L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 6 Masks were originally used to maintain anonymity while playing tricks on others during Carnevale LIFE PEOPLE PLACES TRADITIONS Continued from page 4 place for it was found within the liturgic calendar and Carnevale turned into the colorful road leading to the meditative times of Lent. And so, with the con- sent of both temporal and reli- gious authorities, people contin- ued to celebrate and play, in a time "s us pended" betw een everyday reality and dream, when you could be anyone you wanted, turning the world on its feet and ridiculing the rich and powerful: you only needed a mask to do it (mask, from the Arabic mascharà, which means satire, joke). A n d this is how , betw een laughter as a symbol of fertility and the D oge's o w n rules , Carnevale little by little, became what it is today. In this whirl- wind of beautiful costumes that, in time, have become part of our history, just beside the likes of A rlecchino and Colombina, there were also other figures, like the Massariol, surrounded in mystery, but true symbol of local lore and of the very essence of Carnevale: laughter, smiling, irreverence and a tad of subver- sion, if you will. And precisely because he was considered "subversive", during the occupation of the lagoon city, N apoleon forbade Carnevale in 1797. But during its 800 years of his tory, the Venetian carnival was enriched with customs, and especially masks. Like the Bauta (black veil or tabarro, black tricorn and a white mask called larva, which allowed to drink and eat without ever taking it off) that was also used in everyday life to woo or be courted in mutual anonymity. Or the Gnaga, with its cat-like appearance reminiscent of a sex- ual and transgressive nature. Or the Moretta, that small dark vel- vet oval that, in addition to cov- ering women's face, made them ... mute: to wear it you had to support it with your mouth. All to become someone new and mysterious, to move around in disguise and anonymity but also to seduce. La Moretta, actu- ally, did make w omen quite intriguing and full of secrets. But this is precisely the essence of the Venice Carnevale: lightheart- edness, liberation, transgression of social rules, intrigue, libertin- ism. A law of 1268 that limited the use of masks confirms their use and, above all, the wide- s pread goliardic s pirit of Carnevale: the gioco delle ova, which consisted in throwing eggs filled w ith ros e w ater against the ladies who walked in the streets, was forbidden to mattaccini, men in disguise. The Massariol fits well in this world made of traditions, her- itage and fun. Tradition says he would change shape to reach Venetian women's voluptuous breasts. It also says he would take advantage of Venetian peo- ple's habit to hang their clothes out to dry to steal them and hang them els ew here. Throw ing stones and people, starting small fires and frightening innocent bystanders were said to be his favorite activities. And so, the Massariol truly is embodiment of the spirito di Carnevale, but if you look really into it, he is much more than that. Just like the many masks of the Commedia dell'Arte, or the Morette, Baute and Gnaghe that still today populate the streets of La Serenissima this time of the year, he is a colorful symbol of Italy's own history and heritage. He does not simply stand for local lore and old fashioned crassness, he is the representa- tion of a light hearted way to see life, rooted in the very hardships and restrains of our historical past. What does, in the end, the cheerful tradition of the Massari- ol tell us about Carnevale? Well, that its tradition is ancient, of course, and that it grew and developed with the history of the country. But above all, this old elf - along with all the masks typical of Carnevale - represents the irreverent and playful spirit of this time of the year and its strong ties with what's probably the most wonderful and unique of Italy's own traditions: that of joy, of smiling and of keeping our ancestors' habits alive. May the Massariol, this year, bring many smiles to all those who see it speeding through the forests of Belluno and the color- ful and opulent streets of Venice. But please, Massariol: facci sor- ridere tutti, on both sides of the Atlantic, because laughter, so often, is worth more than gold. Colombina is one of Venezia's own "maschere" and a protagonist of the Com- media dell'Arte

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