#koledari

Bele Poklade in Kragujevac, Šumadija, Serbia. Lazar Novaković, Glas Šumadije

🇧🇬 Koleduvane, also known as Koledari, is a traditional Bulgarian/Slavic Christmas carol singing tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. The tradition is a unique blend of music, folklore, and religion that showcases Bulgaria’s rich cultural heritage. 📖 The tradition of Koleduvane involves groups of young men or children who dress up in traditional Bulgarian costumes and go from house to house singing Christmas carols. The carols are often accompanied by traditional instruments such as bagpipes, drums, and tambourines. The Koledari are welcomed into homes where they are offered food, drink, and small gifts as a token of appreciation for their singing. ❄️ Koleduvane has its roots in pagan beliefs, where people believed that the carol singers brought good luck and prosperity to their homes. The tradition was later adopted by the Christian church and is now an important part of Bulgaria’s Christmas celebrations. What makes Koleduvane so unique is the diversity of the carols and the costumes worn by the singers. Each region of Bulgaria has its own distinct style of music and dress, making it a truly unique experience. Some of the carols are slow and melancholic, while others are upbeat and lively, reflecting the different moods of the holiday season. ⚜️ Koleduvane is not just a tradition, but a way of preserving Bulgaria’s rich cultural heritage. The costumes and instruments used are often handmade by the singers themselves. The tradition is a reminder of Bulgaria’s ancient roots and the importance of preserving cultural traditions for future generations.

Turoń - in the rich tradition of Polish winter procession we meet with this type of mask in the form of a black, horned animal with a flopping jaw. Similar type of mask can be seen among other Slavs. By it’s name it is connected to extinct species of large wild cattle and ancestor of domestic cattle that inhabited Europe - the aurochs (Tur). Pictures are taken from the Ethnographic museum of Cracow.

Bele Poklade in a village Prigrevica, Apatin municipality, Bačka district, Serbia. Maša Memedović

Koledari prepared themselves during several days before the start of the koleda: they practiced the koleda songs, and made their masks and costumes. The masks could be classified into three types according to the characters they represented: the anthropomorphic, the zoomorphic (representing bear, cow, stag, goat, sheep, ox, wolf, stork, etc.), and the anthropo-zoomorphic. Zoomorphic and anthropo-zoomorphic masks might have white, black, or red painted horns attached to them. The costumes were prepared from ragged clothes, sheepskins with the wool turned outside, and calf hides. Walking through the streets of the village they shouted and made noise with their bells and ratchets. Most were armed with sabers or clubs. One of them, called Bride, was masked and costumed as a pregnant woman. The koledari sung special songs, in which the word koledo, the vocative case of koleda, was inserted in the middle and at the end of each verse. Besides the singing, the koledari also chased away demons from the household. First they searched the house to find out where the demons hide. They looked everywhere, at the same time shouting, dancing, jumping, knocking on the floor and walls with sticks, and teasing Bride. When they found the demons, they drove them out of the hiding place, and fought with them swinging their sabers and clubs. After the demons were chased away, the koledari briefly danced the kolo, and then blessed the household. As a reward, they received a loaf of bread which the family prepared specially for them, and other food gifts.

In the longest night gathered for the dinner Lug Velesa members were visited by koledar followed by the sounds of bagpipes.  More about this subject find out in our episode on Koledari.

Several photos depicting members of Lug Velesa in a procession of the masked individuals at the end of the winter period. Here you can see them walking to the house followed by the bagpipes player. Then, knocking at the door and blessing of the household for which they were rewarded. Finally there is gathering around the fire, jumping over it and dancing. Similar forms of this procession are spread all over Serbia and in many other Slavic countries.

Autumnal day of ancestors. Celebration by the members of the “Lug Velesa”. Night to mention our ancestors and to share a meal with them.