The 31st edition of the international mummers festival "Surva" in Pernik gathered 12,000 participants today, January 24. "Survakari" from 153 groups – 130 from various ethnographic regions in Bulgaria and 23 from abroad took part in the event to chase away evil with their impressive costumes.
The festival is gaining more popularity, and the interest in it is truly immense. Since 2015, "Surva" has been part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage and is the largest winter masquerade festival in Bulgaria and Europe.
"153 groups, of which 23 are international, and the Bulgarian groups come from all ethnographic regions of the country. Thus, the masquerade rituals will be represented from all ethnographic areas of the country, including those beyond the borders of contemporary Bulgaria. The international groups are from interesting destinations – Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and a Chinese dragon will be spinning in the square in Pernik tomorrow morning," said Stefan Krastev, Deputy Mayor of Pernik.
"Our custom is to plow, sow, and prepare Mother Earth for fertility and prosperity. The kukeri (mummers) play to awaken the earth so that it may be fruitful in the new year," said Stoyan Raykov, leader of a kukeri group from the village of Aydemir, Silistra, Northern Bulgaria.
"As hosts, we offer and play to drive out the evil and bring in the good," said Krasimir Georgiev.
"It's absolutely incredible. I love it... it's my first time here. I’ve seen something similar in Romania, but this is magnificent," said Elvira.
Photos by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT
***
In 2015, “Surva” was listed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The festival held in Pernik is the oldest festival of the masquerade games in Bulgaria. The first edition was opened on January 16, 1966.
Mummers (Kukeri in Bulgarian) is a Bulgarian tradition of Thracian origins. In ancient times the old Thracians held the Mummers Play in honour of god Dionysus.
The Mummers plays are performed by men, dressed in colourful hand-made costumes and wearing scary masks. Each wears a leather belt around the waist with huge copper bells (chanove) attached to it.
The ‘Mummers’ masks are decorated with threads, ribbons, laces and usually represent animals like goats, bulls, rams, or even chicken. Some of the masks are double-faced. On one of the sides, the nose is snubbed and the face is good-humored, on the other side, the nose is hooked and the face is ominous. Those masks symbolize the good and the bad which co-exist in the world.
In different ethnographic regions of Bulgaria men put on masks around New Year, during the twelve days of Christmas (Christmas till Epiphany), on Sirni Zagovezni (Forgiveness Day), and on Todorova Nedelia (the Sunday before the start of the Easter Fast).
The symbolic meaning of the winter and pre-spring rituals is related to the end of the old year, the beginning of the new and to the awakening of nature for new life. These rituals represent the wish for a rich harvest, good health and fertility for humans and farm animals.
The dance of the masked men is a mystic unity of rhythm, sound, and colour. Moving in a special step, mummers walk around, jump and dance special magic dances to scare away the evil spirits, to celebrate the beginning of spring and hopes for a good harvest, health, land fertility, and happiness.
The sounds of the bells hanging from the belts of the dancers are believed to strengthen the protective properties of the masks.
In the different parts of Bulgaria mummers are called Kukeri, Survakari, Babugeri and Dzhamilari. This ancient custom became even more popular after 1985, when the festival gained international-event status.
Чуй новините
Подкаст
