Os Caretos de Podence, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Trás-os-Montes
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| Os Caretos de Podence |
One of Portugal's most traditional and bizarre carnival celebrations takes place in the village of Podence in the Trás-os-Montes region of northeastern Portugal.
Men of the area dress in colorful, home-made, woolen, hooded costumes predominately red, green, and yellow with red masks made from wood or leather. Around their waists on leather belts, they wear an assortment of metal rattles and bells. A tail protrudes from the hood and also carries a sexual connotation. The caretos usually carry a wooden staff as well.
The caretos circulate around the village in search of women to shake their rattles and bells at. The act symbolizes spring, fertilization, and regrowth after the barren months of winter.
The festival in the villages of Podence and nearby Macedo de Cavaleiros has been designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Historians believe the festival has its roots in ancient Celtic fertility cults. The image below shows a costume on display at the Iberian Museum of the Mask and the Costume (Museu Ibérico da Máscara e do Traje) in Bragança.
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| Museu Ibérico da Máscara e do Traje |
Access - Getting There
Podence and Macedo de Cavaleiros are around 40 km south of Bragança and 80 km northeast of Vila Real.
The "Entrudo Chocalheiro" events in 2023 will take place from February 18 to February 21.
Another related festival in the area is the Festa de Santo Estêvão in Grijó de Parada which takes place on the 26th and 27th of December.
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| Costumes worn at the Festa de Santo Estêvão in Grijó de Parada |
Related
Information on Winter Festivals from the Bragança Tourist Office
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