ethnology

Macedonia and the world reunited again in Gorno Maalo and Dolno Maalo in Vevcani through the masks of the traditional Vevcani Carnival that opened yesterday. After the opening of the carnival addressed by Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska, masks reminding us again of our “rose” reality, our hardship and joy and our virtues and weaknesses marched through the village. Minister Kanceska-Milevska as the government representative, deeply aware of irony the world renowned masquerade inherently brought, said that “The Vevcani Carnival brings tradition as well as irony and satire of current events, which completely and spontaneously create a perfect reverse image of the time and place we live in.” At the carnival, there was the unavoidable Vasilica folk dance headed by Bride and Groom. Furthermore, people were “operated on” live in the alleys of Vevcani, and some of their intimate body parts were ripped off. We saw prominent faces and events coloured in many colours in a vivid procession that filled Vevcani with a positive spirit. According to tradition, Vasilica Carnival participants dedicated the evening to visiting people’s homes where they chased out evil spirits. The evening closed with a great party with Leb i Sol, Dani and Blagoja Grujovski and a spectacular fireworks. “National Culture in Kumanovo and Kumanovo Area” is the title of an exhibition opening in the Art Gallery of the Culture Centre in Kumanovo at 8.00 p.m. today. The purpose of the show is to present the woman in a peasant home and woman in an urban home associated with daily house chores. “This is an ambience-type show with 160 exhibits with different topics from the ethnological area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” the show coordinator Milica Pesevska – Nikolovska says. Prepared by the Ethnological Department with the National Institution Museum in Kumanovo, the exhibition will be opened by Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kanceska - Milevska. An exhibition of items, “From Women’s Past Tradition” is opening in the Art Gallery in Veles at 1.00 p.m. today. The show presents 30 items contributing to explanation of the culture, ethnology and history of the Veles area