the village of Breznik, Breznik municipality

the village of Breznik, Breznik municipality

The feast is a masquerade one. In the night before 14 January, the male population gets masked with huge “litsi” (faces, masks), decorated with feathers and furs and with heavy bells hanging on their belts; the people who do not wear masks blacken their faces with soots. The survakari (called locally “surovishkarski”) groups should obligatorily involve figures, such as a “priest”, a “bride”, and a “bridegroom”. The groups visit the houses in the village to bring there health and fertility. The hosts treat them with home-made pastries and brandy, give them money, meat, beans and other products.

Sirova

The village of Breznik

The inquiry form has been filled in by Rumyana Gerova and Slavka Mileva, chief experts at “Education and Culture” Department, Regional Council.