Sawel’ik har’ik - Carnival in the village of Krakal. 16 December 2024

 

The Sawel’ik har’ik custom survives only in the village of Krakal in the Bombouret valley. Some of the events of the day require the exclusive presence of women, the makers of the savew, the disc-shaped basket used to place offerings and food for the spirits and their guests. Sawel’ik is the diminutive of "savew" and "har’ik" comes from the verb har’ia hik which means to imitate.

The main event of the day puts the woman at the center, giving her, at least for one day, the power and the right to unthinking criticism of anyone. The events of the day are ¨

-a ceremony of purification in the morning hours in the field west of the settlement. The master of ceremonies is a young girl assisted by the adult women of the village. . They carry a savew with tat’ori, breads stuffed with nuts and meat, in front of the sacred fire of the ceremony. The assistants cut some pieces from the breads and let them fall into the girl's handfuls. She in turn offers them to the flames of the sacred fire. The invocations of the day are made exclusively by women. It is one of the few ceremonies in the Kalash tradition where men are prohibited from participating.

- gather of all the women in the ceremonial field. They sing ancient songs and dance. Their lyrics refer to valleys and settlements of the wider region that have now been converted to Islam. In addition to historical songs, women sing improvised lyrics, mocking the behavior of men.

- gather of men in a place that is higher so that there is a view of the women's actions. Listening to their experiments and sharp lyrics, they try to respond accordingly and to the same musical rhythm.

- Custom ends with dances, rhythmic songs, disguises with masks and animal skins, but also with improvised mocking actions. Most of them have a theme of pastoral tradition. There are others that aim to imitate and satire the actions of popular figures. Sawel’ik har’ik is the carnival of Krakal. The participants, aided by wine and other spirits, create Dionysian scenes of revelry until sunset. The art of theater is born in Kalashadesh.