VOINYAGOVO VILLAGE - KUKER DAY PROGRAMME
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- In the morning on Sirnitsa (the Bulgarian and Orthodox version of the Shrove Sunday), the Kukeri go round the streets and jingle the bells
- In the early afternoon on Sirnitsa, from 14:00-15:00 until 18:00-19:00, there is festivity on the square with Kukeri, other masked and scenes, traditional scuffles between the people who are not masked and the masked
- When people disperse on the square, the Kukeri go round and visit each house
- The dinner at each home consists of festive dishes, forgiveness taking (“proshka”) and “hamkane” (the children in the family try to catch by mouth a piece of white khalva hanged on a thread)
Sirnitsa before NoonThe Kukeri Day will be celebrated in Voinyagovo Village on Sunday, Sirnitsa (the Bulgarian and Orthodox version of the Shrove Sunday).
The Kukeri will first go round in the streets to announce the festivity, and the people will go out to watch. The Kukeri are “dressed” and belt with the “hlopki” (the round-bellied bells). They will walk throughout the village, although they joke even a thunder by the Kuker whip in a street would be enough to be heard by anyone. The Kukeri do not stop anywhere, just pass through the streets. |
Sirnitsa on the Square Afternoon
The festivity starts on the square at 14:00-15:00. Sometimes, the secretary of the local Chitalishte (community cultural centre) opens it. They had a written scenario just once, when they read the programme order from the scene.
First, the Kukeri will play, hit the whips and sit down to rest. The Voinyagovo's Kukeri will play no more than 15-20 minutes, and even less if they are invited as guest anywhere depending on the requirements of the hosts.
The other masked which are not Kukeri will follow; they will be self-organised in families or neighbourhoods.
The scenes presented will mainly be taken from the life depending on the imagination and motivation of the people. The most often scenes that have been presented till now are as follows:
First, the Kukeri will play, hit the whips and sit down to rest. The Voinyagovo's Kukeri will play no more than 15-20 minutes, and even less if they are invited as guest anywhere depending on the requirements of the hosts.
The other masked which are not Kukeri will follow; they will be self-organised in families or neighbourhoods.
The scenes presented will mainly be taken from the life depending on the imagination and motivation of the people. The most often scenes that have been presented till now are as follows:
- Ploughing and sowing;
- Wedding: the wedding-guests will pass by together with the bride and the groom, and will kiss the hands;
- A granny carries a babe-doll with a diaper put on and with a baby-blanket exactly as they once put a diaper on. The granny says something like “It's just been born, and I am its grandmother, so give a coin to the baby to put to sleep!”
- A roundabout which then was made in a carpentry workshop of cooperative before the feast. It was a stake with a stick at the top and a rope. Two people could sit down there, and someone would turn it by hand. Anyone who wished could swing at the price of five stotinki.
- Frying mekitsas (batter fried in deep oil) on a cooker type “Frog” or “Gypsy Love” upon a cart. Those mekitsas seemed to be the most delicious ones for the kids, and “there was no kid who would not wish a mekitsa from the cart”. The price of three or five stotinki would just be enough to cover the product expenses.
- General Gurko riding a horse (a Russian general whoo took part in the Liberation of Bulgaria)
Years ago, when in the Village of Voinyagovo there was a school they would give little presents to the children as incentives for disguise , and to the adults they will give by five or ten leva each.
The scenes would last the whole afternoon until dusk ie until 18:00-19:00 during which time scenes and Kuker performances will shift.
Before people start coming back home, there would be traditional scuffles between masked and non-masked in order to let some blood go out as they believed it would cause better grape harvest and fertility.
Then, the people will go home to take care of their livestock.
The scenes would last the whole afternoon until dusk ie until 18:00-19:00 during which time scenes and Kuker performances will shift.
Before people start coming back home, there would be traditional scuffles between masked and non-masked in order to let some blood go out as they believed it would cause better grape harvest and fertility.
Then, the people will go home to take care of their livestock.
Sirnitsa Evening At HomeAt each home, the people will traditionally take forgiveness (“proshka”), and somewhere they will kiss the hands of the elder family members according to the tradition. Nowadays, the middle generation may kiss the hands however it is a sign of fondness and respect more than an obligation. Some children could also kiss hands for for asking forgiveness if they are accustomed on this.
They will also do the traditional “hamkane” (the children in the house try to catch by a piece of white khalva hanged on a thread). Today, the Sirnitsa dinner (Sirnitsa is the Bulgarian and Orthodox version of the Shrove Sunday) will include much more dishes than in the old time: milk salad, Russian salad, etc. In the past, they would boil a hen, and will cook covered eggs (“poleti yaitsa” - the eggs are broken over some boiling water, put on some cottage cheese, sprinkled with red pepper, and poured with fried butter). |
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Kuker Visits on Kuker Day
Usually, the people of Voinyagovo Village meet lots of guests for Sirnitsa (the Bulgarian and Orthodox version of the Shrove Sunday).
The amateurs to the local Chitalishte (community cultural centre), both Kukeri and folklore groups, will also travel somewhere to perform in the days around the feast.
The amateurs to the local Chitalishte (community cultural centre), both Kukeri and folklore groups, will also travel somewhere to perform in the days around the feast.
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