Kuker dance Print

The painting depicts a dance of kukeri. These are masked people with handmade masks, and the kuker dance is an ancient Bulgarian tradition. The word "kukeri" is of Thracian origin and means "tall, masked people". The masquerade costume can be made of animal skins. Bells are hung, sticks are carried to ward off evil forces and thus welcome spring, symbolizing fertility and prosperity. In the old Bulgarian custom, only men can participate. They gather in the center of the village, from where they go around the houses with names for fertility and health. The hosts present the "guests" with wine and food. After going around the village, the group returns to the megdana, where they enact their ancient ritual. First, the kukers run in different directions, jingling the bells as loud as they can. It is believed that the louder they are, the more certain they are to drive away evil forces and spirits. Making kuker masks is an art. Most of them are of wooden construction. Multicolored threads, pieces of fabric, mirrors and other elements are glued to the mask. The mask must be ugly and scary to "frighten" evil. The most ancient masks are in the form of a ram, a goat and a bull. Some masks have two faces. On one side, the face is good-natured - chip nose, smiling face. On the other side, the nose is large and humped and the face sinister. This is how good and evil are shown, which exist in parallel in the world. Masked people bring luck, health and happiness.