(5 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Podence – 4 March 2024
1. Various of caretos parade during Carnival
2. Caretos approaching women and girls to rattle them with their bells
3. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Antonio Carneiro, President of the Caretos of Podence Association:
++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND IS OVERLAID BY SHOT 4++
“The careto of Podence is the only one that rattles the women, the ritual of fertility, by hitting the bells on the back of the girls. This is the essence, the identity of the careto related to fertility and to a rite of passage in rural times. “
4. Caretos approaching women and girls to rattle them with their bells
5. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Maria Rosa, 65-year-old visitor:
++SOUNDBITE IS OVERLAID BY SHOT 6++
“It is a very funny feeling indeed, it didn’t hurt me no, it’s nice.”
(Reporter: how do you see this Carnival)
“I think this Carnival is different from the others, but with a very good meaning, we have fun and we laugh.”
6. Caretos approaching women and girls to rattle them with their bells
7. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Mariana Macedo, 29-year-old visitor:
++SOUNDBITE IS OVERLAID BY SHOT 8++
“It’s funny, a very funny experience. No it didn’t hurt me, it was pleasant. Thank you.”
8.Various of burning of “Entrudo”, symbolizing the end of festivities
STORYLINE:
An ancient and lively carnival of devils chasing women playfully brought a joyful atmosphere in a village in northeastern Portugal on Tuesday.
Dozens of young men and some women ran through the streets of Podence chasing women and girls, rattling their bells.
The famous “Caretos” appear as a kind of devil figure, fully dressed in colourful outfits and masks to scare and entertain the crowds of visitors and locals as they have done for centuries.
It is believed the ritual is linked to old pagan practices and as a rite of passage for men.
The festivities celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring with its final moment being the burning of a big wooden figure, the “Entrudo”.
One of the most notorious moments of the Caretos is the performative act known as “chocalhadas” when the devils approach women and girls, by jumping and dancing around them.
Nowadays the Caretos continue to be mostly men, married or single, but before they would have been only single men going after young single partners.
Due to this reason, it is believed that the tradition may also be linked to old fertility rituals.
Nowadays, some women and girls also take part in it by bearing the clothes of their fathers.
An important side of the festivities is the gathering with friends and relatives, going house to houses to drink and eat together.
Many of the Caretos live outside of the village but always come back to take part in their family’s traditions.
The colorful clothing worn by the Caretos is mostly of wool and is a local craftsmanship.
On their waist, caretos usually wear between four and eight bells to allow for the rattle.
Podence is a small village in northeastern Portugal.
The festivities began over the weekend of Carnival and culminate on Tuesday.
The winter festivities of Podence have been recognized by UNESCO in 2019 as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
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