BABUGERI IN BLAGOEVGRAD, BULGARIA
January 09, 2023
Babugeri is a Bulgarian pagan ritual which is believed to originate from the Thracian period and continues to be practiced until now. Traditionally, it involves groups of men dressed in elaborate costumes and performing traditional rites during New Year’s and before Lent to ward off the evil spirits that may otherwise bring bad fortune to the community. Although each region of Bulgaria has its own version of the ceremony, they all have the same purpose of banishing the evil forces. Babugeri costumes consist of ornate garments made out of the hair of specially bred local species of goat.
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ORTHODOX EPIPHANY IN KALOFER, BULGARIA
January 07, 2023
The Male Ice Horo Dance in Kalofer is held every year on January 6 to observe Epiphany, the day of baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan locally known as Yordanovden. It is believed that all who enter the Tundzha River for the ice dance will be healthy all year round, and those who catch the cross will bring good luck and health to the whole house. People from all over the country gather to witness the ritual, while some of them also decide to take a part in it. It is a rule that the guests must wait for the locals to complete the performance before entering into the river.
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BEAR DANCE IN TROTUS VALLEY, ROMANIA
January 04, 2023
The tradition known as Bear Dance which dates back from pre-Christian times is still alive in the rural communities of the Trotus Valley of Romania’s Western Moldavia region. Each year between Christmas and the New Year, hundreds of locals dressed in bearskins perform dances aiming to chase away the evil spirits. While this tradition is still observed in villages where the procession visits every household, in towns it usually takes the form of a parade on the central square, among which the major one takes place in Comanesti. The central act of the Bear Dance is death and resurrection of bears, symbolising renewal, the end of the year and the beginning of the new one.
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VILLAGE FAIR ON THE PESTER PLATEAU
August 03, 2022
Bracak, a mountain village on the Pester plateau in southwest Serbia sees thousands of visitors from all over the region each year in early August. Traditionally, Bosniak people from the surrounding villages and their relatives living in diaspora gather here to mark Alidjun, a holiday which is also respected by Orthodox Christians as St. Elijah on the same day. For decades, village fair in Bracak is the place for celebration, arranging marriages and as well showing the family wealth represented in huge necklaces adorned with dozens of golden coins. Nearby is the spring which according to the local legend opened up when Alija Djezerlez, a Bosniak mythical hero, killed a dragon on this spot.
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WEDDING IN GALICNIK, NORTH MACEDONIA
July 18, 2022
The Wedding of Galicnik is an annual event held in the village of Galicnik located in the westernmost part of North Macedonia. In the past, traditional weddings of Mijaks took place on St. Peter’s Day and lasted for several days but nowadays it is a part of the Galicnik Summer festival praising Macedonian tradition. Mijaks are the Slavic tribe that historically inhabited Galicnik and surrounding villages that are uninhabited today as the population shifted towards the cities during the 20th century. The wedding celebration which includes traditional costumes, rituals, and dances is keeping this old tradition alive, attracting thousands of visitors each summer. Each year, a couple which qualifies by having a family connection to the village is chosen by the organizers.
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