Careto, Lazarim, Viseu [PORTUGAL] 2023
The Entrudo De Lazarim is an ancestral pre-Lenten celebration that is one of Portugal’s most impressive masquerade traditions that is still practiced today.
It is said that Caretos hold powers over the key elements of thriving humanity. They ensure the fertility of the fields, from which they take the grass to create their suits. They also ensure the fruitfulness of men and animals, and the maintenance of law and order.
The village of Lazarim is known for its masterful artisans who meticulously hand carve each mask from a single piece of tree trunk. The Alder wood masks are always left unpainted to appreciate the raw talent of the carver. The elder craftsmen have a beautiful saying that they ‘cannot put a mask on a piece of wood, the mask is inside of it already and you must find a way to reveal it.’
