When I first decided to come to Hungary to research monsters and costumes, the first thing I was told to research was the Busójárás Festival. Online, I was able to find a little information, but I knew to truly understand I needed an inside look into both the festival and how the masks for the costumes were made. While incredibly overwhelming, I have not only accomplished this goal but also gained so much more from this experience than I ever could imagined!
Every February, in Mohács, Hungary, there is the festival called Busójárás. During this festival the local people of Mohács don large sheep skin suits and hand carved wooden masks and go out into the streets to interact with both the community members of the town and visitors from both Hungary and abroad. I just got back from experiencing it for myself, and I can't wait to tell you about it.
The festival began on a Thursday and ended the following Tuesday. The first three days involved the arrival and set up of the market and food stalls along with lots of performances by local music and dance groups. The streets became filled with people and with Busós (people--most men--in wooden masks and sheepskin coats). The Busós are mostly friendly, however some of them like to harass women by putting flour, ash, or feathers in their hair.
