Location: Resia/Rezija, 33010 (UD)
The Carnival period is one of the best times to visit Resia and get to know its customs, its people, its dialect, its dances and music and, of course, its masks. There are two types of traditional carnival masks in Val Resia. The best known are the 'lipe bile maškire' (beautiful white masks), traditionally worn by young, unmarried girls, dressed in white and wearing a handmade hat made of paper flowers and small rattles. All 'lipe bile maškire' are accompanied by a male counterpart, called 'maškarun', mainly distinguished by a less high hat.
The other type of masks, as opposed to the first, are the 'ugly' masks of the 'babaci'/'kukaci', who usually wear plain old clothes, often inside out, and sometimes cover their faces or smear them with soot or charcoal.
The typical Resian dances that accompany the Püst di Resia are rigorously guided by the sound of the cïtira and bünkula, the violin and cello respectively, while the rhythm is marked by pounding feet. The two instruments are actually newly introduced, and together they recreate the sound of the 'dudy', a kind of bagpipe that was originally played to accompany these ancient dances. In order to resemble the sound of the 'dudy', the cïtira and the bünkula are manipulated and modified: the former is replaced with mandolin strings that are pulled to the maximum and tuned in very high tones, while the latter is left with only two strings and an additional one made of animal fibre.
Program - Püst 2026:
- Saturday, January 31
- in Stolvizza/Solbica from 7.00 PM: Masked pasta dinner.
- Sunday, February 8
- in Uccea/Učja:
- 9.15 AM – 2.15 PM --> Nature hike "Between Nature and Traditional Carnival in the Uccea Valley".
- From 2.00 PM --> Püst returns to Uccea/Učja.
- in Uccea/Učja:
- Friday, February 13
- in Prato/Ravanca 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM: Julian Prealps Natural Park Visitor Center open.
- in Stolvizza/Solbica 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM: Museum of the Resian People open.
- in San Giorgio/Bila at 3.30 PM: Awards ceremony for the creative contest “Which Babaz Are You?”
- in Lischiazze/Liščaca from 8.30 PM: Carnival in the Tana!
- Saturday, February 14
- in Prato/Ravanca 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM: Julian Prealps Natural Park Visitor Center open.
- in Stolvizza/Solbica
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM: Knife Grinders’ Museum open.
- 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM: Museum of the Resian People open.
- in San Giorgio/Bila from 8.30 PM: Resian music and dance, with a contest and award for the most representative mask of the Resian Püst.
- Sunday, February 15
- in San Giorgio/Bila
- 8.00 AM – 1.00 PM: masked hike --> "From the Enchantment of the Forests to the Magic of Carnival – The Longest Day in the Resia Valley".
- From 12.30 PM: PÜSTAWA NADËJA.
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM at the Village Dairy: visitors can buy local products, take part in a photo set wearing the traditional “lipe bile maskire” costume, and dance to traditional Resian dances.
- in Prato/Ravanca 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM: Julian Prealps Natural Park Visitor Center open.
- in Stolvizza/Solbica
- 10.00 AM – 5.00 PM at the Knife Grinder's Museum: workshop on making flowers for traditional carnival hats.
- 10.30 AM – 5.00 PM: Museum of the Resian People open.
- in San Giorgio/Bila
- Monday, February 16
- in Prato/Ravanca 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM: Julian Prealps Natural Park Visitor Center open.
- in Stolvizza/Solbica
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM: Knife Grinder's Museum open.
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM: Museum of the Resian People open.
- From 1.30 PM: TA MALI PÜST.
- Tuesday, Februrary 17
- in Prato/Ravanca 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM: Julian Prealps Natural Park Visitor Center open.
- in Stolvizza/Solbica
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM: Knife Grinder's Museum open.
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM: Museum of the Resian People open.
- 10.00 AM – 10.00 PM (approx.): TA VILÏKI PÜST.
- Wednesday, February 18
- in Prato/Ravanca 9.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM: Julian Prealps Natural Park Visitor Center open.
- in Stolvizza/Solbica
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM: Knife Grinder's Museum open.
- 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM and 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM: Museum of the Resian People open.
- in San Giorgio/Bila from 7.00 PM: Procession with the funeral and burning of the Babaz.
Check also the blog Püst – Carnevale in Val Resia (Somewhere FVG): www.somewherefvg.it/pust-in-val-resia/
For more information:
www.resianet.org/site/carnevale/
www.facebook.com/proloco.valresia
