The national holiday

[tilia_tomentosa]

The only photo (more or less) in focus and two terribly amateurish videos of folk dancing from the celebration of 3 March, the day of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire (in 1878).  It was early this evening - I mean the dancing, obviously. :)

This is the pretty small central square of my home town.

I've posted the same videos on

Comments

[uneasytruce]

These are lovely! Thank you for posting them.

I congratulate your country on its holiday.

[tilia_tomentosa]

Thank you! :)

[paterson_si]

Melikes! :)

[tilia_tomentosa]

:)

[dan4behr]

Not knowing a lot about Bulgarian customs and culture (and what I've learned, I've learned mostly from you, Ms. Bulgarian Ambassador!) I find this quite interesting. It's one of the things I love about LJ...learning things about places and life in those places I'd never have known about otherwise.

Is it bad to say as a casual onlooker that I see and hear a definite Turkish influence in the costumes and music? These sounds and images remind me television travel programs enticing tourists to visit to see and hear the sights for themselves! I'm also reminded a bit of the Irish-influenced "Riverdance" performances that were a bit a few years ago when they traveled around the US.

[tilia_tomentosa]

The music itself is very distinct from the Turkish/Ottoman music. There could have been some "borrowing" of musical instruments.

There could have been some influence on the cut of some parts of the male costumes (not that i'm any expert), but not the colours. The male costumes in the second dance were probably Greek-influenced. The female costumes had nothing to do with the Turkish costumes.

There were taboos on both sides. The Muslim predecessors of what we now call Turks would not allow the "infidel" Christians to wear their kind of clothes even if they wanted to. Especially the men's headwear showed their religion (and in some cases ethnicity). And of course the Muslim women wouldn't be allowed to even keep their faces uncovered in public places.

[dan4behr]

More things I managed to learn via LJ!