The Maja Festival, a hymn to spring

Discover

The Maja

It is a cone-shaped structure with anthropomorphic characters, covered with wildflowers, herbs and primroses.

“Ko je reka ka Maja nimaša dokj, jiskod vana ka ga vidiš prokj” – “Who said the Maja would not come, come out and see him pass by,” can be heard singing on May 1, in Acquaviva Collecroce when the Maja Festival begins.

The preparation of the puppet begins the day before the festival, when a group of people go out into the countryside around the village to gather flowers and first fruits that will later be used to decorate the structure. On the morning of the festival, the finishing touches are made, and when everything is ready, a man slips inside and carries it to the town square, where the party begins. Here waiting for him is the whole population, people from abroad and even fellow countrymen who return from abroad to rediscover this ancient festival and feel a strong bond with their home country.

So amidst dancing, folk songs and to the sound of traditional instruments, the Maja begins its procession through the streets of the village followed by this festive crowd that from time to time lingers at the doorways of houses to enjoy local food and wine offered by the locals.