Careto

The careto is a carnival tradition from Northeastern Portugal, namely in the village of Podence in Macedo de Cavaleiros municipality. These are masked young man in a suit made of green, red and yellow tatters, with a wooden mask and clappers in the belt.

The clappers are used to jingle in passing people, if it is a woman, a group of caretos jingles gently in the girl, if it is a man, and he jingles with bad behaviour and occasionally hunting the person.

The careto's origin lies in an ancient celtic tradition, thus pre-Roman, and it marks the end of the winter and the arrival of the heat and sunny days, thus better crops.

External links

• Careto´s articleArticle by Cátia Pinheiro in Accessible Travel Magazine, February 2007
• Carnival of Podence (in Portuguese)
• Endless energy of the Caretos (in Portuguese)