Croatia’s biggest carnival, Rijeka is known for its wild costumes, worn by communities from around the region who congregate locally before descending on the main parade. Held on the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday, Rijeka Carnival is the showcase procession after many events leading up to it, and involves all kinds of weird masks and bells used to scare away winter.
This is not simply random fancy dress. Each group of bellringers has its own tradition, costume and ritual. Those from Grobnik, the Grobnički dondolaši, were originally shepherds, armed with the wooden rattles, škrebetalnica, at carnival time. Dondolaši refers to their bells. Employed by landowners to protect their cattle, this group has long been making a racket to scare off predators.
Before heading for Rijeka, the Grobnički dondolaši are going from village to village, to Grobinština, Jelenje and Dražice, protecting locals from danger and accepting a drink or two along the way.