Cultural events

Carnival burial

In this region the carnival burial before lent is an ancient tradition. This custom is the continuation of a pre-Christian belief. This is the feast that symbolizes- with a lot of joy and masked processions- the "funeral" of the winter.

The expelling of the winter with fire, the masks, the says, the noisy and joyful crowd are the late manifestations of an old pagan belief.

The schedule of the ritual funeral and the customs change according to the region.

The wicked winter is symbolized by a dressed hay puppet (Illés) that is very sick. A "doctor" states the sickness. The puppet departs and the bewailing begins with a lot of raillery.

Hereupon the crowd accompanies the winter on its last journey and when they reached the edge of the village or the assigned place, the crowd burns the puppet.

The accompaniment follows noisily the puppet wearing masks of animals, devils, and other strange creatures.

Since 1990 the Cultural Supervisory Authority of Hargita County and the Council of Hargita County organize in different locations the Carnival burial for tradition preserving groups, where all the ethnographical regions are represented.