The devil's celebration in Tufara

Carnival in Molise is a mosaic of ancient traditions, archaic rituals and popular theatricality that has its roots in ancient times, when rural communities celebrated the passage from winter to spring through masks, noises, dances and purifying fires. Here, Carnival is not just a feast, but a true symbolic language: a way to dialogue with nature, exorcise collective fears, celebrate the rebirth of agricultural life and strengthen community cohesion. In addition to the historical carnival of Larino, originally linked to ancient popular traditions, in particular the custom of dressing up as a 'pacchianella', singing and dancing around the houses in exchange for a gift, the highly original carnival of Tufara, in the province of Campobasso, celebrates the Devil who suddenly appears on the last day of carnival, appearing in the narrow alleys of the village like an ancient and restless presence. He manifests himself by running, jumping, dancing wildly, with acrobatics that instil fear and fascination at the same time. His figure is imposing: he wears seven goat skins, a sacred animal in pagan rites, considered one of the favourite forms through which divinity was manifested. In his hand he holds a trident, while his face is a mask of pure terror. Then there is the representation of the Deer Man at Castelnuovo al Volturno (province of Isernia), which combines magic-religious rituals with hunting scenes in a pantomime that has the particularity of describing typical aspects of primordial life. The tinkling of cowbells rung with an obsessive cadence kicks off the event: the Janare, the witches who announce the ritual that is about to take place, are arriving. These are followed by the pipers until a cry announces the arrival of the beast, Gl' Cierv, or the Stag, an actor covered in skins and with large branched horns symbolising winter.