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