Mummers - Bulgaria

TRADITIONS, CRAFTS
AND ETHNOGRAPHY
multimedia
www.bulgariatravel.org
Mummers
ЗАНАЯТИ
Operative Program “Regional Development 2007-2013
www.bgregio.eu
We invest in your future!
The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund
and the state budget of Republic of Bulgaria
Grant Scheme BG161PO001/3.3-01/2008 “Support for Effective National Marketing of Tourist Product
and Improvement of Information Service”, Contract No BG161PO001/3.3-01/2008 /001-5 “Multimedia Catalogue of the Tourist Sites and Electronic Marketing of
Destination Bulgaria”
This multimedia brochure is created within the framework of the project “Multimedia Catalogue of the Tourist Sites and Electronic Marketing of Destination Bulgaria”,
Contract No BG161PO001/3.3-01/2008/001-5, which is performed with the financial support of Operative Program “Regional Development” 2007 – 2013,
co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. The entire responsibility for the contents of this multimedia brochure
is brought by the beneficiary – The Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, and under no circumstances it can be considered that this multimedia brochure presents
the official position of the European Union and the Managing Body.
www.bulgariatravel.org
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TRADITIONS, CRAFTS
AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Mummers
M
ummery is
What unites them are their
among the most
rituals, their large masks,
vivid Bulgarian
decorated with bells and
customs. It is derived from
leather, and the purpose of
the ancient pagan past of
their rituals - to chase away the
the Bulgarian people and is
evil spirits, to purify the society
associated with the pursuit of
and nature of evil spirits and
the people to affect the nature
bring prosperity, good harvest
by means of magic and the
and health.
supernatural.
There are various Mummers
in Bulgaria; they even have
Only men can wear mummer
costumes. According to the
tradition in some parts of
different names in the
the country there is even a
different regions – kukeri,
requirement for them to be
survakari, pesyatsi, dervishi,
bachelors. The leader of the
startsi, etc.
company, however, must be a
married man.
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TRADITIONS, CRAFTS
AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Mummers
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www.bulgariatravel.org
W
ith their fearsome
heard in the entire village. The
costumes and
mummers are usually dressed
masks, the
in thick coats and costumes
mummers try to affect the
supernatural forces of evil or
cause the benignancy of the
good spirits.
made of sheep or goat skins.
Some costumes symbolize
certain characters – old man
or woman, honeymooners and
others.
The most attractive parts
of the clothing are the
Led by their leader, the
mummer masks, whose
mummers cross the entire
construction takes quite
village and execute their
a lot of time.
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complicated dances.
Another typical element of
In Western Bulgaria mummers
the costume is the string of
perform their rituals between
bells, which is hung on the
Christmas (25 December) and
belt and whose sounds can be
Epiphany (6 January) and
TRADITIONS, CRAFTS
AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Mummers
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TRADITIONS, CRAFTS
AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Mummers
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TRADITIONS, CRAFTS
AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Mummers
this way they intended to
reject the accumulated evil.
In Eastern Bulgaria the ritual
is performed between the
second Sunday before Lent (8
Sundays before Easter) and the
first Sunday (7 Sundays before
Easter) before Lent; the ritual is
believed to bring health, good
harvest and fertility.
In Bulgaria, many mummer
festivals are held, but two of
them are with international
participation - Surva in Pernik
(the last weekend of January)
and Starchevata in Razlog (mid
January).
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Operative Program “Regional Development 2007-2013
www.bgregio.eu
We invest in your future!
The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund
and the state budget of Republic of Bulgaria
Grant Scheme BG161PO001/3.3-01/2008 “Support for Effective National Marketing of Tourist Product
and Improvement of Information Service”, Contract No BG161PO001/3.3-01/2008 /001-5 “Multimedia Catalogue of the Tourist Sites and Electronic Marketing of
Destination Bulgaria”
This multimedia brochure is created within the framework of the project “Multimedia Catalogue of the Tourist Sites and Electronic Marketing of Destination Bulgaria”,
Contract No BG161PO001/3.3-01/2008/001-5, which is performed with the financial support of Operative Program “Regional Development” 2007 – 2013,
co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. The entire responsibility for the contents of this multimedia brochure
is brought by the beneficiary – The Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, and under no circumstances it can be considered that this multimedia brochure presents
the official position of the European Union and the Managing Body.