Povsod po Sloveniji skušamo 20. februarja obuditi zelo star običaj praznovanja pusta. Učitelji in učenci vsako leto pripravimo pustovanje na šoli, kjer se preoblečemo v najljubše maske. Vsak razred pripravi igro z maskami, kjer 'strokovna' komisija določi zmagovalca. Ocenjuje se izvirnost in duhovitost, ki prineseta zmagovalcu zasluženo nagrado. Vsako pustovanje spremlja koš dobre volje, vesela glasba, igre in ples.
Pa vendar je središče največjega praznovanja pusta mesto Ptuj z najbolj značilno podobo, Kurent.
Kurent je najbolj prepoznavna podoba med več kot 150-imi tradicionalnimi kostumi, ki so ohranjeni v Sloveniji. Kostum je narejen iz ovčje kože, okrašen z usnjenimi pasovi, ki držijo ogromne kravje zvonce in robce. Maska na glavi je kosmata, z ogromnim rdečim jezikom. Na vrhu so veliki rogovi, ki so okrašeni s perjem. Naloga Kurentov je preganjanje zime in izrekati dobrodošlico pomladi.Narejeni posnetke nazorno pričajo o tem kako poteka naše veseljačenje ob praznovanju pusta.
Every Tuesday on 20 February we awaken and bring to joyful experience a very old custom of celebrating Shrove Tuesday or Carnival, which is more familiar to other countries. Pupils and teachers at our school are always willing to prepare a nice and interesting exhibition of typical carnival masks. That is why, all the pupils and teachers dress up in their favourite ones and have a merry celebration throughout the day. The carnival is therefore very popular among our pupils, who work very hard to present their masks class by class. Each year the 'professional' jury chooses the best classes, which are generously awarded. The carnival is also accompanied with a merry music and funny games that make the Shrovetide festivities come alive.
Home to Slovenia's biggest carnival is not Sladki Vrh but Ptuj, the city in north eastern part in Slovenia, which is famous for its distinctive figures - the kurenti.
The kurent is probably the most distinctive among some 150 traditional costumes preserved in Slovenia. The costume consists of sheep skins, girded with leather belts or chains that hold huge cow bells and handkerchiefs.
The headgear is a furry hat with a bright red tongue sticking out. Mounted on top are cow horns and two slender sticks decorated with feathers. Kurenti still perform the ancient function ascribed to the carnival time - chasing away winter - so they run around the fields ringing their cow bells to call in spring. The snapshots show quite clearly how the merrymaking looks like at our school.
