Editorial photo #13329059 Human Interest
The Satriano Carnival
A man unloads Rumita masks from a truck. These masks are worn by men and women to transform themselves into trees in Satriano di Lucania, Italy, on February 15, 2026. The Satriano Carnival is an ancient folk festival that takes place on the Saturday and Sunday before Shrove Tuesday. It is considered the most characteristic, evocative, and mysterious carnival in Basilicata. The uniqueness of this carnival ritual lies in the presence of three typical masks that parade through the streets of the town: Rumita, Urs, and Quaresima. It is considered one of the last arboreal and ancestral rituals to have survived in their entirety. (Photo by Davide Pischettola/NurPhoto)
