Kurent
is regarded as a god of unrestrained revelry and high-spirits.
He has been compared as a 'Slovenian Dionysius'. The
Kurents - formed in groups - are dressed in sheepskins
with cowbells dangling from their belts or chains. On
their heads they wear huge furry caps decorated with
feathers, sticks or horns and coloured streamers. The
leather face masks have eye-holes outlined in red, long
trunk-like noses and enormous red tongues that hang
down to the chest. They wear hair made from horse-tails.
The Kurents
move from house to house in procession, scaring off
evil spirits with their cow bells and wooden clubs topped
with hedgehog spines. They continually whirl and jump
from side to side to sound the bells and chains they
wear. These sounds are heard throughout the villages
all day and into the night.
Different
and ancient customs prevail throughout the villages;
such as before the Kurent arrives at the house, the
housewife throws a pot from the attic, to the first
person who visits her in the day. This is according
to an old belief that this will help the hens to lay
eggs.The Kurents carry a basket to collect gifts from
the households. A devil (hudicc, zlodej, vrag)
accompanied the Kurent, dressed in all black or red,
and was covered by a net to catch souls, leads each
group. Young girls present Kurents with handkerchiefs
which they then fasten to their belts, and housewives
smash clay pots at their feet for luck and good health.