Careto

Part of the observance of Entrudo, marking the end of the Winter season, the Careto tradition is among the oldest continually practiced in Portugal.

The masked assumes himself as the central character, around which all the festive action unfolds, playing the most varied roles, depending on the tradition and ritual of each place.

The masquerade parties are rites of the deepest esotericism and symbolism that have resisted the passage of time and are still very much alive in the culture of the people of the Nordeste Transmontano region.

The Caretos wear a mask made of brass, leather, or wood, painted with vivid colours such as red, yellow or black, and a salient nose.

In winter, at sunset, a festive season begins in the region of Trás-os-Montes that goes on until Carnival, full of moments of fun that stir up the streets of cities and villages.

At these festivities, young people have, similar to what happened in some civilizations of antiquity, to show evidence that they are able to take on a more active role in the life of the communities in which they are inserted, since among the elderly and children, they are the strongest element.

Early in the morning, the boys parade through the streets with the typical colorful costumes and Caretos, provoking, rattling and interacting with the population, in great revelry.

Also, the Feast of the Kings (or Epiphany), despite being associated with the birth of Jesus Christ, continues, in many villages, to be celebrated with the presence of these masked boys.