SOKOLITSA VILLAGE'S KUKERI - COSTUME & DANCES
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Personages
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The scene with the plowing, sowing and oxen was present 60 years ago as they remember. The harvesting scene with the female croppers is of more recent times.
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The MaskThe Sokolitsa's
Kuker hood (“kauk”) is made of cardboard rolled up as a cone, and
slipped in white fabric. Its back is cut in order to be more
convenient, and will be sewn to the back of the pinafore for each
performance. Some Kukeri have attached buttons to their hoods, and
fasten them to the pinafore. The hood is white with bright coloured
laces, which are traditionally red and blue.
The face mask to the hood has black moustaches and black teeth of fabric. |
The Bells
The round-bellied bells (“hlopki”) are two big ones at the front and two smaller rear ones, always four totally. They hang tassels on the “hlopki”. The round-bellied bells are not weighty, so girl are also able to carry them. Sometimes, they carried the “hlopki” for pretty long time ie for 11-15 hours, however jumping with them is much more difficult than the carrying itself. |
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ClothesThe Kukeri dress in white shirts with embroidery on the borders. They still keep old-time shirts. In the past, the legs (“badzhatsi”) would be of goat fur and in different colour: black, white, brown. Today, the band has them made of synthetic fabric, the same for each Kuker band member. Kukeri also wear traditional pinafores sewn of old-time cloth. Originally, the pinafores were female ones, and the Kukeri would fold them; nowadays, they especially tailor them shorter for the Kukeri. Upon the shoulders, the Sokolitsa Village's Kukeri traditionally have white kerchiefs, however now they also put coloured kerchiefs. On the waist, they wear red kerchiefs with the triangle at the front above the abdomen although the former is hidden behind the round-bellied bells and the tassels. If the Kuker does not have a red kerchief, they take a modern shiny cloth. |
Moves and Steps
The Sokolitsa Village's Kuker steps are with jumps left from the old time. The rhythm is as of the march one ie one-two...
Figures
Recently, since they became a Kuker band, the Kukeri include figures. First, they run in two columns, then split in two. They tangle, and make other figures.
The amateur folklore group usually performs together with the Kukeri presenting sowing, harvesting, plowing or some other ritual for instance “medenik” (a traditional ritual before the wedding ceremony in the region).
When the sower sows and says “Be blessed, Kukeri!”, the Kukeri jump four-five times on the spot.
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