Traditionally, in the Fassa Valley, "the carnival is unleashed" on January 17th, the feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot. The leading masks of the procession are the Laché, the Bufon, and the Marascons, followed and surrounded by masks or faceres (faces) representing beauty and ugliness, the positive and negative aspects of the collective imagination or the most deeply rooted and specific popular imagination of the area. During the carnival, the Laché lead the way for the Marascons, who, with a skipping step, make three counterclockwise turns for good luck. Meanwhile, the Bufon, who is the only mask allowed to speak, acts as a jester, comically embarrassing those present.
The masks/faceres are all strictly wooden, unique pieces, usually carved from Swiss pine and painted with oil paints. Some time ago, only a few mask makers were able to consistently and imaginatively produce Ladin carnival masks, but in recent years, thanks to the willingness and sensitivity of some local sculptors or decorators/artists, the school of handmade masks has begun to grow again, following traditional methods and continuity.
04-30-2026
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