Festivals & Folklore

Bulgarian folklore is a mixture of practices developed since ancient times. Although it is part of the Balkan tradition, it has its own distinctive qualities. The strategic geographical position of the country facilitated the synthesis of various ethnic cultures. They create unique blend of customs with predominantly Orthodox Christian, but also archaic, pagan and Muslim elements. Nowadays there are 6 ethnographic regions – eachwith its distinguished dialect, music, costumes, cuisine, and rituals.

Bulgarian folk music is known for its “asymmetrical” rhythms (defined by the famous Hungarian composer and ethnomusicologist Bela Bartok as “Bulgarian rhythms”). The musical time is not split in even beats, but in longer and shorter ones.

In 1977 a Bulgarian song was included on the Golden Record, launched into space on NASA’s Voyager 1. Bulgarian folk music gained further international popularity with the help of the world-renowned female vocal ensemble “The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices”. Traditional folk instruments include woodwind, string, and percussion instruments, such as kaval, gadulka, tupan, tambura, and tarabuka. The list wouldn’t be complete without the most popular national instrument – the gaida, or bagpipe.

Bulgarian folk dances are performed in a line or in a circle. They are part of daily life, and their aim is to bring health, happiness, and prosperity. Some of them accompany ritual practices. The participants wear elaborate costumes.

Costumes are also specific. They are hand made in the villages with materials produced locally. Their embroidery and decorations vary from region to region, but in all cases they are very colorful and joyful.

UNESCO has inscribed five Bulgarian traditions and practices on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

– “The Bistritsa Grannies” – traditional archaic diaphonic singing;
– The carpet-making in Chiprovtsi;
– Surva, the International Festival of the Masquerade Games in Pernik;
– Nestinarstvo, the fire-dancing rites in the Mount Strandzha region of south-east Bulgaria.
– Baba Marta Day, cultural practices associated to the 1st of March;