Kurent

Kurent / korant A magical ethnographic character that drives away evil and brings happiness and contentment. Kurent or Korant is the most famous and popular Slovenian traditional carnival character. The symbol of Ptuj and Slovenia is, on a semantic and spiritual level, much more. Its origins are quite mysterious and have been shrouded in mystery for centuries. We connect it like this […]

Old Woman Carrying Her Man

Baba nosi deda Playful portrayal of marital roles The character baba deda nosi or ded babo nosi is known in many European countries, but it is also very popular in the Drava and Ptuj fields, Haloze and Slovenske gorice. He is associated with the image of an old man or woman, who in human form on earth represents the spirits of heaven. One of them, grandma or grandpa, steps in [[]

Gypsies

Gypsies Joyful and playful gypsies from Dornava Gypsies in Dornava in Ptujsko polje are also a local specialty, and almost all the villagers have been joining them for several decades. We see them in a variety of roles: as fortune tellers, knife sharpeners, musicians, chicken thieves, and so on. With their cheerful demeanor and picturesquely equipped carriages, they bring to the carnival pulse a restlessness imbued with […]

The Devil

The Devil Be afraid, be afraid, the devil is coming The devil is supposed to take care of the smooth running and operation of the Kurent group. He is dressed in a red or black fabric costume. He has a sheepskin hat on his head. Attached to it are horns, a pointed nose, and a long red tongue. He has a net thrown over his back and carries small forks in his hands […]

Jürek and Rabolj

Jürek and Rabolj Zeleni Jurij defeats the winter demon Haloški Jürek or Zeleni Jurij, the plant spring mask that our boy wore, was known in our area until the end of the 19th century, and in Haloze in the first quarter of the 20th century. The group of juraches who are currently performing at the carnival consists of: Jürek, Rabolj, from four to five dancing couples, […]

The Trough

Husband looking for bathing Straw bride looking for her groom A similar custom, such as pulling a plow, has been preserved in Markovci in Ptujsko polje. Boys dressed in women's clothes take part in this task. To entertain everyone, they drag a trough through the village, into which they plant a straw bride. Sometimes they stopped at houses where they had sons worthy of […]

Wedding Character – the Spearman

Marriage character - Kopjaš The indispensable companion of the marriage couple Kopjaš in Markovci on Ptujsko polje is not a real carnival mask. He has his rightful place at a peasant wedding, where he serves the bride and groom and takes care of good will. In 1960, the spearmen first performed at the head of the carnival procession in Ptuj. Roasters dressed, with decorated hats and shoes in […]

Kurike and piceki

Kureki and piceki Boys in colorful ribbons and feathers In piceka are our boys. She dresses in white pants and an outer garment tied around her neck, reminiscent of an old woman’s underskirt, in which pizzas were also dressed decades ago. He smears his face with crayons and wears a conical paper hat on his head, [[]

The Mischievous Bear

Naughty bear Fear and trembling of young girls The bear and the chaser from Ptujsko polje probably illustrate a gypsy and a tamed bear who once walked and performed in the villages. Today we know two bears: the older ones have a suit sewn from a sack, and the younger ones have one that has a head, a jacket and sheepskin pants. They walk in groups, accompanied by […]

Ploughmen

Plowmen The magic circle is drawn by plowmen Carnival plowing is a popular custom in which two forgotten ritual acts are hidden: plowing the defensive magic circle around the village and solemn plowing of the first furrow at the beginning of field work. In the Ptuj area, the most famous plowmen are in Markovci, Lancova vas, Podlehnik, Leskovac, Dornava and Okič in Haloze. As a rule, the group consists of three [[]