Kurentovanje Ptuj, Slovenia

 But Ptuj is worth visiting at almost any time of year. One of the many excellent museums in Ptuj Castle gives an excellent overview of the Kurent tradition, with a full room of masks, costumes and other ephemera from various centuries.

Other museums tell more about the history of Ptuj, which was settled in the 5th millennium BC. During Roman times, the city was bigger than London.

Ann Abel (to be continued) 

Ptuj, Slovenia Kurentovanje

 It was perfect weather for a street party, one with hundreds of costumed dancers and thousands of spectators. Tradition holds that women tie scarves or ribbons onto the staffs, and are spun around in a dance in return. I felt a bit dizzy by the end.

 It was all terrific fun, and I’m grateful to Ursula Kordiš of Wanderlux Journeys for taking me there as a post-script to days of exploring the Slovenian Alps in winter.

Ann Abel (to be continued) 

Kurentovanje, Ptuj, Slovenia

 As one might imagine, it originates in paganism; a centuries-long belief that masks could be used to connect with the spirit world. In this case, they were used to perform fertility rituals and to drive the fading winter away. (Understandably, the Catholic Church wasn’t thrilled with all of this, and the festival became part of the Carnival-Lent-Easter religious season.)

The cowbells certainly make quite a clanging, even though when I visited on an unseasonably warm February weekend, winter was nowhere in sight.

Ann Abel (to be continued) 

Ptuj, Slovenia

 It’s hard not to fall a little bit in love with a town where men dress themselves in sheepskins, giant masks, ribbons and cowbells and dance with strangers on the main street. Perhaps that’s an oversimplification of a centuries-old cultural tradition that’s part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. But it’s not wrong

Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia, has become famous for its carnival. (What? You thought the sheepskins and cowbells were an everyday thing? ) The dancing, sheepskinned men are called Kurenti, and the celebration is called Kurentovanje.

Ann Abel (to be continued)