A carnival ritual that has been perpetuated for a long time in the heart of the mountains of upper Molise.

The ritual of the deer-man or de Gl ‘Cierv (in Molise dialect) is a real carnival show, whose origins are lost in the mists of time. It is an extremely impressive show that absolutely deserves to be seen.

It is the last Sunday of Carnival and in Castelnuovo a Volturno, a splendid village nestled in the Mainarde mountains, an ancient ritual is repeated: at nightfall, the deer-man, accompanied by a woman disguised as a doe, descends from the mountains in the center of the town square.
Covered in goatskin, with face and hands painted in black, they carry deer horns on the head and cowbells tied around the body: an irrepressible fury feeds their mad floundering in the midst of the people flocked to attend the show.

There are other characters who take part in the pantomime (the Maone, the Janare, Martino) but, among these, only the Hunter manages to appease the fury of the two deer by killing them. However, it is only a temporary death: the Hunter immediately returns their life, blowing in his ears.
The deer, now tame, resume their journey along the road that leads to the mountain from which they had descended.
Restored the initial peace and order, thus ending the suggestive show.

Don’t miss this powerful and suggestive ritual! The appointment is Sunday 23 February 2020.

For more information click here

Brunella Muttillo