{"id":987,"date":"2019-05-11T17:29:05","date_gmt":"2019-05-11T14:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/survakari.com\/en\/?p=987"},"modified":"2019-05-12T12:01:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-12T09:01:00","slug":"bela-voda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/survakari.com\/en\/2019\/05\/11\/bela-voda\/","title":{"rendered":"Bela Voda Quarter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pernik\u2019s Bela Voda Quarter is only 4\nkm from the center of the town and is situated on the two sides of the main\nroad Sofia \u2013 Kyustendil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 13 January in the evening around\nthe fire in the central part of the settlement the whole population gathers to\nplay and have fun with the masked survashkari<\/em>.\nHere they are called mechkarye<\/em>. The\nmasks of the disguised men are particular, zoomorphic and with many faces. They\nare made in such a way that every scary face may open its mouth and show its\nbig teeth. That is why they are called \u201czevala<\/em>\u201d\n(\u201cgapers\u201d). The most favourite mask, with 12 faces, the locals have called \u201czmey<\/em>\u201d (\u201cdragon\u201d). Months before Surova<\/em>, a few of the participants in the\nmasquerade under the leadership of the long-standing survashkar<\/em> Itso Bumbaro gather in the hall of the old culture house\n(chitalishte), which the locals call mechkarnica<\/em>\n(literally \u201cbear house\u201d; in fact a workshop), to fix the old masks and craft\nnew ones. Itso is a master craftsman and teaches the younger how to put\ntogether the base, where the frame bends and branches, how to glue the animal leathers, how to put the teeth, what paint to use. The\nyoungest helpers gather leathers\nand horns from the village, bring the teeth, prepared by the carpenters of the\nlocal mine, put together the bells, implicitly listen to the older mechkarye<\/em> and receive love and joy from the contact with tradition\nin return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crazy dance around the fire goes\non until late at night on the 13 January. But on the 14 (Surova<\/em>) every house expects the mechkarye<\/em>,\nbecause their visit is taken as a charm for well-being. If they do not go in\nsome of the houses, the hosts would be upset. So, the group divides into\nsmaller groups and goes to different neighborhoods. The \u201cnevesta<\/em>\u201d (bride), the bridegroom and the musicians with some of the\nmechkarye <\/em>go to one neighborhood, the\n\u201cpriest\u201d and the \u201csexton\u201d go to another and the \u201cbear\u201d with the \u201cbear keeper\u201d\ngo to a third and the bear mauls there for good health. The whole group with\nall its characters visits on Surova<\/em>\nthe houses where for years several generations have disguised and continue the\ntradition with the participation of old and young members and the children as\nwell. This way the whole region resounds with the hundreds of bells, dances take\nplace in the yards, gifts are distributed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At dusk, the whole group gathers at\nthe \u201cmechkarnica<\/em>\u201d, participants take\nthe masks off, sit together and happily discuss the visits and the gifts. The\nmoney, which the hosts have dropped in the kettle, the saddlebags, the fiddle and in the \u201cbride\u2019s<\/em>\u201d bag, the group invests in new\nmasks, costumes and bells. Part of it, after a common decision, is donated for\nhelping ill, very poor or lonely old people of the quarter. Some of the funds\nare also put aside for the celebration on St. George\u2019s day. The survashkari<\/em> help the local cultural\nhouse and it helps them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the next day, the young\nparticipants and the children clean up the hall \u201cmechkarnica<\/em>\u201d, arrange the masks and sprinkle them with protecting\nchemicals, lock the doors and look forward to the next Surova<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recorded in 2018<\/p>\n\n\n\n