Autonomous Province of Bozen - South Tyrol – Abteilung Generic

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Rumantschia

The Romansh speaking territory is rich in ancient customs of a heathen, Roman or early-Christian origin; these are still kept alive by many of the valley communities today. Chalandamarz is a folkloristic children’s festival in the Engadin, Val Müstair, Bergella, Puschlav, Surmeir and the Albula Valley. It is celebrated the first day of March. According to the ancient Roman calendar the “Calendae Martii” was the first day of the New Year. The school children walk through the village adorned with different sizes of bells (and in some places with colourful paper flowers too), singing songs of spring to drive away the winter. After nightfall, there is the Chalandamarz dance. The Chalandamarz procession corresponds to the springtime scent of the Alps. This custom belongs to the group of an ancient type of noise-making processions, whose original essence was, amongst others, to arouse fertility.The most delightful portrayal of this event is to be found in Selina Chönz’ and Alois Carigiet’s children’s book “Uorsin” ('A Bell for Ursli').
"Tschaiver" (carnival) is especially celebrated in the catholic parts of the Romansh-speaking territory. The masked parades (a custom of heathen origin to drive out the winter) have a special tradition in Domat-Ems. Carnival here ends on “gievgia grassa” ('Carnival Thursday'), almost a week earlier than Ash Wednesday as in most other places. In addition to “gievgia grassa” itself, the other big climax comes two days previously with “margis bel”. Today, the Domat-Ems carnival has lost much of its uniqueness and merely emulates other places (see Facts & Figures, p. 79).
"Hom Strom" ('straw dummy') is a  very ancient custom in Scuol. On the first Saturday of February, a straw dummy is burnt in front of the court building. It is not clear whether this custom originally had to do with the symbolic driving out of winter or dates back to sun worship, as once practised everywhere in the world.
Every year the Mattinadas are celebrated in Tschlin and Ramosh. It is the most important festival for old and young alike; it lasts three days. On the 2nd of January, they make their way through the village pulling a sledge that the girls have decorated with paper flowers, collecting “mattinadas”(all sorts of home-made confectionery). Following a sumptuous midday feast, the afternoon and evening are spent dancing. At midnight, the children are summonsed back to table and fed with “fuatscha grassa” (whipped cream) and “grassins” (Engadin butter biscuits). The young men of the village also team up to collect their “mattinadas” on the 2nd of January. Traditionally, their celebration, including a feast and dance, used to be held on the 3rd January, now it is usually organised on the following Saturday.
A traditional custom of Engadin youth is the Schlitteda/Schlittada (sledge ride). Its origin is unknown. An occasion for general merrymaking without any historical background. One January Sunday, the local lads harness their horses up to their ornately decorated sledges and ride from village to village taking a young lady with them, stopping off at various hostelries for a few hours of relaxation, eating, drinking and singing. Today, married couples also join in the “schlitteda”, which has become a big tourist attraction, especially in the Upper Engadin.
In Salouf and the catholic parts of the Valley of the Rein Anteriur, on Epiphany (6th of January), groups of young singers, dressed up as the Three Kings, go from village to village bringing the Christmas message in song. In some villages, the original groups of three have grown into much bigger ones. Probably the most original celebration of this particular custom in the whole canton Grisons is to be found in the village of Breil/Brigles (Surselva).
The courtship ritual “trer schibettas” is practised in Danis-Tavanasa and Dardin (Surselva). On the first Passion Sunday the young men and boys gather above the village after nightfall and hurl red-hot thin circular disks of timber down into the valley. Each disc is dedicated to a girl as it is thrown. The popular tradition is that the flight of the fiery discs gives an insight into incipient love affairs (see Facts & Figures, p.80).
These are just some of the practised customs. You can find further information on tradition in the brochure Facts and Figures and on the Dicziunari Rumantsch Grischun's website.