Carnival of the Boes and Merdules

Among Italian carnivals, that of Ottana is undoubtedly one of the most characteristic. The picturesque masks begin to parade beginning with the feast in honor of St. Anthony--on January 19--and then repeat the festivities every Saturday and Sunday until the days of Carnival. Mardi Gras is the most important day where the streets of the village are invaded by these peculiar and ancestral masks, whose origins are unclear and remain shrouded in mystery. The masks of Ottana are called "Sos Merdules" and all have a clear reference to ancient pagan and fertility cults. Numerous are the traditional masks: the actual "Merdule" wears an anthropomorphic wooden mask that probably symbolizes the "master of the ox"; in fact, in his retinue are the "Sos Boes," taurine masks made from wild pear wood with ornaments and decorations carved directly with a chisel. The "Sos Boes" initially advance in a cadenced manner by ringing cowbells-an integral part of the costume tied to sheepskins-and then wreak havoc among the people and rebel against their master, who uses a leather whip-"sa Soca"-to restore order. Another traditional mask is "Sa Filonzana," a melancholy woman intent on spinning wool with a spindle. The figure recreates the character of an old widow with a black skirt and shawl and a pillow on her back that recreates a hump. This figure is shrouded in numerous folk beliefs in the area; she advances through the crowd and sometimes threatens to cut the thread of life as a sign of ill omen.