Individual masks

Masks of this group don’t belong to a group and move quite freely in the Kroas (wandering circle of figures), and commemorate important events of Imst’s history or ancient crafts such as bird trading and chimney sweeping. Others act as dressed up security personnel or cashiers. Individual Masks:

Kübelemaje

The Kübelemaje (bucket maid) is another one of the individual Masks, a delicate dairymaid, wearing a simple, graceful dirndl dress. Kübele is dialect for the small bucket containing powder and which the Kübelemaje carries around. She powders the spectators’ faces with a fine lace handkerchief.

Bird-trader

Commemorating the historic fact, that Imst used to be an important centre of the trade with tamed singing birds, Vogelhändler (bird traders) take part in Schemenlaufen. They carry wooden frames with various bird cages on their backs. The trade routes of the historic bird traders used to stretch all over Europe from St. Petersburg to London.

Chimney Sweepers

The local mountaineers and rock climbers, who are not afraid of heights, climb the faces of townhouses with their hooked ladders, high above the heads of the crowd, entering the windows. Inside, the Kaminer in their black dress coats are eagerly welcomed as bearers of glad tidings. In return for a little peck on the cheek or a bit of wine, the Kaminer blackens the cheeks of the occupants with a sooty piece of cloth to show that the Ruaßler (derived from Ruaß – soot), which is another term for Kaminer, was here. The young climbers at Buabefasnacht are of course belayed.

Vendors of Rof’n-Kathl

Both Schemenlaufen and Buabefasnacht and also Auskehren have their own newspapers: Rof’n-Kathl, Rof’n-Kathele and Ratsche-Seppele. The Rofe(n) is a steep road in Imst, ratschen means gossiping. These newspapers are sold by special vendors, who loudly praise their product. They wear various costumes such as a black widow’s dress made of jacquard or silk, or a winter costume. They carry their merchandise in old postman’s bags. The story goes that in Rofn there lived an old gossipy lady called Kathl, thus the name of the newspaper. For the Buabefasnacht a daughter of old Kathl has been invented (hence the diminutive Kathele). During Auskehren Seppele spreads clownish, funny or embarrassing gossip. Kathl, Kathele and Seppele roam the town together, telling people what happened in recent years - funny events, slip ups and cases of bad luck. Some of the stories are presented in verse form, caricatures round off the appearances of these central publications. The authors of the texts usually remain anonymous; there are only vague rumors about their identity. As the saying goes – one never knows.

Basked Lady

A woman with a headscarf is wearing a basked on her back, she is obviously struggling under her heavy burden, because a man who merrily smokes his pipe and looks around is contentedly sitting in the basket. Is this a symbol for oppression of women throughout history? Hardly! It’s a figure of Imst’s Fasnacht aiming at amusement. The first appearance is deceiving - in fact the man is standing on his own two feet. He carries the basket and the female figure who is strapped to his chest.

Rosspolleau'klauber

This term literally means the one who removes the horse droppings from the street. He is a man dressed up as an Altfrankspritzer, who – equipped with broom, shovel and wheelbarrow – picks up what is left behind by the horses of the procession.

Bell-Men

Traditionally, early in the morning of Fasnacht day, three Ausrufer (bell men) on horseback accompanied by trumpet players, inform the inhabitants of Imst about the imminence of the major secular holiday (as Fasnacht is commonly referred to). The highlights of Fasnacht are listed in well composed verse, inviting everyone to witness the event.