Slovenia’s Prekmurje region, nestled between Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, has long been known for being different from any other part of Slovenia. A part of Hungary until the end of World War I, Prekmurje maintains a special sense of pride in its unique local traditions. One such event, known as Borovo Gostüvanje, takes places on Shrove Sunday.
The festival is all about shaming unmarried young people. As part of the festivities, masked characters – representing the clergy, witches, the devil, and so on - taunt those who haven’t yet taken their wedding vows. The procession of the unwedded, their masked tormentors, and ordinary townsfolk first makes its way towards the woods. There, a pine tree (“bor” in Slovenian, hence the name of the event) is cut down and dragged to the village by the unmarried young men and women with the entire procession in tow. A wedding ceremony in which the young are symbolically married to the pine tree is organized, and various costumed characters are invited to make speeches in the local dialect. The celebrations then continue into the night.
Prekmurje is the only region in Slovenia with a sizeable Protestant population, and Borovo Gostüvanje is particularly common in Protestant villages. Elsewhere, it was suppressed by the Catholic clergy, who believed that the event took the institution of marriage all too lightheartedly. As is the case with so many Slovenian traditions, the origin of the festival dates back to Pagan times, but it only became widespread throughout the region in the early 20th century. It took place in any village where no-one had married in the months before Lent.
In today’s age, when late marriages are increasingly common, Borovo Gostüvanje has lost some of its significance. Being single no longer carries a social stigma, and the festivities are now often organized with tourists in mind. Nevertheless, Borovo Gostüvanje remains a key part pf Lent celebrations in Prekmurje – and gives locals a chance to share a bit of their unique heritage with visitors.