- Title: Remote Croatian island celebrates legendary victory over pirates
- Date: 28th February 2017
- Summary: LASTOVO, CROATIA (FEBRUARY 28, 2017) (REUTERS) TOP VIEW OF LASTOVO TOWN BOY IN TRADITIONAL COSTUME HOLDING CROATIAN FLAG STANDING NEXT TO DONKEY CARRYING CARNIVAL PUPPET BOYS IN TRADITIONAL COSTUMES PUPPET / BOYS, MEN DANCING IN BACKGROUND MEN PERFORMING TRADITIONAL DANCE (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) SHOPKEEPER, PETAR GLUMAC, SAYING: "To me, and probably to all islanders on Last
- Embargoed: 14th March 2017 22:15
- Keywords: Croatia Lastovo pirates carnival
- Location: LASTOVO, CROATIA
- City: LASTOVO, CROATIA
- Country: Croatia
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA00165FS57D
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The remote Croatian Adriatic island of Lastovo celebrated its traditional carnival on Shrove Tuesday (February 28), including the unique custom of sending a puppet sliding down a rope with petards exploding at its feet.
The tradition, which survived to this day since at least the 16th century, is based on a legendary story of a successful defence of the island against a pirate attack.
The islanders cherish their unique custom and many see it as essential to their identity.
"To me, and probably to all islanders on Lastovo, this means everything. We live all year for this day, and for us it's the dearest and most precious thing we have," said shopkeeper Petar Glumac.
The festivities on Lastovo last all day, with boys and men dressed in traditional costumes and armed with wooden swords joining a procession accompanying a donkey carrying the puppet.
After arriving to town, a rope is stretched and the puppet is hoisted to the top of the nearby hill.
The centrepiece of the whole event is the sliding of the puppet down the 300-metre rope three times with exploding petards hanging below its feet, to noisy cheers and celebrations from the crowd.
"Many are surprised to see this (tradition) survive to this day. That's because it's in us. In most of us on Lastovo - not everyone, it's never everyone - but for the majority of people here it's in them, more or less," said Petar Susovic, the janitor at a local school.
The men then perform a traditional dance with swords on the main square, before the puppet is stripped down and ceremonially burned.
According to legend, the peculiar tradition originates from many centuries ago when pirates captured a nearby island and sent a messenger demanding Lastovo to surrender or risk destruction.
Vastly outnumbered, the islanders refused and turned to praying to St. George, before a sudden storm annihilated the pirates' fleet.
The stranded messenger was then caught by locals, mocked and paraded on a donkey, and sentenced to death.
Over time, the re-enactment of the islanders' triumph evolved into an inseparable part of carnival festivities, and is one of the peculiar traditions that Lastovo, one of the most isolated islands on the Croatian Adriatic, is known for. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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