The devil of Tufara

In Tufara, the ritual of the Devil's Masquerade takes place on the last day of Carnival. Opening the procession of this ancient ritual is the mask of "Death," a figure dressed in white, with his face covered in flour and armed with a scythe. Next comes the Devil: he wears seven goat skins, which according to pre-Christian rituals was the form in which deity was manifested on earth. The black face is demonic, with horns, knurled teeth, red tongue, pointed ears and wide eyes; he advances while wielding a trident and taking hostages, which he releases only in exchange for offerings of various kinds. More than one devil parades through the streets of Tufara, and each is followed by a procession made up of other masks, including the "Leprechauns," who wear black robes. The parade ends in the evening under the Lombard Castle where the carnival process begins, somewhere between the theatrical and the folkloric. Not to be missed!