Private tours Bulgaria. Bulgaria is no different from any other country in the world. It has its own history, heroes, legends. It surely had its falls and pinnacle. Bulgaria is inviting you on private tours Bulgaria to learn more about the country. The country had difficult moments but it has always had its folklore. That folklore full of never ending energy which helped Bulgarians to survive through the centuries of wars. It also helped them to stay as a nation. What does folklore mean? It is the beliefs, traditions, stories of a community which are passed through the generations by word of mouth. Bulgarian folk songs, Bulgarian traditional costumes have these in them. In this sense, the costume is one of the most typical elements of the Bulgarian folk culture.
Because it reflects the specificity, traditional culture and life of the Bulgarian people. According to ethnography, the origin of the costume is mainly Slavonic. However, it bears features of the clothes that Thracians and ancient Bulgarians used to wear. Also, features of other peoples’ can be noticed in the national costume. These are the nations that Bulgarians were in contact with – Turkish people, Greeks, Albanians, Vlachs. (private tour Istanbul)
A magic world of colours and patterns
The magic of private tours Bulgaria is endless. It reveals a magic world of different colours and motifs. These colours and motifs tell us stories of times long gone. Although Bulgaria is a Christian country, still paganism is alive. Pagan beliefs and legends are significant elements in the traditional costume. In the past people used to have their traditional everyday clothing and such on festive occasions. Each region of Bulgaria has its own costume, which has typical motifs that make it unique. Diversity comes as a result of different factors: geographical, historical, socio-economic, cultural, religious, outside influence and of course, the personal taste.
Firstly, we need to say that costumes are male and female. Due to the many colours and motifs, the female clothing is more interesting than the men’s. However, male clothing can be attractive as well. Usually women’s clothes were the soukman, the one-apron, the two-apron costumes and the saya. Of course, they differed in the items included in the clothing. More or less, the main item in all of them was the chemise. And secondly, what distinguishes both costumes is the outer clothes. For men’s costumes the shape and colour are the ones that matter, while for female it is the cut and wearing style.
Soukman versus Saya
Just like private tours Bulgaria versus private tours Balkan. And again, female costumes are divided into one-apron, two-apron, soukman and Sayan dress. The most common, the most widely spread of these is the soukman. Although each region has its specific varieties, there are still certain characteristics. (Sofia city tour) Shared characteristic are the type of textile used, the tunic-like cut and the low neck. The soukman is quite often a sleeveless dress. Again region defines what the costume should be like. In some places soukman might have short or long sleeves.
Actually, the more interesting part is the ornamentation. For soukman, ornamentation is on the skirts, along the neck and the sleeves’ borders. Ornamentation is embroidery with many and different colours, decorative cloth and braid decoration, different in style and size. The two-apron costume consists of a chemise, two aprons and a belt. The aprons are fastened one at the front and another one at the back. The one-apron costume is typical for the Rhodope Mountain region as it suited the needs of the place. In this region there were preferences for yellow and orange colours as well as green.
Unique costumes private tours Bulgaria
Although men’s costumes are not as attractive as women’s, they are still unique and interesting. They are divided into two main types and these are the white-garment and the black-garment. What makes a costume really appealing is the decoration, the embroidery. In a way, embroidery can be likened to a symbolic message because those who used to make the ornamentation, would weave a specific code in it. That code would give information on important things. For example, information about the person’s family or the region, where they lived.
Embroidery worked on costumes is varied in technique, structure, pattern. Also, substance, colour and place of application. Some of the motifs used are quite ancient. The “tree of life”, rosette, swastika, circle, cross are some of them. Like I mentioned earlier, pagan beliefs and legends are significant elements in the traditional costume. People didn’t like wearing clothes with symmetrical decoration. Bulgarians used to believe that symmetry was a creation of the devil. Due to that belief, they used to avoid giving absolutely the same shape to identical elements. Because of that, they were taking and adding elements and that was intentional, against evil eye.
Skillful Bulgarians
Another interesting thing about Bulgarian traditional costumes is the fact that women used to make them themselves. Since the age of five little girls could start learning how to sew, weave or spin wheels. They could start making their trousseau for their wedding. Only until their wedding could Bulgarian women embroider. They could start doing it again as soon as their own daughters were 12. The reason for that was that mothers needed to help their daughters learn the art of embroidering. All the wisdom that people gathered is in their folklore. Folklore is in our genes. It is part of the people’s genes. As such, folklore festivals, like the one in Zheravna, are reminders of who we are, where we come from, what we believe in. Private tours Bulgaria is an email away and you can find out about Bulgarian people.
The Festival, option for private tours Bulgaria
The festival happens in August and it lasts three days. These are three days full of songs, dances, games, traditional specialties such as sausages, barbeque… There is a dress code as well – authentic or new traditional costumes. And, of course, no technology. No mobile phones or cameras. Just people interested in folklore, ancient architecture, nature and landmarks. Become a part of this authentic festival. Feel the Bulgarian tradition! For private tours Bulgaria and more tailor-made excursions, you can contact us.
More Festivals
Rose Festival
