Auli – Winteraustreibung

The typical budeli mask/costume is a fur coat turned inside out. They wear special cone-shaped straw hats decorated with wood shavings or strips of cloth hanging down over their faces. They carry bunches of sticks and branches decorated with colourful bits of yarn as well as large staffs or walking sticks to make noise. They hang a bell or a carrot and two onions from their belts. When entering a house, budeli sing and comment about all of the girls and young women in the household and use their bunches of sticks (signifying fertility) to give them spankings. They also perform various games to test the vigour of the people in the household. The spankings continue until the young women buy their freedom with a pair of mittens or by tying ribbons or yarn onto the bunch of sticks. Those who receive spankings are said to enjoy health, vitality and fertility for the entire coming year – all of their work will bring fruitful results, and there is even great hope that the young women will find husbands in the autumn. People eagerly await the budeli in their homes and offer them many tasty treats, because budeli bring blessings to a home and fields and activate the life force. When it comes time for the budeli to move on, the hostess gives them foods to take along. After all, an exchange of energy must take place.