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Transcription: [00:52:18]
The man in the center is cracking his whip to drive away the evil spirits, open up the earth, and let the spirit of spring out.
[00:52:25]
Their steady dance-like steps of jumping up and down is also to awaken spring, asleep beneath the frozen ground.
[00:52:32]
{SILENCE}
[00:52:36]
Masks are the main attraction. Made of wood, hand-carved, they're handed down in Tyrolean families for generations.
[00:52:45]
{SILENCE}
[00:52:54]
Well I don't know about scaring the cold away, but this winter witch should scare something away!
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:00]
These beautiful girls are really men, as no women take part in the proceedings at all.
[00:53:06]
Here they're clearing the way for the coming procession.
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:10]
All the groups and floats in the procession represent something from the whimsical world of fantasy.
[00:53:15]
These are gypsy witches.
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:19]
And these are good goblins from the magic wood.
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:27]
The country people believe that in the surrounding mountains, this friendly giant lives and protects them from evil.
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:37]
But how this east Indian folk figures in, I just don't know.
[00:53:40]
Complete with elephant orchestra and even dancing girls -
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I mean dancing men!
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:50]
The curious carnival winds its way down and around the village streets most of the afternoon.
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{SILENCE}
[00:53:59]
But even after the sun had set, there were tireless groups of shouters and rollers, still in motion with their bells still ringing out against the winter demons.
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{SILENCE}
[00:54:13]
And sure enough, and just outside town this strange apparition was seen leaving!
[00:54:19]
He was undoubtedly one of the winter demons, the people had succeeded in frightening away.