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Zapust Carnival
Puppets |
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A nineteenth century historian characterizes the
Radzilow inhabitants in a description of Mazowsze as "... of restless mind ..."
(Swiecicki, Ancient Poland). That "restlessness" of minds - and we should
understand it as being inspiring, witty and imaginative, can be best seen in the
local customs - especially "Zapust" Carnival - stimulating the inhabitants to
passionate amusement. "Zapust" - the culminating point of carnival - combines
elements of joyful amusement equaling all the inhabitants and vegetative magic
bewitching good crops. Included in the latter are the "goat", "stork" masquers
whose the connection to harvest and fertility is widely known ("Where the goat
goes the rye grows. Where the goat bumps its horn the rye stands in a stack.")
and also "Bears" or "Old Men"
("Dziady")
wrapped in haulms with symbolically setting them on fire and plentifully
watering as a sign of fertilization.
The principle and original custom, being the central point of "Zapust" carnival
entertainment in Radzilow, is "Ziabela", - that is a pair of natural-size
puppets laid on a horizontally placed wheel. This pair, variously interpreted,
according to the most popular version depicts the nobleman Jan and his dissolute
wife Izabela (thus "Ziabela"), who drinking frivolled away their wealth on
gaieties. Thus they deserve social disapproval and ridicule. However, a wider
appearance of a similar custom in Poland may indicate that "Ziabela" is a relict
of social rebuke for those who, while merry-making, did not fulfill the duty to
marry. The
pageants of disguised people: "Gypsy's" and "Krakovian" weddings; beggar "poor
Bernard"; "Stork", "Goat", "Bears", "Ziabela" and a lively participation of all
the Radzilow society in this event - rite - entertainment add to the uniqueness
of the spectacle. The popularity of the Krakovian "Lajkonik", "Palm Sunday" in
Lyse, carnivals in Rio de Janeiro or Venice indicate that also "Zapust" carnival
in Radzilow deserves the attention of the traditions and old customs lovers.
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