Februar, marec 2013 - Adria Airways

carnival in muggia
In the small town
of Muggia, every
single household
is involved in
the carnival
preparations.
Muggia near Trieste:
A Carnival Town
Text and photographs: Anja Čop
Muggia is a charming coastal town situated just a stone's throw from the Italian
border, a mere 3 km from the Škofije border crossing. Characteristic narrow streets
surround the beautiful old town centre and main square; a medieval castle on a hill
overlooks the town. Muggia is famous for its carnival, an occasion that reveals the
town's true character. The Muggia carnival actually takes place all year long, but the
main event is the parade on Carnival Sunday, the last Sunday before Shrove Tuesday.
It is easy to start a conversation with the locals – just ask them which company they
belong to. It goes without saying that you are asking about the companies that are
involved in organising the Muggia carnival.
The town's carnival tradition dates back to 1420;
a document from this period promises a subsidy
for each company that takes part in the carnival.
In 1954, two world wars later, the then-mayor
Giordano Paco revived the tradition. There are
eight companies competing for the title of carnival
winner today, each with its own floats, costumes
and musicians. They also have names and even
logos: Bellezze Naturali – natural beauties,
Brivido – shiver, Bulli e Pupe – dudes and chicks,
La Bora – the bora wind, Lampo – lightning,
Mandrioi – charlatans, Ongia – fingernail, and
Trottola – spinning top.
As early as September, the carnival teams meet in
an old hangar that once housed fire trucks and
start preparing for next year's carnival parade.
Before they begin, they choose a theme for the
costumes, decide on the number of floats and
tractors required, count the company members
available and assign them the tasks that need to
be done. Each company has its own space in the
hangar and they all seem to be getting on in perfect
harmony. Obviously they all want to get the
most votes from the long-standing jury and win
the competition, so there is also a feel of healthy
competition in the air. Since it takes all winter to
create the costumes, each company has its own
meeting room (which doubles as a bar) in the
hangar. If you happen to visit during the carnival
preparations, they will be happy to treat you to a
glass of home-grown Istrian malvasia.
There are other preparations to be done aside from
the work that takes place in the hangar: in many
a household, costumes are being designed and
sewn, masks cut and painted … Meanwhile, the
company brass bands practice their music.
Early on Carnival Sunday, the large hangar
doors open. It is the moment of truth. Will
the enormous figures on parade floats stay
upright or crash to the ground, defeated by
their own weight and size One by one, the
companies bring their floats to the starting
line in the centre of Muggia. The carnival
parade winds its way through town. The
expert jury carefully assesses each float as
it stops in front of them. Towards the end of
the day, the company to have created the
most original and accomplished parade
figure is declared the winner. The festivities
continue late into the night and all through
the following day.
On Tuesday, Muggia rests. Carnival company
members are given Monday and Tuesday
off from work. But the Muggia carnival
is far from over – the Carnival effigy hasn't
been buried yet. This is done on Wednesday:
the company members meet up at the
Carnival headquarters accompanied by a
priest and his attendants, a brass band and
the widow of the Carnival man. Together
they bury the "deceased".
After the effigy has been burnt at the stake,
the Carnival is over for another year. All that's
left is a month of cleaning in the hangar so
that it is ready for the next season and the
fresh ideas that will come with it.
But in its essence, the Muggia carnival goes
on all year long. It brings together young
and old, the happy and the desperate …
It helps people to find meaning and confidence
in themselves, their work and the
work of the carnival company, where genuine
friendships are born again and again.
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