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Over 6,000 people from 11 countries including China participated in the 19th International Festival of Masquerade Games in Pernik, a town 30 km west of the Bulgarian capital Sofia, festival organizers said on Saturday.
The three-day performance ending on Sunday filled the town with colors, sounds and a cheerful spirit. On the streets there were smoke and smell from dozens of barbecue grills serving tens of thousands of spectators.
The biggest masquerade festival in the Balkan Peninsula featured beautiful dances performed by the 115 participating groups, a roundtable on the masquerade festivals and carnivals in Bulgaria, and craftsmen's demonstration on how to make traditional masks.
The Guizhou Anshun "Folk Drama" team presented China's masquerade traditions. It was the first Chinese group to participate in this event. Other foreign groups came from France, Italy, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Belarus, Croatia and Slovenia.
The Municipality of Pernik has been organizing this festival since 1966 and in 1985 the event gained international status. In 2009 the International Federation of Carnival Cities proclaimed Pernik as the European capital of Mummers.
The main objective of this festival is to promote the magic of the masquerade tradition, which originated in ancient times.
In general, this tradition represents a wish for rich harvests and health for people and animals. Special dances are intended to clear off the evil spirits and prepare people for a new beginning.
The mummers, known in Bulgaria as Survakari and Kukeri, wear impressive masks and unique costumes. They fill the air with the sounds of hundreds of bells and wish for prosperity.
The mask, according to folklore beliefs, protects from the harmful influence of impure powers. Every spectator who has been touched by the dancing mummers will feel their rejuvenating effect.
There are different roles in the Bulgarian Survakari and Kukeri groups depending on the region -- such as commander, bride, bridegroom, doctor, policeman and various animals like bear or camel.
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