Caretos

Caretos are masked young men dressed in suits made of colourful fringe wool quilts, wearing brass, leather or wooden masks and rattles in their belts.
The Careto tradition is a pre-historical Celtic religious ritual still practised in some regions of Portugal, namely in the villages of Podence (Macedo de Cavaleiros, Bragança District), Vila Boa de Ousilhão (Vinhais, Bragança District), Varge (Aveleda, Bragança District), among others. It currently takes place during Winter and, in certain regions, Carnival and is one of the oldest traditions being practiced in Portugal still today. Although there are "rituals" practiced at the village of Lazarim (Lamego, Viseu District), these are not of celtic origin as their origin is only officially recognized and registered as from the middle of the last century.