Carnival in Comelico

In Comelico Superiore carnival celebrations are one of the most interesting events in the Alps. Here the carnival is an antique tradition and even if it is a very lively and merry occasion where people have lots of fun it has some set customs which must be respected by all the participants.
Each traditional masked character from Comelico has it’s own special features and important role.
Every township has it’s own particular carnival parade and characters but Dosoledo is one village that has a long history of maintaining it’s traditional parade each year. It’s called “Carnevale di Santa Appollonia” and takes place in February. It’s a great tourist attraction and people come from all over the area to admire the beautiful colourful masks and costumes.
Celebrations start early in the morning and finish late in the evening. The two most important characters in the parade are the LACHE and the MATAZIN: They lead the parade, dancing and jumping. They are very elegant and impressive. They wear a very tall cylinder-shaped hat (calotta) decorated with beads, pearls, brooches and other pieces of jewellery, set in a symmetrical design. Attached to the back of the hat are long silk, colourful ribbons and scarves which flutter and flow when the Matazin dance. They dance a traditional Polka which is very fast with quick steps, the music is very old and has been handed down from one generation to another. The main instruments are the accordion, violin, guitar and double bass.
Another more recent character invented in 1953 by the Alfarè Lovo family from Candide is the “Matazera” The idea was to create an alternative to the Matazin, in other words it’s opposite, a poorer, plainer version, not dressed in silk and jewels.
The Matazera dances and jumps to the same music but does not lead the parade and is usually in front of the traditional masked characters dressed as “old people” from the past.
Finally we have the “Clown” (Paiazu) another important character whose role is to keep all in order and under control and most of all to protect the precious “Matazin” from the crowd.