the group. The mask is very difficult to make and it also takes a lot of time to create it since all the tiny branches and moss need to be carefully attached to cover the whole suit. The mask sometimes weighs more than 15 kilos and is thus very heavy, which means that walking in such gear is cumbersome and strenuous.

 

The mask symbolises the arrival of the spring as well as birth and new life.

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2023-02-18 10_55_47-9999_1-131

ta zeleni

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ta zeleni

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ta zeleni

ta zeleni

ta zeleni

ta zeleni

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zeleni

The house

Despite one might think that Šišca is a recent mask the research revealed its ancient rural and fertility symbolism. In the past The House was made entirely out of straw and with many European masks straw is a synonym for rural-fertility cult.

 

Together with The Carnival King the mask was sometimes put on fire on the Ash Wednesday.

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šišca

šiša

Music band

In the past in the band there were the clarinet, fiddles and other ancient instruments, nowadays the accordion and a drum.

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

muzika

Other characters

Characters bellow are also part of škoromatija:

  • a constable

  • a doctor

  • a chimney sweeper

  • a farmer with a flail

  • a reaper

  • a sower

  • a lumberjack

  • a hunter

  • the umbrela repair man

  • a painter

  • the devil

  • the dead one carrying the healty one

orna kulca

orna kulca

orna kulca

orna kulca

sejalec

sejalec

sejalec

sejalec

ta zdrav ta mrtvega nosu

ta zdrav ta mrtvega nosu

ta zdrav ta mrtvega nosu

ta zdrav ta mrtvega nosu

lovec

lovec

lovec

lovec

hudič

hudič

hudič

hudič

dimnikar

dimnikar

dimnikar

dimnikar

cingesar

cingesar

cingesar

cingesar

ostali
Hrušiški škoromati
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