Yusuf Kutaya
Appearances
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
The tradition is mostly celebrated in Germany, in Austria, in Slovenia and in parts of northern Italy. However, the tradition is now spreading to the UK and the United States. It was even brought to the big screen in the 2015 horror film Krampus. So, whatever I do, I'll be good for goodness sake.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
As the sun brushes its last golden strokes on the Dolomites, and the cold air creeps further into my windproof jacket, you'd think that cows are approaching. But at a closer look, I can see an army of grotesque figures, tractors, and flames coming closer. It is the beginning of the Krampusnacht, or Krampusnight. The Krampus is a grotesque creature of Alpine folklore.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
According to legend, it is half goat and half demon. The Krampus is believed to accompany Saint Nicholas on his visits to children. According to legend, children who behave receive gifts, while those who misbehave are punished by the Krampus. In Tobiaco, a town of 3,000 people in Northern Italy, this night is taken seriously.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
10,000 spectators descend to watch 600 of these Krampuses running through the town. At the end of the march, there's a person dressed as half bishop, half Santa Claus, who's accompanied by young children representing angels, who hand out sweets to well-behaved spectators. Participants dress in hairy black or white costumes that resemble the body of a gorilla.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
They wear bells the size of watermelons on their hips and hold either a flaming torch or birch sticks. Participants wear demonic masks with horns looking like ibexes and teeth like lions. Meinhard Fauster is the organizer of this ritual and makes these masks out of aluminium. Meinhard is also the brains behind the Dobiaco Krampus run. He has performed as a Krampus for almost 20 years.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
I asked him where he gets his inspiration for the masks. He said the influence is twofold.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: The cafe spreading the joy of dance
Managing 600 demonic creatures in a small town is no easy task. Meinhardt says that most of the participants are regulars. So, they know the drill, know their limits and are mindful of their own safety and that of spectators. And he says there's one thing he enjoys every year.