What is Kukeri in Bulgaria?
Kukeri (Bulgarian: кукери; singular: kuker, кукер) are elaborately costumed Bulgarian men, who perform traditional rituals intended to scare away evil spirits. This Bulgarian tradition has been practiced since Thracian times and is of a Thracian origin.
What are Kukeri costumes made of?
The Kukeri costumes… The costumes consist of big masks made of fur, leather and wood, sometimes taking animalistic forms, or otherwise materializing monsters, born of the creator’s imagination.
Where are the Kukeri rituals performed?
Bulgaria
Every winter in Bulgaria, hundreds of figures descend on snowy forests and village centres in strikingly elaborate costumes. An ancient pagan tradition known as Kukeri, traditional rituals are performed mostly by men, but sometimes women, to scare away evil spirits.
What is Babugeri?
The babugeri are traditionally only men, usually young or recently married. Participants in each group play different roles. It is a must for the babugeri to be led by a guide or the so-called “elder”. He is the only man of advanced age, with family and children.
What is Баба Марта?
Baba Marta (Bulgarian: Баба Марта, “Granny March”) is the name of a Bulgarian mythical figure who brings with her the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the spring. Her holiday of the same name is celebrated in Bulgaria on March 1 with the exchange and wearing of martenitsi.
What is the traditional food in Bulgaria?
Bulgarian cuisine shares a number of dishes with Middle Eastern cuisine, including popular dishes like moussaka, gyuvetch, kyufte and baklava. White brine cheese called “sirene” (сирене), similar to feta, is also a popular ingredient used in salads and a variety of pastries.
What is Chestita Baba Marta?
Baba Marta (Баба Марта) means “Grandmother March”, and she is said to bring with her the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the spring. This day is celebrated by the tradition of giving your friends red-and-white interwoven strings, called Martenitsi.