Winter Carnival in Slovenia
Before the arrival of the Christian church, most of Europe operated from a two season calendar. Summer and Winter. Dating back, small villages in northeastern Slovenia have been celebrating the end of winter.
Going from house to house, a traditional assortment of costumes and masks offer blessings to individual families, their farms and farm animals. Korants scare away winter with scary masks, large furry costumes and loud cow bells. Slovenian carnival symbolizes death, yet welcomes spring, fertility, newness, and a strong harvest. It creates an undeniable energy, a rush. As one of the wife’s and daughter’s of a Korant said, “I can’t wait to hear the bells!!” in anticipation, after waiting annually for their arrival.
