Lantz carnivals are Navarre ’s popular carnivals. This traditional celebration it’s made the day before Ash Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday of Carnival, streets are filled by people who dress up of different character. The aim is to capture the thief, Miel Otxin.
The main characters are:
Miel Otxin: Miel Otxin plays the role of a huge doll; it’s believed it was a bad reputation thief of the region. It is also believed to be a representation of the evil spirit. On Sunday, the boys (now the girls too) prepare and they tend to adapt it. The doll is full of straw and a boy who plays the bagpipe and the Basque flute makes it dance around the streets.
Ziripot:Ziripots body is covered with saddle-bags full of straw and walks hopeless using a long stick. He covered his face, and wears a hat which gives the appearance of a woman (not always). He has been also called “Ziri-potolo”. With Zaldiko and Mielotxin, they walk around the street. When Zaldiko attacks him he falls, so the other characters have to help him to stand up.
According to the fable, Ziripot was a beggar who tells stories, but Zaldiko and Miel Otxin steal what he earns. Annoyed, Ziripot invented terrible matters of Zaldiko and Miel Otxin and he began to tell them to the people from the town. Residents hearing these passages, they capture Miel Otxin and Zaldiko ande decided to burn them. They say that Ziripot repentant, run away from Lantz.
Zaldiko: Zaldiko goes on a wooden horse. Zaldikos function is to escape from being a blacksmith and a tamer. In addition, he puts all his strength on pushing and throwing Ziripot He also pushes and shoo people who is around him.
Arotzak:They are responsible of putting to Zaldiko the horseshoe.
Txatxoak: The Txatxos performed the population from Lantz and they wear animals tan and old clothes.
