This document summarizes several Bulgarian traditions: 1. Survakane involves visiting homes early on New Year's Day to wish for health and fertility, carrying decorated wooden sticks called survaknitsas. 2. Kukeri involve wearing scary costumes and ringing bells to scare away evil spirits around New Year and before Lent and bring good fortune to the village. 3. Martenitsi are symbolic amulets given on March 1st for health, happiness, and removed when the first stork is seen, representing the coming of spring. 4. Other traditions include Lazaruvane where girls decorate homes with flowers on Lazarus Saturday and sing for blessings, Nestinarstvo involving

1. ECO PALS
137 Secondary school ‘Angel Kanchev’, Sofia, Bulgaria
COMENIUS PROJECT
BULGARIAN TRADITIONS

2. Survakari
Survakane is an old
Bulgarian custom.
Survakane starts in the
morning after meeting the
new year, even before
dawn. Survakari visit the
homes and survakat
relatives and neighbors for
health and fertility, starting
from their home. Each
manuscript made ​​its
survaknitsa. It is
made ​​from raw wood, the
most common dogwood.
The bar is decorated with
wool, beans, popcorn, buns,
dried fruit, peppers,
classes, ribbons.
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3. KUKERI / MUMMERS
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 Around New year and before Lent, the
kukeri walk and dance through the
village to scare evil spirits away with
the costumes and the sound of the
bells, as well as to provide a good
harvest, health, and happiness to the
village during the year.

4. KUKERI FROM BANSKO – 2014, you tube
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• http://youtu.be/z5Vbw3lfdPo

5. BABA MARTA- MARTENITSI
Martenitsa is a symbol of peace and love,
health and happiness.
Baba Marta is one of the most revered
Bulgarian customs, preserved to
nowadays. Everybody gives his family a
special amulet called martenitsa.
More difficult to accomplish for urban
residents, is the custom matenitsa to be
removed when they see a stork for the
first time in spring.
J5

6. LEGEND
This is only one of the many legends, and perhaps not even the
best known one, attempting to offer an explanation of how the
tradition of creating and wearing martenitsa arose.
Khan Kubrat's five sons went hunting accompanied by their
sister Huba. When they reached the River Danube they saw a
silver stag. Mesmerized, the men did not dare to shoot at it.
The stag crossed over to the opposite bank of the river showing
them that there was a ford.
A bird flew to them bringing bad tidings. Their father, the
founder of Old Great Bulgaria was on his deathbed. In his last
hours Kubrat wanted to tell his offspring—Bayan, Kotrag,
Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek—not to break the link between the
different Bulgarian tribes. His sons vowed to defend Bulgaria.
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7. Soon after their father’s death, the Khazars invaded their lands. The Khazar's
Khan Ashina succeeded in conquering the capital Phanagoria. Huba, Kubrat's
daughter, was taken prisoner by Ashina.
Her brothers kept their vows in different ways. Bayan stayed with his sister and
recognized the supremacy of the Khazars. Kotrag went north to the River Volga,
while Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek went south to search for a land without
oppressors.
The brothers who left secretly arranged with Huba and Bayan to send word by a
golden thread tied to the leg of a bird if they were able to find a free land. One
day a falcon sent by Asparukh flew into Huba's room and she and Bayan quickly
made plans to escape. Just as they were looking for a place to cross the Danube
River, Khazar pursuers spotted them and rushed toward them. Trying to find a
ford, Huba let the falcon free. She tied a white thread to its leg and handed it to
her brother.
Just as the bird was about to take off, an enemy arrow pierced Bayan and his
blood stained the white thread.
While both Bayan and Huba managed to reach the land Asparukh had found that
they were mortally wounded. Asparukh rushed to meet his dying brother and sister
but could not do anything to save them. After their death he tore the pieces of
white-and-red stained thread and adorned his soldiers with them.
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8. LAZARUVANE
Of Lazarus are harvested willow
branches, which decorate the
entrance doors of the houses the
next day. Then the young girls in
the village and pick flowers,
which will fouling of Palm gums.
In Sabbath girls gather at the
home of one of them and prepare
themselves in festive clothes,
decorated with flowers and
twigs. Then they go around the
village, from house to house
singing songs and blessings of
good health and harvest. The
hosts gladly welcome them and
give them little gifts, eggs and
fruit. In the past, namely It is also
considered that if a girl did not
do Lazaruvane would never get
married, so this ritual was
mandatory for all young women.
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9. NESTINARSTVO
Dancing occurs only
in some villages
between Strandja
and the Black Sea,
Bourgas. Playing the
holiday Constantine
and Helen. A key
element in the
custom game is in
the fire (coals). In the
celebration involve
the whole village, but
only in the ritual
dancers.
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10. HORO
The horo or chain dance holds a
central place in the sociocultural
activities of rural Bulgaria. The horo
can be danced in a closed or open
circle formation, or in a straight or
"crooked" line. The best dancers are
usually located at each end of the
line. Both of them guide the group
through exciting patterns while
waving a handkerchief in their free
hand.
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11. ENSEMBLE BULGARE – THIS IS BULGARIA
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• http://youtu.be/jlNmxV9J2xs

12. WEDDING BULGARIA 2012
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• http://youtu.be/GC-0CHpOL1I

13. BORYANO, BORYANKE
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14. Presentation prepared : Rositsa Dimova
Irena Zazdrova - installation
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