Programme: All

“Benchena Nevyasta – Bride with Moles is a wedding ritual, celebrating the start of each young family in the Village of Breznitsa. Bride-to-be’s face is painted, so that she remains hidden from the outside world. The moles are fixed on her face, using egg-yolk, mixed with sugar to attach the moles – small shiny ornaments, resembling moles. In the evening after the wedding, the bridegroom starts removing the “moles” one by one and the entire mask is removed from the face – so that he is the only one who can see his new wife. During the process of fixing the “moles” the bride-to-be is either lying or standing all day, with her eyes closed, without eating, drinking or speaking, and her closest women-relatives are busy with various rituals around her. They destine her with good, saying spells for happiness. Her sisters-in-law sit aside, not speaking and only observing the process, making sure that the bride-to-be observes all the prohibitions, because if she violates even one rule, evil will fall upon her! This incredible, one-of-a-kind ritual is believed to originate from the proto-Bulgarians. It has been preserved and is still performed in its authentic form in the Village of Breznitsa. Also in Village of Breznitsa songs are performed during the mole ritual for the bride-to-be, which are completely unknown and have never been recorded in any folklore book. This project is dedicated to the mysteries of the wedding ritual “Benchena Nevesta” and the songs that have survived since ancient times and have never been described. The implementation of the project would involve the studying, collection and description of the one-of-a-kind songs, performed in the municipalities within the scope of the Local Initiative Group LIG, which have not yet been described, as well as the “Benchena Nevyasta” wedding ritual. Apart from the research and issuance of the “Folklore Art Almanac” book, the project also includes the following activities: