The uncanny valley

The uncanny valley

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Carnival celebrations in the northern Spanish village of Zubieta can be a bit off-putting - but that's part of the point.

During the festivities, bell-carrying performers known as Joaldunak from Zubieta and neighbouring Ituren visit each other's villages and perform a ritual dance to awaken the coming spring and ward off evil spirits. Alongside the dancers, villagers also dress in bizarre and frightening costumes to harass and scare visitors.

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A man, wearing a mask and rubber gloves, takes part in carnival celebrations.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A man, wearing a mask and rubber gloves, takes part in carnival celebrations.

A costumed man carries a pair of sheep shears.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A costumed man carries a pair of sheep shears.

A man wears a costume made of grass.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A man wears a costume made of grass.

A masked boy throws sawdust at visitors.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A masked boy throws sawdust at visitors.

Villagers wearing masks of Spain's Infanta Cristina (centre) and her husband, Spain's Duke of Palma Inaki Urdangarin, take part in carnival celebrations.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

Villagers wearing masks of Spain's Infanta Cristina (centre) and her husband, Spain's Duke of Palma Inaki Urdangarin, take part in carnival celebrations.

Masked men lead a donkey through the streets.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

Masked men lead a donkey through the streets.

A masked boy is spoken to during the carnival celebrations.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A masked boy is spoken to during the carnival celebrations.

A villager points a gun at a man wearing a mask of Spain's King Juan Carlos.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A villager points a gun at a man wearing a mask of Spain's King Juan Carlos.

A masked man wears a frame hung with cowbells.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

A masked man wears a frame hung with cowbells.

Young Joaldunak, the bell-carrying performers, do a ritual dance.
. ZUBIETA, Spain. Reuters/Vincent West

Young Joaldunak, the bell-carrying performers, do a ritual dance.