In Mohács the origin of the tradition is also ex-plained with the legend of expelling the Turks. According the legend the native Croatians, who escaped to the moorland of the Mohács island, grew tired of the Turkish dominations; so they dressed in frightening masks and armed with self-made rattles and noisy instrument they crossed the Danube in boats under the cover of the night to drive the Turks away from Mohács. 

The Busó's clothing

The Busó's clothing is a short sheepskin coat turned inside out, wide trousers filled with straw. Over this they pulled colorfully gnarled women's stocking knitted from wool and sandals made of leather. The wooly cloaks are fastened up by belts or tethers and a cattlebell is hung on it. In their hands they held the essential rattle or wooden maces with many spikes.

The most important thing which makes one a real busó is the mask with sheepskin hood, mostly carved from the wood of willows and traditionally painted with the blood animals. 

The women, whose fasec are covered with veils, the men dressed in wedding clothes and the people dressed in costumes are also part of the masqueraders in Mohács. 

Dates, locations and traditions of the carnival

Today”s Busó parade starts at the Kóló Square, the centre of the old folk custom. The dressed-up busós and masqueraders gather here, this is the meeting point of the groups equipped with cannons, the Devil's wheel, carts, horns, tubs, boats, and other spectacular objects and vehicles. The carnival is celebrated with enormous noise on the bank of the river Danube and in the surroundig streets. At nightfall the masked crowd returns to the main square to dance around the giant bonfire and fool about with people. The program of Shrove Sunday ends with a dance until daybreak, but the people of Mohács also celebrate the carnival on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday they visit houses, greeting the residents. 

On Tuesday they gather up at Kóló Square anew, they march along the main street, and by placing a coffin on another bonfire on the main square. This coffin represents winter, and by burning it and dancing and joking around it, people say goodbye to he cold season and welcome the arrival of spring. The time of rejoicing continues all night long, ending the festivities of the Carnival season. 

Take a peek into the last Busó Carnival

Unesco Intangible Heritage Site

The Busó Carnival was included on the representative list of the UNESCO Cultural Heritages is in 2009. This Carnival belongs to the family of celebrations bidding farewell to winter, welcoming spring and encouraging fertility, which also can be found in the beliefs of several other nations. It shows similarities to customs of the other peoples and the big festivities of the world.

This year the Mohács Carnival will be organised between 27th February and 4th March.

                              Come and celebrate with us the Busó Carnival!

Forrás: www.mohacs.hu