Winter Carnival on Pag and old customs
Island Pag is inhabited at least three thousand years, although it can be assumed that the population on its territory was even in earlier times. The archaeological sites are evidence of settlement in prehistoric times. A foundation in the Old Town (the area where the town of Pag is situated to the 1467th year.) testifies of the existence of a settlement of urban character in the ancient time. Island Pag is situated across city of Zadar in middle part of Adriatic [http://www.zadar-croatia.net/].
Population, without doubt, had some periodic customs, that can be found on other parts of the Croatian, as well as in Europe. One, often called, pagan tradition is the celebration of the equinox, 23 December and celebration of end of winter and early spring. In a later historical period, in connection with the celebration of the beginning of spring, that period was named the carnival.
In the customs of island Pag, which are related to the carnival, and have their roots in ancient times are so called "richavac" and "Pag's Slave".
Richavac is an ancient custom which in the beginning was a combination of drama and games, to the modern era came with the element of the game. This practice consists of gathering of a group of masked people at Thursday evening, and going to certain houses in the town. The goal of this game is to attract the attention of the hosts, and getting some rewards from them. Sometimes this custom contained more dramatic elements, and in fact the whole event took place at the door of a certain house, with the advent of the characters who wore the symbols of good, evil, naive, cunning, arrogant and so on. The role has conditioned the selection of masks, so it can be assumed that "richavac" has several similarities with the early Greek drama. Richavac, to the modern age comes as well-preserved ancient custom element that draws its roots from the time of greater colonization of the island.
1884. was defined the rich folk costumes, of island Pag, and thus the entire Pag Carnival. That was the first time that was organized a carnival at the city level.
Probably unique, and certainly a very rare is the Pag dance ("Pasko kolo"), which is danced during carnival.
The ringleader starts the dance, and maintains order to help his assistants who normally announce the start of the carnival, and on occasion singing carnival songs.
Dancers in "kolo" holding hands with fingers crossed, so that the left hand of one dancer is below the chest of anterior dancer, and the right hand above the breast or at the breast. As a rule, man doesn't play "kolo" nexto to another man, while it is allowed for women and girls if they catch each other. At the beginning of the carnival day "kolo" last shorter and it becomes bigger as night approaches, changing the rhythm, speeding up or slowing down to the players as long as possible to "circulate". A carnival lasts for three days Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. This dance can be played only by adults, while the children can play their "kolo" in the middle.
Carnival is an ancient folk custom and it is rooted in the soul of the inhabitants of the island. Neither hunger nor poverty, or prohibition, or any attempts to alter the final days of the carnival and the carnival spirit did not change any of its core content.
Carnival has always been an occasion for the gathering of local people, regardless of their wealth or poverty, social status or political belief.
Carnival in Pag starts from the first Saturday after New Year and ends on Ash Wendsday by burning big puppet called Marko which is to blame for everything.
Population, without doubt, had some periodic customs, that can be found on other parts of the Croatian, as well as in Europe. One, often called, pagan tradition is the celebration of the equinox, 23 December and celebration of end of winter and early spring. In a later historical period, in connection with the celebration of the beginning of spring, that period was named the carnival.
In the customs of island Pag, which are related to the carnival, and have their roots in ancient times are so called "richavac" and "Pag's Slave".
Richavac is an ancient custom which in the beginning was a combination of drama and games, to the modern era came with the element of the game. This practice consists of gathering of a group of masked people at Thursday evening, and going to certain houses in the town. The goal of this game is to attract the attention of the hosts, and getting some rewards from them. Sometimes this custom contained more dramatic elements, and in fact the whole event took place at the door of a certain house, with the advent of the characters who wore the symbols of good, evil, naive, cunning, arrogant and so on. The role has conditioned the selection of masks, so it can be assumed that "richavac" has several similarities with the early Greek drama. Richavac, to the modern age comes as well-preserved ancient custom element that draws its roots from the time of greater colonization of the island.
1884. was defined the rich folk costumes, of island Pag, and thus the entire Pag Carnival. That was the first time that was organized a carnival at the city level.
Probably unique, and certainly a very rare is the Pag dance ("Pasko kolo"), which is danced during carnival.
The ringleader starts the dance, and maintains order to help his assistants who normally announce the start of the carnival, and on occasion singing carnival songs.
Dancers in "kolo" holding hands with fingers crossed, so that the left hand of one dancer is below the chest of anterior dancer, and the right hand above the breast or at the breast. As a rule, man doesn't play "kolo" nexto to another man, while it is allowed for women and girls if they catch each other. At the beginning of the carnival day "kolo" last shorter and it becomes bigger as night approaches, changing the rhythm, speeding up or slowing down to the players as long as possible to "circulate". A carnival lasts for three days Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. This dance can be played only by adults, while the children can play their "kolo" in the middle.
Carnival is an ancient folk custom and it is rooted in the soul of the inhabitants of the island. Neither hunger nor poverty, or prohibition, or any attempts to alter the final days of the carnival and the carnival spirit did not change any of its core content.
Carnival has always been an occasion for the gathering of local people, regardless of their wealth or poverty, social status or political belief.
Carnival in Pag starts from the first Saturday after New Year and ends on Ash Wendsday by burning big puppet called Marko which is to blame for everything.
