In Venice, Piazza San Marco is preparing to welcome the long popular history of the masks of the regional carnival tradition, which have made Italy famous throughout the world. For "Carnivals of traditions", Monday 12 February 2024, from 3.00 pm, the typical costumes of Italian regions will parade in the heart of Venice, from Piedmont to Sicily, from Veneto to Sardinia, passing through Marche, Basilicata, Puglia, Campania and Calabria, on a journey from north to south to discover the "Traditional Carnivals", identified by the National Pro Loco Union of Italy.
The "Squacqualacchiun", the typical mask of Teora, will be present in Venice on February 12th: an important event, a source of pride for the municipal administration, the Teorese community and the whole of Irpinia.
An unmissable opportunity to introduce one of the oldest Irpinian traditions to the thousands of visitors who will come to Venice to celebrate Carnival.
In Teora, the Squacqualacchiun inaugurated the 2024 Carnival on January 28th, the day on which the traditional tomacelle festival also took place, a typical local dish consisting of meatballs made from pork offal flavored with horseradish root.
The etymology of the term "Squacqualacchiun" could derive from the dialect word "squacquarat" which means 'scruffy', as these masks appear. These ancient, primitive and grotesque figures - which recall, in some ways, the Mamutones of Sardinia - wear a costume made up of a canvas sack with a faded jacket placed inside out.
Their face is covered by a hood that acts as a mask and only leaves their eyes visible. In their hands they carry sticks, with branches of pine needles attached to them, which they use for their rites and to strike bad luck at those who do not fulfill their wishes.
In the middle of the town, the "Squacqualacchiun" improvise a dance around a large fire (bonfire) and around the main fountain, performing their magical ritual.
Tradition has it that the first appearance of the mask is on January 17th, although the most important appearance takes place on the last Saturday of the month on the occasion of the festival which celebrates a typical dish of the Teorese culinary tradition, the Tomacella.
