Hey there and Congratulations for surviving till Friday, Steemians!
Today I have decided to participate with something different in the color challenge- article and photos from last’s year masquerade game fest in my hometown called Surva.
It’s held for many years in a small town called Pernik, located near Sofia, Bulgaria. This actually is the biggest event of that type not only in my country but in the Balkan Peninsula as well. The municipality has been holding the festival ever since 1966 and in 1985 it gained international event status. In 1995 the International Federation of Carnival Cities accepted the town as its official member.
The masquerade is held in the end of January and is related to the end of the old year and the advent of the new one and to the upcoming awakening of nature for new life. These rituals represent the wish for a rich harvest, health and fertility for humans and farm animals. They are intended to scare away the evil spirits and prepare people for a new beginning.
The dance of the masked men is a mystic unity of rhythm, sounds and colors. Wearing impressive handmade masks and unique costumes they move in a special step and fill the air with the sounds of hundreds of bells. Traditionally, no women are allowed to take part as all the roles are played by men.
The mask, according to folklore beliefs, protects from the harmful influence of impure powers. Bulgarian ritual masks are a rich source of information on the country’s various ethnographic regions.
There are all kinds of characters in the group of masked people. Here are some more that I have managed to capture this year :
Most of the information I took from the official website of the festival-> www.surva.org . I highly recommend to check it for more info and photos and for details about the upcoming edition. This was all from me, Steemians! I wish you all great and festive last working day!
Great and beautiful
Thanks, @fazlul!
Yes, you are well , but where his vote ,,,?
amazing post
Thank you, @rahim2012!
Mn yaqi snimki @misskate
I absolutely love kukeri..after seeing them at rose festival in Kazanlak I'd love to see the one in Surva...or the other folklore festival, dont remember the name but i think its sometime in the summer in Rodopi
Maybe you are talking about Beglika Fest 🎈🌹