Sardinia is an island rich in stories, legends and popular traditions that are still alive today.
Carnival is certainly one of the most picturesque festivals that keeps alive the link with myth and pagan rites linked to agriculture. In inland villages, Carnival is not about confetti and artistic floats but is characterised by monstrous creatures with anthropomorphic masks, eerie sounds, archaic dances and a dark and mysterious atmosphere. Visit the villages of Central and Eastern Sardinia during winter to discover the masks and traditions of each town. Take part in these festivals, we are sure they will thrill you and leave you with indelible memories.
The fireworks of Saint Anthony, the feast that marks the beginning of carnival
Ogni anno, tra il 16 e il 17 Gennaio si festeggia Sant’Antonio Abate con un falò benedetto dal parroco che viene acceso nel centro del paese. Il fuoco è un omaggio a Sant’Antonio che, secondo la leggenda, scese fino agli inferi per rubare una scintilla di fuoco da donare agli uomini e alle donne che vivevano in una Terra fino a quel momento fredda e buia. In un’atmosfera magica e suggestiva, la festa dei fuochi di Sant’Antonio diventa un bellissimo momento di aggregazione dove scambiare quattro chiacchiere, bere un bicchiere di vino e improvvisare balli sardi accompagnati da canzoni in versi o da strumenti musicali.
Questa festa coincide anche con la prima uscita delle maschere del carnevale e con s’intzizieddamentu che consiste nel tingersi la faccia di nero utilizzando il carbone per trasformarsi nelle figure antropomorfe tipiche del carnevale.
The most famous masks of the Barbagia carnival
Carnival in Barbagia is unlike any other carnival in Italy. It is a carnival that derives from ancient pagan rites linked to the myth of Dionysus, a Greek deity who embodies the life and death of living beings. Only here, in the heart of Sardinia, have its rites remained exactly the same, bloody and tragic in their costumes, movements and sounds.
The Mamuthones and Isshoadores of Mamoiada
The Mamuthones of Mamoiada are perhaps the most famous and nationally and internationally known Sardinian carnival mask. A black wooden mask on the face, sheep skins, on mucadore and cowbells on the back that resound deafeningly during the parade. The Isshoadores, on the other hand, represent the guardians and wear a red jacket, a white mask also made of wood, and sa berritta, the traditional Sardinian man’s hat. During the parade through the village streets, the masks parade in groups of twelve among the astonished crowd and the Isshoadores, who, in addition to escorting the Mamuthones, catch people in the audience with ropes and have them offer them drinks as a sign of good health and good fortune.
Sos Merdules e Boes di Ottana
The carnival at Ottana is perhaps the wildest on the island. The parade is an unruly set of movements in which the Boes, representing oxen, try to escape and free themselves from the Merdules who shout and prod them with a stick. The latter wear white sheep skins and a dark, deformed grinning mask. The Boes on the other hand wear a beautiful taurine mask and cowbells on their backs. What is special about the Ottana characters is that there is a third carnival figure, Sa Filonzana, the carnival’s female character. She is a grieving widow who walks around spinning wool, a symbol of the life of men.
S’Urthu e sos Buttudos di Fonni
The Fonni carnival parade stages a struggle between man and nature whose protagonists are S’Urthu, the bear, and Sos Buttudos, the masters. S’Urthus are creepy and noisy characters who during carnival climb aggressively and animalistically onto house balconies and trees, representing the beast’s will to escape while man tries to tame them with shouts and iron sticks. Here too there is a third mask, sas Mascheras Limpias, i.e. women in traditional dress with a veil in front of their face, representing beauty and absolute goodness.
The Carnival of Nuoro where all the masks come together
Going to Nuoro for the Carnival parade is a good compromise for those who have little time in Sardinia and want to see several different masks in one day. A unique gathering of traditional carnival masks, each year around 10 to 15 masks from neighbouring towns in Barbagia and Ogliastra, but also from the south and north of Sardinia, parade. During this festival, in addition to admiring the parade, you can visit the various handicraft and gastronomic stalls and taste typical local products in a lively and lively atmosphere.
