Kukeri's Festival Karlovo

Overview

In most settlements in the municipality of Karlovo mummers are traditionally called "old men" or "Kukeri", and the custom - Starchovden. It is not remembered when it dates back, but there are memories of its existence in Turkish times. The first written data about the custom in Bulgaria are from the 6th century, and it is believed that its beginning is thousands of years ago. At the heart of the games lies the pagan belief in the appeasement or expulsion of evil forces, the health and fertility of people, livestock and crops.

The old people's games are harbingers of spring, a sign of preparation for hard agricultural work, hope for grace, abundance and for the better. A mythical mystery hides the dance of the old men in Karlovo everything comes together in one - in a melody of anticipation of joy.

Dressed in scary costumes, the old mummers from 13 villages in the municipality of Karlovo dance their heavy dance, diverse but believing in the ancient incantation tradition, repeated for thousands of years on the watershed between winter and spring.

In Karlovo, the holiday Starchovden is celebrated before Slavic carnival Sirni Zagovezni on Saturday. The mummers /kukeri/ from the settlements: Sushitsa - Karlovo quarter, Dabene village, Voinyagovo village, Banya town, Sokolitsa village, Domlyan village, Gorni Domlyan village, Vasil Levski village, Kalofer village, Hristo Danovo village, Stoletovo village, Karavelovo village and Kliment village, create an emotional and lavish masquerade festival.

The culmination of the Sunday of Slavic carnival Sirni Zagovezni is when Starchovden is celebrated in all settlements of Karlovo municipality.