Terrifying & True | The Caretos de Entrudo – Portugal’s Carnival Demons

Cowbells and masked figures fill the streets of Podence, Portugal, during the Caretos de Entrudo carnival. Terrifying & True explores the colorful wool costumes, anonymous mischief, community rituals, and effigy burning that mark winter's end. The episode follows the tradition's revival, generations of participants, and UNESCO recognition, with comparisons to other Iberian masked celebrations. Proposed links to ancient fertility rites remain interpretations rather than a proven origin. Discover how a living community tradition gains its power through disguise, movement, and noise.

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