The babugri is a pagan ritual in Bulgaria that has been practiced since ancient times and is still practiced today. Learn about the history, traditions, and purpose of this ceremony, which is considered an important aspect of Bulgarian culture.
What is a Babugri?
The Babugri, also known as Kukeri or Kukeri Dance, refers to the mythical ritual monster who wears ornate fur clothes with ribbons, feathers and beads. It also refers to people who participated in ancient Bulgarian rituals personalizing this mythical monster.
Traditionally, the Pabugri ceremony involves a group of men dressed in elaborate costumes to perform a traditional ritual before New Year and Lent to ward off evil spirits that can bring bad luck to the community.
According to scholars, the Kukeri game has a ritual component in the past that has been handed down from pagan times. People believe that wearing horrible costumes, masks, and loud sounds with bells and chains can drive away evil spirits and protect their communities from terrible events such as famine. Wearing wooden masks carved with monster and bird faces and huge copper or bronze bells hanging from their waist, these kukeri dance and jump in mysterious rituals to expel evil spirits.
In the evening, men dressed in strange costumes visit the homes of the villagers. After the parade, they assemble in the village center, dance and entertain the locals. In addition, it is believed that it will bring good harvests, health and happiness to the village throughout the year.
The origin of these kukeri rituals is unknown, but they undoubtedly predate Christianity. Even though they now incorporate some Christian elements into the celebration, they are still clearly one of many pagan rituals.
What is the purpose of the babugri in Bulgarian folk tradition?
Bells and fearsome faces on costumes are believed to ward off evil spirits, while dances are believed to pray for fertility. For young people, it is also a rite of passage. Although each region of Bulgaria has its own version of the ceremony, they basically serve the same purpose. They differ only in dialect and geography.
Since 1966, more and more Kukris have come from all over Bulgaria to the town of Penik, outside Sofia, to show off their costumes and dances. Because many places are difficult to reach, other festivities are held, such as the winter solstice celebrations in Surva or Yambol. Although these celebrations are more of a show than a ceremony, they can showcase regional diversity.
The costumes of the Pabuggers are mostly ornate garments made of goat hair. The costumes covered most of the person's body, including animal-themed wooden masks and bells tied around a belt. They move rhythmically, and the air is filled with bells and blessings for prosperity. Their dance is a perfect combination of rhythm, color and sound.
Kukeri clothing varies from region to region, and clothing made from goat hair is common in areas where goats are an important cultural component.
The famous long hair of the Bulgarian Kalofer goat is displayed in this costume, which is why people say that Bulgaria is a rural country with a strange, quirky post-Soviet charm.
The Babugi of Banscoto are known for their use of leather and fur in their clothing, and they wear leather masks up to one meter high on their heads. The Babugers wear many heavy and loud chains around their waists whose sound can "drive away" the forces of evil.
According to legend, masks protect the wearer from evil spirits. It depicts the head of a strange creature; Others have open jaws, tails, horns, or beaks. There are also intricate feather ornaments supported by wooden frames. The other faces have two sides, depicting a happy face and a terrifying expression. They symbolize the coexistence of good and evil in the world.
History of the Babugri ceremony
The Babugri, also known as kukeri, survakari, starci and chaushi, is a Thracian tradition that has been practiced in Bulgaria since Thracian times. The Thracians are one of the most well-documented Indo-European civilizations; They have lived in Bulgaria for more than 5,000 years.
The name "cuculla" is derived from the Latin word "cuculla", which means "hood". The Kukeri ceremony dates back more than 4,000 years and is similar to those in Romania, Italy, Serbia and Spain, taking place between Christmas and Lent. The men, accompanied by musicians, dressed in strange costumes and belts made of large metal bells; They dance rhythmically to ward off evil spirits and welcome good.
In the last half-century, the practice of the Pabuguri tradition has changed. Traditionally, this was exclusive to young men, but today, women and men of all ages are welcome to participate. This change can be attributed to changes in perceptions of gender roles.
Traditional kukeri ceremony
Usually, kukeri begin their work at sunrise, in the earliest surviving ritual descriptions of towns and villages that preserve the most faithful customs. They dance in the streets of the village to drive away evil spirits and bring a year of health, happiness and a good harvest; They will also visit the family and allow themselves to enter the family for blessings.
These "house visits" can be done in the morning, while others do it after dark, and according to the story, kukeri should not be sun-basked on the road. It takes a lot of strength to scare evil spirits; As a result, these performers typically spend an entire year making complex, scary, and terrifying costumes for the event.
Unlike the rest of the country, kukeri, or "babudzhere" in the Bansko dialect, goes out twice on the streets of town. It begins early in the New Year, when the town is silent for a short time after the clock strikes one o'clock and the crowds leave the town square. People are preparing for the Kukeri Carnival, one of the most anticipated festivals. Nevertheless, Kukeri participants gathered in three urban areas: Vionovo Blato, Kostey Blata and Ulevinitsa.
However, on Christmas Day, the Pabugis do not wear their traditional costumes and parade through the streets. They wore a belt with several thick chains around their waists, which they used to make noise as they walked around town.
Different kukeri ceremonies in Bulgaria
The Kukeri Carnival in Bulgaria varies from region to region. They differ in costumes, performances, ceremonies, and even the dates of the actual celebrations. For example, in the west, Kukeri celebrations take place between Christmas and January 6, while in the east, the celebrations are usually held during the "Sirni Zagovezni" or the day of purification on the Sunday before Lent.
For example, Survakari is a ritual held around the New Year when sheep and goats give birth, and in areas near the Macedonian border with a lot of animal husbandry, people wear animal-like masks over woolen clothes. The ceremony can even resemble a fake wedding, where the symbolic bride and groom go door-to-door with monetary gifts in exchange for blessings.
However, the "Survival Festival", held every year in Penik, is a special place where all the kukeri of Bulgaria gather in a grand masquerade festival.