The Carnival is that party where the laughter and shouts of the children Fully animate the streets, while colors, confetti and music flood every corner of the city.

Every year on the waterfront, in the old town centers, and in the squares of all towns, the following are organized parades and themed parades, where children and young people compete to see who will wear the costume more original; let us remember, however, the rule  "at Carnival every trick counts," however beware: sometimes it is interpreted far too literally!

The origins of Carnival

The origins of Carnival are very ancient and derive from pagan traditions. In particular, the typical custom of wearing masks derives from the belief that these masks would ward off the spirits malignant. Over the centuries, especially with the advent of the Christianity, this conception has faded, but the habit of dressing up and identifying with a wide variety of characters has not changed.

As early as the 13th century the King Charles of Bourbon loved to organize parties big and games for all the people by installing among the main streets of the city so-called "cuccagne," wooden poles on the top of which food was hung to start a lively race among the plebs, won by the first to the tip. Hence the current game of cuccagna: over time the award was replaced by the money, up to the flag which is used today for the pure purpose of having fun and passing on the custom.

The famous parades with floats typical of Carnival were already being organized at that time by the noble Neapolitans, but in a different way: the order was to fill them with delicacies and goodness of all kinds on the trees placed in the center of the large wagon, often greased with animal fat or soap. Hence began the game, which unfortunately often turned into a real tragedy for the ferocity with which food was to be grabbed. Also known as "binge", could never be missed before the Lenten fasting.

By the way, have you read our article On typical Neapolitan carnival sweets?

The masks of the Neapolitan tradition

Everyone, whether Italian or not, knows Punchinello, the mask carnival par excellence and also the symbol of Naples.

There are several hypotheses about the origins of the name: the first that it comes from flea, the second from "chicken o chick" whose petite and somewhat effeminate voice it recalls; another theory states that it derives from a surname very present in the local reality of the time, namely Punchinello or Polsinelli.

Already widespread in popular culture in the 16th century, the Punchinello mask came to life in the 17th century thanks to the comedy "The Constant Lucilla with the Ridiculous Dykes and Feats of Polycinella," written by theactor Silvio Fiorillo, who recreated those famous features by drawing inspiration from the face of a farmer by Acerra, with a long nose and a face darkened by the sunshine knocker of the campaign.

His figure is associated with a slacker but cunning character whose only thought is to eat and drink, talkative, clumsy and crazy-looking, hunched over, wearing a black mask from the hooked nose, hat, and loose white dresses stopped at the waist by a black belt.

With his innate comedy and his cunning manages to fool everyone and mock the powerful in an ironic and irreverent way, fully representing the nature of the Neapolitan people.

Punchinello immediately became the protagonist of the shows by puppets and puppets as an alternative hero fighting the enemies of everyday life. It is easy to notice references to this character on the streets of Naples, especially in San Gregorio Armeno.

Another typically Neapolitan mask is Tartaglia, whose name is derived from the mathematician Niccolo Fontana, also called Niccolo Tartaglia for his stuttering. Hence the figure of the Neapolitan commedia d'arte, with a peculiar physicality and a strange appearance in that he is burly but with a shaved face and a shaved head, wearing a suit with a cloak particularly colorful with yellow and green stripes, wide white collar and glasses green.

It is precisely these bizarre characteristics that trigger laughter in anyone who observes it.

Many of you may be familiar with the French character Scaramouche, whose image actually stems from the captain Neapolitan Scaramuzza; he was the actor Tiberius Fiorilli to bring it into France in 1640, where the boastful, fanatical character dressed in the black Spanish uniform changed character and replaced the sword with the guitar.

Does the phrase, "Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango!" ring a bell?

Surely you must have recognized in this expression the famous song by the Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, where Scaramuccia is remembered in his primitive guise as a quarrelsome, fight-prone character.