Roller und Scheller

The powerful Scheller

The main protagonists of the Fasnacht in Imst are Roller and Scheller. They’re the center of the procession – gleaming with pride and elegance, soft femininity and harsh masculinity. The jingling of their bells creates the distinctive, special atmosphere that is so unique to the town’s carnival. The Scheller is generally seen as the embodiment of winter (one of many interpretations of the figure, the Roller, in this case, is seen as the springtime), and he immediately catches the spectator’s eye with his impressive mask: dark, with harsh facial features and a large, intricately carved moustache that completes the respect-inducing look. He wears black Lederhosen, and a traditional scarf is draped over the back of his head and his torso. His getup is completed with a large, oval-shaped headpiece that is adorned with silken flowers, pearls and countless other pieces of décor.

“Klöpfe” & “Kumpfe”

In his right hand he holds a staff, an apple pierced into its peak. The fruit is meant for the woman that is responsible for the headpiece, its making requires many efforts and patience. After this deed is done, the apple is replaced with a pretzel. A large factor in the naming of the figure, play the large cow bells (the “G’schall”), which are worn around the hips – these bells, usually around four to eight pieces per man, can weigh up to 35kg! During the dance with his counterpart, which the citizens of Imst call “Gangl”, the Scheller rhythmically moves his hips in order to produce the infamous sound the bells omit. There are two types of bells – the angular “Klöpfe”, and oval “Kumpfe”, which not only differ in shape and size, but also in sound. The alternation of pairs with the different bells during the procession offers an unforgettable sensation of sounds that can only be experienced in one place – the Fasnacht in Imst.

The elegant Roller

The Roller is smaller in frame and has an adolescent look, which is only reinforced by the soft, almost feminine mask he wears; red lips with the hint of a smile and smooth skin – that is what the counterpart of the Scheller looks like. His headpiece, the “Schein”, is similar to the Scheller’s equivalent, although daintier and more vibrant in color. The pair wears matching colors that can vary between red, blue, green and a soft pink. The Roller is constantly in motion, the small brush-like “Pemsl” in his right hand elegantly swinging in rhythm with his steps - it’s made of curly, planed wood chips. People native to Imst call the mixture of elegance and verve the “Schlanz”.

The pride and magnificence

Around his hips he wears a belt adorned with many small, round bells, similar to those found on a sleigh. When the Roller leaps in the air or prances elegantly, the “Gröll” produces a silvery, dreamy noise in stark contrast to the deep sounds the Scheller’s bells omit. Every ribbon, the blouse, the stockings and satin bands – everything is attached with delicately placed stitches, nothing is allowed to be out of place after all the dancing and jumping at the end of the day. Since the beginnings of the Fasnacht, Roller and Scheller are regarded as “the pride and magnificence of the Schemenlaufen”.