If there is one season when Naoussa shows its full character, it is carnival. From early morning you hear the zournas pipes and the drums, and the “bouloukia” — the troupes of Genitsaroi and Boules — take to the streets in a ritual the people of Naoussa have kept alive from generation to generation.
What the ritual is
The Genitsaroi wear the foustanella kilt, heavy silver ornaments and the characteristic “prosopo”, the mask that hides their identity. Beside them dance the Boules, men dressed in the traditional women’s costume of Naoussa. Each troupe, with its musicians, moves through the town following rules and rituals handed down from the older generation to the younger.
Tradition links the custom to the struggles of the people of Naoussa during the years of Ottoman rule, which is perhaps why it has a solemnity rarely found in other carnivals. The ritual is recorded in Greece’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
When it takes place
The ritual usually peaks on the last two Sundays of carnival and on Clean Monday. On Sunday morning the troupes set out from the Town Hall, where they receive the mayor’s permission, and follow their route through the town. On the Mondays they roam more freely, with feasting and dancing in the streets. The detailed programme is announced every year by the Municipality of Naoussa.
A few tips
Carnival is one of the busiest times of the year, so it is worth booking your stay early. Bring comfortable shoes and warm clothes — we are at the foothills of Mount Vermio and February is cold. Traffic in the centre is heavy, so it is better to leave the car and walk. And remember that this is a living tradition: watch respectfully and give the troupes room to dance.
If you stay for a long weekend, you can combine the ritual with a day of skiing at Seli or 3-5 Pigadia, which are at their best in February.
Would you like to experience it for yourself? Book your stay at Driades, just a few minutes from the centre of Naoussa.