Кукери Kukeri
History
История The custom of Кукерство (Kukerstvo) has been observed from the times of the Thracians and the days of the Greek god of wine, harvest and fertility Dionysus. In ancient history Dionysus’ worshipers were named Satyrs and Sileni, which were the progenitors of the later to come Kukeri. The Satyrs are portrayed as bearded men with long animal ears and goat legs, whilst the Sileni were built with horse parts and features. The bell ringing and the noise made by the Kukeri comes from the sound emitted by the banging swords and shields of the Cretetian Kuretes. They were the protectors of young Zeus, the father of Dionysus. The Kuretes performed fierce and passionate dances in order to silence the cries of the newborn baby Zeus, and keep him away from his father Kronos’ sight, as otherwise he would devour him and all of his other children alive. As the ritual has been passed from culture to culture, it has evolved significantly through Bulgarian folklore. In Bulgaria, the 12 days from Christmas Eve, on December 24th when Christ was born, to The Epiphany, on January 6th when Christ was baptized, are considered to be Impure days which mark the transition from the Old to the New Year in the Sun’s path. It is believed that the nights of these days “bring to life” the creatures of the underworld. Spirits of loved ones and monsters from secluded forests, caves and rivers emerge as demons called Таласъми (Talasami) or Караконджули (Karakondjuli). These beasts are part human, part animal. They are physically built with goat, ram, bull or ox horns, fur and hair like wolves or bears, mains and tails like lions, long nails and sharp teeth, red or yellow eyes (which could be 2,3 or 1), black skin, goat or horse legs and human arms. They are evil spirits which in some cases only perform cruel “tricks” on to the material possessions of their victims, but it is said that sometimes they would catch someone during the night and ride on their back until the crack of dawn, driving them to madness, when they would drag the victim to the mountains or riversides, skin them, crush their bones and skull, and eat them alive, after which they’d go back into hiding whilst the sun rises.
During this period is precisely when the Kukeri first start appearing. They perform dances with large spears or swords, whilst wearing the traditional costumes, masks and bells named Чанове (Chanove), in order to scare and chase away the evil spirits and celebrate the arrival of the new agricultural year, associated with the tillage of the fields. This ritual praises the passing of the winter stillness and the onset of summer fertility. In different parts of the country Kukeri present themselves at different times. In Western Bulgaria they begin appearing from Сурва (Surva) on the 1st of January to Богоявление (the Epiphany) on the 6th of January, and from the end of the same month to the 25th of February in Eastern Bulgaria, or right after Прошка (Proshka) which always falls 7 weeks before Easter.
Name
Име The word Kukeri also has a Thracian background and it means “tall, masked men”. The root of the word Kuker kuk and its ancient form kauk, stand for “altitude, curvature, and high place”. Most participants in the dances and festivals wear large hats and headgear (sometimes larger than 2 metres in height). The name of the Caucasus Mountains has also derived from the word kauk. It still exists in the Lithuanian language, where “kaukaras” means “mountain peak”. Kukeri in Bulgaria have more than one name, they are sometimes called МечкариMechkari (Bear-leaders), Старци - Startsi (Elders), Кукове - Kukove, БабугериBabugeri, or Песяци- Pesyatsi. They dress with a mix of male and female clothing and wear terrifying masks. In Eastern Bulgaria they are mainly dressed in traditional wedding attire, whilst in the other parts of the country they wear furs and clothing made from goat, sheep or deer skin. They put on large belts with cowbells and Chanove hanged on them, they also carry sticks and horticultural implements as rakes, to drive away evil spirits and to welcome spring – a symbol of fertility and prosperity.
Маsks
Маски The making of Kuker masks and costumes is an independent art form. Most masks, specially the small sized ones, have a wooden structure, whilst the large ones are built mainly with cardboard, paper, glue and other adhesives. They are adorned with colorful threads, pieces of fabrics, mirrors, glass, sequins, fur, wool, beads and other items. It is believed that the “uglier” the mask – the better, as it should be terrifying enough to scare all evil away. The most ancient masks resemble the physical appearance of a ram, a goat or a bull, and include elements of the demon bodies themselves. They were supposed to trick the beast into believing that a Kuker was one of his own, for him to feel safe and approach them, so that they would a have a better opportunity at meeting the demon face to face and scaring him to death. Some of the masks have two expressions - one side of their face is good-humored; pug nose, big smile, softer features, whilst on the other side the nose is large and hooked, the teeth are long and sharp - the face is ominous. This is to show the good and evil, which coexist in the world, and in rural tradition as Winter and Spring. No less important than the appearance of the masks are the colors of the decoration. The main color in tradition is red - a symbol of fertility and reviving nature, the sun and fire, which in Bulgarian symbolism “chases” away evil forces and spirits. The other predominant color is white - the symbol of water, light, purity and longevity.
The Ritual
Ритуалът According to tradition, only young bachelors are allowed to take part of the official festivities and participate in the customary dances. The main roles within the games are a Young man and/or groom ( or Elder male Villager), a Young woman and/or bride (or an Elder female Villager), the Tzar and the rest of the Kukeri. Only the Tzar can be portrayed by a mature man with a home and a family. He rides a wagon, behind which the Kukeri carry or drag a plow that serves for them to ceremonially till the ground. Alongside the Tzar in the wagon is placed a large bushel of grain which he symbolically seeds. They all gather in the centre of the village and begin going round all the houses whilst chanting and wishing for fertility, good health and fortune. The hosts treat and gift their "guests" with wine, food, and they in return kiss the hand of the master of each house. After touring the village, the group returns to the square where they perform the ancient rite. First, the Kukeri run in different directions, as they ring and hit their bells. It is believed that the noisier they are, the more certain it is that they will drive away the demons, evil spirits, and ghosts. There, the Bride awaits, as she pretends to arrange furniture and cleans around herself, but in fact, ends up only making a bigger mess. The Groom then pretends to "fertilize" the Bride and give life to a new beginning whilst the Kukeri feed the Tzar three pieces of bread. Two Kukeri are then harnessed to the plow, and a "plowman" pretends to herd them. The Tzar throws grains out of the wagon, and the whole group follows them as they jump, dance and wave swords. Whilst the Tzar is blessing the villagers for good health, a Kuker ritually kills him, after which the others gather over him and "resurrect" his body. The Bride then "gives birth" to a child, the new beginning is now present. The agricultural year can begin and the fun continues with folkloric dances named Хоро (Horo). At the end, everyone gathers round and feasts on the collected food from all the people around the village.
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