- Small Quebec company dominates one part of NHL hockey: jerseys
- Comoros shock Tunisia, Salah, Mbeumo strike in AFCON qualifiers
- Boeing to cut 10% of workforce as it sees big Q3 loss
- Germany win in Nations League as 10-man Dutch rescue point
- Undav brace sends Germany to victory against Bosnia
- Israel says fired at 'threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- Want to film in Paris? No sexism allowed
- Ecuador's last mountain iceman dies at 80
- Milton leaves at least 16 dead, millions without power in Florida
- Senegal set to announce breakaway development agenda: PM
- UN says 2 peacekeepers wounded in south Lebanon explosions
- Injury-hit Australia thrash 'embarrassing' Pakistan at Women's T20 World Cup
- Internal TikTok documents show prioritization of traffic over well-being
- Israel says fired at 'immediate threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- New US coach Pochettino hails Pulisic but worries over workload
- Brazil orders closure of 2,000 betting sites
- UK govt urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China
- Sculptor Lalanne's animal creations sell for $59 mn
- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Djokovic 'overwhelmed' after 'greatest rival' Nadal's retirement
- Zelensky in Berlin says hopes war with Russia will end next year
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
- Sabalenka sets up Gauff showdown in Wuhan semis
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Kim Sei-young holds lead with late birdies at LPGA Shanghai
- Toulouse welcome Dupont 'boost' as Olympic star returns to Top 14
- Japanese atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize
- Deadly Israeli strike on Beirut likely targeted Hezbollah security chief
Be gone, winter! Young Slovenians reclaim sheepskin monster parade
Clad in a shaggy sheepskin costume, Denis Kokot is among a young generation of Kurenti performers who descend on the northeastern Slovenian town of Ptuj every February to chase away winter.
Dating back to the 18th century, the tradition believed to be of pagan origin and practised over 10 days until Ash Wednesday has stood the test of time.
Young Slovenians like Kokot, who have learnt the custom "from the cradle", even leave their smartphones behind to take part in the parade, which marks the end of winter and the coming of a fertile spring.
"During this time you switch off from all the social networks and simply enjoy it," the 22-year-old told AFP.
"My father was a Kurent performer too, and the most exciting thing is when you see children's eyes staring at you," he said, using the singular version of the word.
As the ear-deafening sound of clanging cowbells fills the air, hundreds of Kurenti dressed in white and black sheepskin and donning colourful feathered and horned masks parade through Ptuj.
"You simply submerge yourself into this mystical feeling," said 37-year-old shopkeeper and performer Monja Hvalec.
Interest has picked up as whole families are nowadays able to partake in a rite once exclusively reserved for unmarried men.
"We inherited the tradition from our parents and once we get our own children, we pass it on to them," said Ales Ivancic, head of the Kurenti association, which oversees 25 groups from neighbouring villages.
"It's a bridge between the past and the future," he added.
- 'Suffer to bring luck' -
These days, the vibrant annual "monster" parade in February called Kurentovanje draws thousands of visitors from Slovenia and abroad.
Originally each village in the area had its own group of Kurenti -- mostly bachelors, who wore "masks and symbols peculiar to their hamlet", explained Ptuj museum ethnologist Andrej Brence.
The burly Kurenti made "door-to-door visits believed to bring luck to those who welcomed them," he added.
A few decades ago, the local tradition was at risk of vanishing until various Kurenti groups from northeastern Slovenia in the late 1950s decided to join forces and allow women and children.
Their efforts were rewarded and in 2017 the tradition was inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Once made from leftover materials found on local farms that were subsequently recycled, today's costumes have become sophisticated objects of prestige and can cost up to 1,600 euros (around $1,720).
The annual celebration continues to attract more and more visitors, with some 100,000 people attending Ptuj's 10-day-carnival, according to the tourist office.
But entertaining the frenzied crowd is hard work as dancing and flaunting in a costume that weighs more than 30 kilograms (66 pounds) is physically challenging.
"You need to suffer to bring good luck," another Kurent quipped behind his mask.
H.E.Young--AMWN