Carnival Bell Ringers

We went to a little town on the outskirts of Rijeka called Matulji to see the bell ringers during carnival. They have a large bell tied around their waist that they bang with their backside. It is an impressive sight seeing them come down the street then forming a line into a circle to bang their sheep/cow bells against each other. The sound is quite deafening. I found out that this is a Croatian  Protected Cultural Phenomena by UNESCO and is called the festival of St. Blaise which is a festival tradition that is over a thousand years old.

 These outfits are passed down from father to son for generations.

Here are some young bell ringers from the west that have smaller bells around their waists.(krabujosnica). 

It is the bell ringers from the east that wear the larger (teriomorph) masks and one large bell.