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Apr 1st, 2017: Kukeri (Not an April Fool)
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Kukeri are men who take part in an ancient Bulgarian pagan tradition to scare away the evil spirits of winter. They gather to chant and dance, wearing home-made wooden masks, animal furs, horns and sequins, strapping on heavy belts with bells on that can weigh up to 70kg (154lb). The ritual has continued undisturbed through the centuries, even through Communist times when it was tolerated by the state. |
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As contradictory as it sounds given the anti-Roma sentiment that often prevails in Bulgaria, in one region the ritual is preserved by a Gypsy tribe and its leader, who lends all his kukeri belongings to the younger boys. |
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The higher on the social scale a kuker is, the more financial support he gives to the group. The money might go on collecting hundreds of bells (a set of 20 costs €1000,£850,$1066) or finding the best goat fur for the long-haired costumes. |
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BigV Saturday Apr 1 12:25 AM
The long hair goat images are especially fetching. I'd love to have a costume like that.
xoxoxoBruce Saturday Apr 1 01:08 AM
Ah ha, I knew you were a closet Furry. 
footfootfoot Saturday Apr 1 07:01 AM
Maybe Sasquatch is really just a wayward Kukeri
Snakeadelic Saturday Apr 1 08:17 AM
The horns in the first pic are probably from the same goats. If the info hadn't specified goats, I was ready to wonder just how much it cost to import yak hides! But there are some wicked cool livestock breeds in the Eastern Europe/Western Russia area, long-coated goats included. My favorite is the Hungarian racka (or rakka) sheep, which has spiral horns that stick straight up several feet in a wide V shape, or sometimes just straight out to the sides.
Also, never mess with someone whose costume for an extremely athletic end-of-winter festival outweighs the person wearing it!
Gravdigr Saturday Apr 1 05:03 PM
I think someone has misspelled 'kookery'.
SPUCK Tuesday Apr 4 12:38 AM
In those fur suits just how long do you think those guys would last once Bubba saw them after he's tied a few on.
"Gimme my ott'6 Mariejeanne".
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