KLIMENT VILLAGE'S KUKERI - COSTUME & DANCES
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Personages
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Another type of masked people besides the Kukeri are the so called "funny masked". They disguise and play scenes by their own whim and initiative independently from the local "chitalishte" (community cultural centre) - in neighbourhoods or in groups of three-four friends. |
The Kuker band stopped performing ploughing scene in 2000 in order to avoid carrying the heavy plough during the travels. Now, they just present a sower, who blesses while the Kukeri play predicting bumper crop of wheat and roses.
Since 2005, they have performed as a new scene introduction of a platform with a girl on it, who symbolises the Spring. The girl blesses surrounded by the Kukeri. The Kuker band saw the scene from other masquerade bands during its international participation.
In the old time, the Kukeri moved in pairs with one or two “brides” between them that were actually lads masked as brides.
Since 2005, they have performed as a new scene introduction of a platform with a girl on it, who symbolises the Spring. The girl blesses surrounded by the Kukeri. The Kuker band saw the scene from other masquerade bands during its international participation.
In the old time, the Kukeri moved in pairs with one or two “brides” between them that were actually lads masked as brides.
Typical for the Kliment Village is the face mask called “image” (“obraz” pronounced with emphasis on “a”). It is made of wire net painted in pink and varnished, and the faces are usually painted by the mayor and his secretary following the model of an old-time mask. According to the village mayor, “the mask is not happy and smiling, and it is rather thoughtful. However, I have painted lots of masks, and oddly I have never got a happy mask... What the secretary paints is the same. Maybe, the wire net itself does not allow a happier mask picture...” The “image” looks like woman rather than like a man, however in most cases it has moustaches as many Kukeri insist on the latter. The Kukeri can see and breath through the mask. |
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The Bells
The number of ”lopki” or “hlopki” (round-bellied bells) is four at the top and from four to twelve smaller “hlopki” placed in three lines at most. The volume of some of the “hlopki” is “equal to 50 okas of wine”. Three young Kukeri have got really big “hlopki”, however when the passage distance is uphill they put less ie just a line in order to reduce the burden. The “hlopki” are tied on the waist and across the shoulders for more stability.
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The “hlopki” should be “hobbled” ie they should be made not to touch each other in order to prevent hammering. Obligatory, the bottom line should be lower by the knees. The step itself makes the “hlopki” jangle. The “hlopki” of Kliment Village's Kukeri are loose to be set in motion by the knees and through the jumps during the moves, without the hands.
Some Kukeri buy “hlopki” on the markets during their visits to the big Kuker festivals in Bulgaria, which are made of craftsmen. However, the “hlopki” of the Kliment's Kukeri are generally inherited by the grandfathers. If anyone needs to obtain new “hlopki”, they mainly look for old-time ones possesed by local people in the region. “The old-time stuff of the “lopki” is not present nowadays. What they produce today does not satisfy us. When you look at the old-time “hlopka”, you see it has caught its brown “bread”. The “hlopki” in sale in Bulgaria nowadays I think is like tin-can. It is like that anywherewe go...”
Besides the “hlopki” the Kliment Village's Kukeri also have bells. Sometimes here alike in some other villages, they divide in two groups one with bells and another with “hlopki” if possible.
Some Kukeri buy “hlopki” on the markets during their visits to the big Kuker festivals in Bulgaria, which are made of craftsmen. However, the “hlopki” of the Kliment's Kukeri are generally inherited by the grandfathers. If anyone needs to obtain new “hlopki”, they mainly look for old-time ones possesed by local people in the region. “The old-time stuff of the “lopki” is not present nowadays. What they produce today does not satisfy us. When you look at the old-time “hlopka”, you see it has caught its brown “bread”. The “hlopki” in sale in Bulgaria nowadays I think is like tin-can. It is like that anywherewe go...”
Besides the “hlopki” the Kliment Village's Kukeri also have bells. Sometimes here alike in some other villages, they divide in two groups one with bells and another with “hlopki” if possible.
ClothesThe Kliment Village's Kukeri wear the typical peasant homespun “poturi” (full-bottomed, tight legged) breeches) with leggings and black cords. At the end of the winter, the white woollen flannel is also mandatory, and above it they may put on a white shirt and a dark-pink bodice. The shirts are modern ordinary ones with embroideries, although they have also preserved old-time ones.
Typical colours for the Kliment Village's Kukeri are pink and white as a desire for health and longevity. They tie strings to the waist ending with big multicoloured tassels of yarn: “as the strings weigh may the wheat ears weigh, and may there be plenty of wheat!”. The flowers on the dome bode good crop of rose (Karlovo Region is a part of the so called Rose Valley where they grow roses for rose oil distillation). The “hlopki” are to chase the evil ghosts. On the waist besides the “hlopki”, they put woven cords (“prashki”) of multicoloured wool with tassels falling freely downwards. The costumes of the today's Kukeri of Kliment Village as well as the ones of the other amateurs that accompany the Kukeri are all authentic. Their colours are red, green and white. |
Moves and Steps
The Kukeri move in an even rhythm and with characteristic bounce in order to jangle louder. They wave their hands around the body in tact.
Figures
The figures are an important part of the dance of the Kliment Village's Kukeri. All the figures are quite recent. They are different: split into two, three or lateral. At some point the Kukeri will catch each other across the shoulders in a specific way forming something like a sideways “horo” (a traditional Bulgarian dance).
A specific figure of the Kliment's Kukeri for the last few years has been closing a circle and taking a platform with a girl symbolising the Spring to the middle (see the slide show above). At first, the Kukeri are standing with backs to each other and face to the public, then they squat on a knee while the Spring blesses for health and fertility...
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