In the village of Strelets in Veliko Tarnovo (Northern Bulgaria), locals have a mission: to preserve their traditions, particularly the production of madzhun.
“My mission is to revive the old traditions so we can pass them on to future generations. Many of these customs and practices have already been lost,” explains Mariana Sergeva.
She dedicates her time and skills to teaching the village’s youth an ancient craft: making madzhun.
“Many people have no idea what madzhun is. They think it’s the stuff used on windows. We always have to explain that here, madzhun is a traditional sweet, while elsewhere it’s called molasses,” Mariana adds.
Madzhun is made from a plant known as sugar broom, which historically helped the villagers during hard times.
“Planting sugar broom in Strelets dates back to the 18th century. It was the natural sweetener. In the 1990s—you know the period—there was a shortage of many things, including sugar. My parents had a field of sugar broom, and that’s when I first saw and tasted madzhun. We used it a lot back then; I even sweetened my coffee with it because sugar was scarce. Today, very few places in Bulgaria still cultivate sugar broom. The seeds are very expensive, starting at around 50 leva per kilogramme. Few people do it because it’s labour-intensive. Everything is done by hand—from planting to boiling—except for extracting the syrup.”
The great challenge today is how to preserve this ancient knowledge. Fortunately, there are volunteers willing to help.
For the sixth consecutive year, the village has also hosted a Sugar Broom Festival, which continues to grow in popularity.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s a waste of time, but for me it isn’t—it’s passion, joy. It’s in my blood; I come from a family of gardeners going back to my great-grandfather, who gardened in Hungary. Events like these must continue so that the younger generations can learn about them. If these festivals and demonstrations are lost, young people will lose interest,” explains volunteer Stela Dimitrova.
In Veliko Tarnovo disstrict, culinary festivals are one of the main ways traditions are kept alive. This is not only happening in Strelets but in other villages as well.
“The human resources in small villages are almost gone, so every donation—whether money, products, or labour—is extremely valuable. Giving your time is far more precious than giving money. Communities see each of their festivals as an opportunity to celebrate their village, promote it, and earn recognition from outsiders,” says Aneliya Dimitrova, festival organiser and secretary of the community centre Gradina in the village of Vurbitsa, Gorna Oryahovitsa.
The good example is proving contagious. More and more people are ready to step forward to ensure the Bulgarian spirit is remembered and preserved.
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