Traditional Carnival in Naoussa

Naoussa is a wonderful, northern city of Greece Naoussa is a wonderful, northern city of Greece. Carnival with its own customs make it even more beautiful. «The Mpoules and the Yenissari» is a carnival custom with roots that are lost in time. It is related to the young men's initiation ceremonies into the secrets of the tribe which make them renounce women's clothes and become real men. Going around from neighborhood to neighborhood while dancing in order to get rid of the evil spirits, the whole ceremony resembles religious processions.

a waist belt, accessorised by a sword and a wax-mask with a moustache. The apparel of “Yanissaros and Mpoula” consists of the following items: Yenissaros: a 400 fold pleated skirt, a loose shirt, a vest made of silver, a waist belt, accessorised by a sword and a wax-mask with a moustache.

The wax-mask with a moustache

Mpoula: a man in loose dress and other clothes derived from the tradition of Naoussa. The head is decorated with flowers and a wax-mask similar to the “Yennissaros” one, but without a moustache.

“Zurnades” and “daoulia” are the two traditional musical instruments that accompany the disguised (in the queue of the procession), while they dance from neighborhood to neighborhood around the streets of Naoussa.

The procession of the custom: In the morning, the dressing up of the “Yenissaros” takes place individually in each one's house.

When they’re ready, the leader of the group dances accompanied by the traditional musical instruments, as he goes to pick up the next person from his home.

After he picks up the second member of the group, the two men are still dancing in the streets…

… and this continues until the whole group is gathered.

While they’re dancing in the streets, they are heading towards the Town Hall in order to ask for the permission of the Mayor to dance around the town. The moment that the leader speaks to the Mayor is the only one that it is allowed to take off the wax mask.

While asking for the permission, the rest group wait in front of the Town Hall, listening to the music, with their hands raised…

… and altogether dance in front of the Town Hall.

Afterwards, they keep dancing all around the city of Naoussa until the afternoon. During the procession, it is not allowed to take off the wax mask. So, they can’t eat all day long. They only drink water using a straw, through a small hole of the mask at the point of the mouth.

In the afternoon, they take off their wax masks and continue dancing till the sun sets.

At that time, the group is gathered to a particular place of the town. They stab their swords in the ground and they all together swear the following words: “Whatever we said, and we didn’t, it will stay here.”

This is a very powerful and passionate custom This is a very powerful and passionate custom. It is a great trial for each man who keeps dancing all day long, going through many kilometers in their heavy costumes, with their accessories and without eating or getting rest, no matter if it is raining or snowing.

Eleonora Veria and Sotiria Roussou Links https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%82 https://www.e-naousa.gr/article.php?naousa=82 Eleonora Veria and Sotiria Roussou