Bulgaria's Pernik scares off evil spirits with colorful carnival
A man dressed in a costume made of animal fur dances during the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
PERNIK, Bulgaria (Reuters) - Masked revelers in colorful hand-made costumes thronged the streets of Pernik in Bulgaria on Sunday, warding off evil spirits and celebrating the beginning of spring with hopes for good health and a good harvest.
The pulsating Surva carnival - the oldest festival of masquerade games in the Balkan country, this year features a record 7,500 Kukeri (mummers) from nine countries.
Men, carry their masks made of animal fur, as they dance during the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
Visitors from China and the United States were among thousands braving chilly January weather for the annual festivities in the traditional mining town, located 15 miles southwest of capital Sofia.
"The atmosphere is brilliant, these costumes are so beautiful and the masks are just amazing," said Chinese student Wang Xao.
"I will definitely come back again next year because this festival is a magic, it fills me with energy and optimism."
A man wearing a mask poses as he attends the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
Every winter, the mummers, dressed as animals or wearing elaborate horned masks, perform a traditional dance in a spectacular parade, producing an astonishing noise from the huge copper bells worn around their waists.
Most of the masks, which can be up to three feet (nearly 1 meter) in height, are double-faced, reflecting the coexistence of good and evil.
"It's generally thought that the custom is related to Thracian Dionysos and similar rituals can be found in different parts of the Balkan peninsula," said one of the oldest mummer Ivan Boyadzhiev, who took part in the parade for 14th consecutive time.
Men dressed in costumes made of animal fur attend the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
A man wearing a mask poses as he attends the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovA picture shows the bells, part of the costume of participant of the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovMen dressed in costumes made of animal fur attend the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovMen carry their masks as they attend the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovA man dressed in a costume made of animal fur dances during the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovMen, dressed in costumes made of animal fur hold their masks during the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovA man, dressed in a costume made of animal fur dances during the International Festival of the Masquarade Games in Pernik, Bulgaria, January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
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