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)
