The masks of the Barbagia carnival
In the heart of the Barbagia, Mamoiada is a small village known throughout Sardinia for one of the most ancient and fascinating rituals of the Mediterranean: the parade of the Mamuthones and Issohadores, which takes place on 17 January, for the feast of Sant'Antonio Abate, the opening of the Carnival, and on Carnival Sunday and Tuesday. Its origins are lost in time, perhaps in pre-Christian rites linked to the cycle of the seasons, fertility and the propitiation of the harvest.
The Mamuthones wear a dark, carved wooden mask with a grim, sad expression, a black sheepskin jacket and, on their backs, a heavy load of cowbells, up to 30 kilograms, which they make ring with rhythmic jumps and shoulder movements, advancing slowly in two parallel rows, like a solemn, primitive procession. They are guided by the Issohadores, in red jackets, white masks and a wide belt of small bells, who throw a rope, the "soha", to "catch" the young women and the spectators in the crowd, a gesture considered a good omen. The sound of the cowbells in the silent streets of the village is unforgettable. On the night of Sant'Antonio, great bonfires are lit in the squares. The Museo delle Maschere Mediterranee of Mamoiada displays the masks of the Mamuthones and those of other similar traditions of the Mediterranean and the Alps.
Tip: if you are not in Mamoiada during Carnival, the museum shows videos of the parade; Mamoiada also produces an excellent Cannonau.
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