{"id":3019,"date":"2024-07-07T15:45:34","date_gmt":"2024-07-07T14:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.museomaschere.it\/carnival\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T11:12:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T10:12:24","slug":"carnival","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.museomaschere.it\/en\/carnival\/","title":{"rendered":"Carnival"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

History and Culture of Carnival<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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A Gem of History North of the Gennargentu<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

The village of Mamoiada, a gem in the province of Nuoro, is located just north of the Gennargentu massif. Inhabited since pre-Roman times, as evidenced by the numerous nuraghes, menhirs, and Domus de Janas in the area, it now has just a few thousand inhabitants.
Over time, Mamoiada has built a reputation, not only in Sardinia but also in the minds of tourists who choose to visit it each year. This is thanks also to the renowned quality of its dairy products, cured meats, and wines produced in this small Barbagia village. It is a particularly appreciated stop for those who choose to visit the area, often including it in a route that stretches from Nuoro, Orgosolo, Fonni, and their surroundings.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Mamuthones and Issohadores: The Meanings of an Ancient Carnival<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

While the local gastronomic culture has played a role, Mamoiada owes its fame primarily to its historic carnival tradition, which every year renews its international appeal, attracting thousands of people. The dual significance of its most famous masks, the Mamuthones and Issohadores, is notable: they not only represent a fundamental folkloric element but also narrate some of the crucial moments in Barbagia\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

The Richness of an Ancient Tradition<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

Mamoiada celebrates numerous festivals and village feasts. The Carnival festivities actually begin on January 17th, with the celebrations for Saint Anthony the Abbot. On this day, the Mamuthones and Issohadores appear around the fires dedicated to the Saint and start their parade through the streets of the village, visiting the different neighborhoods with the sound of bells \u2013 the former \u2013 and capturing passersby and guests \u2013 the latter. The celebration culminates on Fat Tuesday, when organized groups are joined by spontaneous allegorical floats.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Folklorization and Charm<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The Rediscovery of Sardinian Masks<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

The first studies on the Carnival tradition in Sardinia are relatively recent. The first to mention it was Raffaello Marchi, a historian and anthropologist from Nuoro, who in his 1951 studies hypothesized that the ceremony might refer to a victory of the Barbagian shepherds (the Issohadores) over the Moors (the Mamuthones). Over time, hypotheses have multiplied, and today the celebrations have undergone massive but respectful folklorization. For years now, Sardinian Carnivals have no longer been limited to local festivities but have become evocative and charming events capable of attracting thousands of tourists annually, from across the island and around the world.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Mamuthones and Issohadores<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The Protagonists of the Mamoiada Carnival<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

One of the strongest beliefs among the people of Mamoiada is that, without the Mamuthones and Issohadores, there can be no Carnival. This certainty reflects the importance attributed to the celebration, where the moment of donning the mask (sa vis\u00e9ra) is considered the climax of the dressing ritual. It is then that the participants lose their identity and bring to life the parade, which lasts from the afternoon until late evening, making sure to eat and drink little, perhaps in memory of the fasting historically associated with the day.
The Mamoiada mask ritual has undergone various and numerous layers of meaning over time, referring to different historical moments in a constant intertwining of historical and mythological time. It is likely that the celebration originated in the pre-Christian agro-pastoral environment as an apotropaic rite used to drive away evil spirits from people and livestock, at a time when the concept of life and death was very different from that introduced later by Christianity. Over time, additional meanings were layered on these ancestral ones, but today, the ritual of the Mamuthones and Issohadores still preserves the memory of the ancient ceremony that Christianity later transformed into an allegory and carnival masquerade.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

The Mamuthones The Most Famous Sardinian Masks <\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

Without a doubt, the Mamuthone mask is the most recognizable of the Mamoiada carnival and perhaps of all Sardinian carnivals. The attire is rich and characteristic: a dark velvet robe topped with su bonette, a male headgear; the black mastruca called sa pedde; hand-tanned leather shoes \u2013 sos husinzos; and sa vis\u00e9ra, the black wooden anthropomorphic mask covered with a handkerchief, su mucadore. But even more famous is sa c\u00e0rriga, the cluster of bells and jingles distributed over the Mamuthones' bodies, often weighing up to 25 kg.
Some anthropologists offer an intriguing interpretation of the heavy steps of the Mamuthones, which seem to stomp vigorously on the ground almost as if urging its productive awakening. This movement generates the characteristic noise, its power enhanced by the choreographed parade.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

The Issohadores The Eight Custodians of the Mamoiada Carnival<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>

The Issohadores are fewer in number compared to the Mamuthones and are arranged in what seems to be an orderly manner: one leads the two lines, one is in the center, and one is behind, while the others move in a seemingly scattered manner with a more agile step than the Mamuthones. During the parade, they throw the rope they hold towards the audience, preferably capturing women and girls. This gesture is a sign of good fortune, with a meaning \u2013 according to some scholars \u2013 almost fertility-related.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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