korants in london

the kurent's unload 200kg worth of costumes in the travelodege car park, kings cross, london

here we see two groups of five heavy cow bells that korants wear fastened around their waists by a metal chain

the korant also wears heavy work boots and special red or green leg warmers

the costumes were driven over from slovenia and delivered to the travel lodge car park just in time for the korants short tour of london

the masks before being unpacked...here you can see a long red tongue made of leather

...its moustache is made of maize, while white beans threaded on a string serve as teeth...the horns are cow horns

the sheep skin costumes are shaken as they are removed from the storage box

plumes are straightened after storage

decorative ribbons are untangled

the costumes are draped around the car park to air

at least one devil, who wears a red costume made from cloth, always accompanies a larger group of korants

devils can move more freely than korants, so they help them in many ways

a red scarf is worn under the mask

fastening the scarf

fastening the scarf

...the football badge is not part of the traditional costume...

red wine mixed with coca-cola refreshes the kurents before the costumes are put on (I do not think this is traditional...)

an undercover area of the car park becomes the changing room

the heavy shoes are put on

the cow bells are attached with metal hooks, chains and leather straps

three people are needed to help attach the bells

relaxing before a short tour of london to promote a concert and show in the evening at the camden centre

kurent holding a ježevka, a thin wooden bat/stick

the ježevkareal has hedgehog spikes at the top end which used to serve as a weapon

kurent's usually wear a light coloured sheepskin, although they can sometimes be black

threading the chain through the bells before they are put on

more preparation of the bells

the korant holds the bells in position with the leather straps as they are fastened

they check to see if the chain is tight enough before fastening the straps

fastening the metal hooks of the chains

the bells have to be fastened very tight as they are very heavy

once the bells are on they are reasonably comfortable

again...holding the bells in position as they are fastened


three assist the donning of the costume

the kurent is the central traditional carnival figure in slovenia

ready and waiting for the tour to begin

the ježevka is decorated with colourful handkerchiefs which a kurent has been given by girls.

warming up...the kurent’s role has always been to drive away winter by jumping from side to side

the korant with the most handkerchiefs is believed to be the most popular among girls

a traditional pose is struck before our short london tour

walking through a back street of kings cross

korants arrive at kings cross station...it is hard to imagine how loud those cow bells ring...

the devil outside kings cross tube station

london underground were good sports and allowed korants (carrying masks) to travel on the underground

a korant on a tube escalater has a commanding presence

arriving at piccadilly tube station

korants at piccadilly circus


in full costume at piccadilly circus


kurentovanje, which is one of the most important traditional events in slovenia and central europe, stems from a hundred-year-old tradition of celebrating the carnival in the areas of dravsko and ptujsko polje, and always brings magical joy and good humour

leaving piccadilly circus

making their way to trafalgar square

korants on trafalgar square

korants on trafalgar square

the main role that kurents have today is the preservation of carnival cultural heritage and tradition. In the lowland as well as the mountainous part of Haloze in the Ptuj area, the kurent’s role has always been to drive away winter by jumping from side to side, bell-ringing and rituals, which is why they are thought to have supernatural powers.

posing on the embankment...the present day korant or kurent stems from folk tradition. In the old days, only unmarried men were allowed to put on the kurent costume, while today anyone, even a woman, a married man or a child, can wear it

walking acroos parliament square

posing in front of big ben on parliament square

the end of the short tour...and off to the camden centre for a carnival party