The " Maschkarata" (the masquerade) of San Mauro Cilento

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In a geographical area rich in contaminations and archaic elements, the Ancient Carnival of San Mauro Cilento, the “Maschkarata”, represents, in the context of contemporary expressiveness, one of the best examples of promotion of local knowledge and expressive form of territorial identity that produces cultural diversity. The characteristic parade, preceded by the sound of the “tofa” (whelk) which announces the beginning of the event, is the result of a mix of popular theater scenes which intertwine with each other and which refer to the commedia dell’arte in a popular with stylized characters, who wear characteristic masks and costumes and express themselves with codified and stereotyped gestures: a simple and spontaneous representation of some archetypal elements of human life, between life and death, in the succession of the seasons, with choreography and handmade dresses and masks. The writing of this “popular novel”, in addition to the recovery of ancestral elements, makes use of the technique of irony to address issues such as work, social stratification, the fear of the afterlife. From the most characteristic scenes such as the “brides’ dance” and the funeral of “Carnuluvaro”, with the large bonfire organized in the square, to the comic gags improvised by individual characters that actively involve the spectator audience. The comic aspect, however, is inextricably linked to the melancholic one of rural life in Cilento, giving rise to a form of “provisional redemption”: the lower working class is allowed, for a few days, to stage the vices, defects and contradictions of those who hold power.

“Have you ever heard of this tradition in your family?”