Winter and Spring. Darkness and Light. Perish and Flourish. Death and Life.
There is no such time as Spring when the line that divides one from another becomes thinner. As the days began lasting longer and the light was prevailing on the shadows, farmer and shepherds started to get worried. Would the earth be generous? Would the flock grow stronger? Would life take over or would darkness cast itself over the world again?
How to scare your Demons
These men knew how unpredictable nature could be, and that’s why they found their own way to secure the best outcome. If they could scare the bad spirits lingering in the shadows, they would get the richest harvest and the healthiest animals. And cast away all the fears that came with the winter’s winds.
How? Making as much noise as possible.
From Sardinia to the tiny islands of the Aegean Sea – passing through Germany, Romania and Bulgaria – these same fears created rites and celebrations that are extremely similar. Celebrations that, once per year, are gathering together in Thessaloniki for the Bell Roads Festival.
The strong, chilling wind that blew over the Paralìa felt like the last attempt of winter to hold on a little longer. It was as if it just didn’t want to let the spring in. Suddenly, a loud and rhythmic sound started to awake the people standing in front of the sea. One after another, the masks showed to the public repeating their millenary rite one more time.
Goat Pelts and Bronze Bells
Dressed up in goat pelts or sheepskin, with heavy livestock bells wrapped all around the body, they started their dance. A primeval rhythm moved their pace, making the people around them follow as the metallic sound of a hundred bells filled the air around Aristotelous Square.
Such displays have their roots in the everyday life of rural societies. Shepherds used to attach a bell to their sticks to scare the snakes that were hiding in the grass or under a rock with the sound. In the rite, the same method would cast away evil. For the same reason, men would mimic animals. They were hoping that their rituals would translate into a great number of actual goats and sheep in their barn.
People used to do
Moments from the Bell Roads Parade
At the roots of Europe
Some of the Dromena (the Greek word for the performances) are playful and satyrical while other masks behave in an aggressive or disturbing way. The various styles demonstrate the unpredictability of the natural phenomena and their power upon the human being. But since there is a clear difference between the colorful Meriou from Sochos and the fearful German Klausen and Bärbele, the most impressive thing is how much they have in common.
It’s all right in front of your eyes. The fake marriage. The resurrection of nature. The fertility rites and all mankind’s attempt to earn the favor of nature. These are concerns that every European population expresses in the very same way. The best statement to say it loud: it doesn’t matter how far away we live from each other, we have more things in common than what divides us. It starts from our traditions. We all share roots that can overcome borders, bringing us together in our common home called Europe.
See an video impression of the festival made by Umberto Zeverini here:
