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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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