Chitalishte "Prosveten Lach – 1905" in Saperava Banya activities
The people’s community cultural centre (chitalishte) “Prosveten Lach – 1905”, located in Sapareva Banya. organized a series of events. This year’s celebration of the Convention 20th anniversary adds an extra layer of significance to the festivities, as Bulgarian Chitalishte (Community Cultural Centre) has been selected in 2017 on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of UNESCO, as a practical experience in safeguarding the vitality of living heritage.
1/ Baba Marta celebration day, organised with first grade of Secondary School “Hristo Botev”
On March 1, we celebrate the day of Baba Marta. This holiday is full of smiles and lots of cheer! For the good mood of the children and citizens of Sapareva Banya, the Municipal Administration decorated the center of our town, and our community center together with the amateur artists made over 100 martenitsi for the decoration. In front of the Community Cultural Centre “Prosveten lach - 1905” the first graders from the Secondary School “Hristo Botev” welcomed Baba Marta. She presented them with martenitsi and wished them to be white and red and always happy! The children greeted Baba Marta with poems and songs for the holiday, prepared by their teachers Irina Kovacheva, Kristina Popova, Desislava Miloshova and Krasimira Sakadzhiyska. Baba Marta also presented martenitsi to the employees of the Municipal Administration and the children from the primary classes of Secondary School “Hristo Botev” with a wish for good health, prosperity and peace in the world
2/ Babinden (Midwifes’ Day)
On 21.01.2023 Sapareva Banya in the small hall of the Community Cultural Centre Prosveten Lach-1905, the team of the community center with the folklore group Germaneya celebrated “Babinden” - a celebration of grandmothers Day of the midwives and gynaecologists. The celebration was attended by young mothers who gave birth to their offspring in 2022, the nurse Mariana Advukatska, who for many years took care of the most precious gift “Children of Sapareva Banya” and other guests of the celebration. After an opening speech about the celebration by the community secretary, it was the turn of the grandmothers who presented the custom of watering”. As we know, reading the Collection of Folk Wisdom, on this day, mothers rush to visit the grandmother and water” her to wash, because from the old times it is believed that the first to do so, her children will be alive and well. In the plot of the skit, the centre of attention and reverence was Grandmother Pelagia (based on an authentic script), who was given water as tradition dictates. She was presented with a new cloth. After the interesting presentation of the ritual, everyone was treated together with sweet cake, cheese pie, mulled brandy, and wine. The celebration ended with a choir and wishes for health and happiness in the new year. On this day, we honour all doctors and specialists who help bring new life into the world.
3/ Kuker celebration
For more than thirty years, our community center has preserved and celebrated this holiday. Young men and boys early in the morning of St. Basil’s Day /January 1/ dress up in masquerade costumes and go around the town to drive away evil spirits. Their masks are made personally by them from wooden constructions on which skins, fabrics and wool are glued. The impact is enhanced by the ringing of the conical-shaped (chan) and oval-shaped (klapashka) bells that are suspended from the belts. The scarier, uglier, and more sinister the mask, the further the evil will be driven away.
This year, in the celebration of “Geyser”, in front of thousands of guests and residents of the town, 3 Kuker groups with about 250 participants paraded through the main street and on the open stage at the geyser recreated everyday scenes accompanied by musicians and the tinkling of chimes. Cash prizes were provided by donors and the municipal administration. This is one of the most colorful holidays for our city.
4/ Maundy Thursday - Easter egg dyeing
On 13 April Maundy Thursday at the Community Cultural Centre “Prosveten Lach - 1905” Sapareva Banya, Folklore Group “Germania” showed the ways of dyeing eggs with natural materials. Traditionally it is done early in the morning of Maundy Thursday. This is one accepted day for this and the other is Holy Saturday. The first egg should be red. It is used to make a baptismal mark on the foreheads of the children and then everyone else in the family. This egg is set aside from the others and replaced with last year’s egg, which has stood in the house until now to bring health, joy and happiness to its inhabitants, it has magical powers and protects against disease. The Community Cultural Centre team demonstrated the use of natural dyes such as nettle, red onion, turmeric, etc.
5/ St. Todor’s day - horse racing
On March 4 (Saturday) near the airport near Sapareva Banya, the traditional horse races were held on the occasion of Todor’s Day. The celebration was attended by many residents of Sapareva Banya and neighboring villages, as well as guests of the resort town. In addition to horse and donkey races, this year there were also competitions with pulling a load , as well as a parade for the most beautiful horse. In the races the competition was interesting and contested. Donkey and mule riders also took part in the competition. The fastest was the mule of Zdravko Chuchuganov.
In the competition 7 owners and their horses took part. For the public, this part of the celebration was of great interest. The race was held in 4 rounds, with one traverse added to the sled each round. Cash prizes, statuettes and gifts were awarded for the top places, and there was a crown of honour for the fastest horse. The awards were presented by the Mayor of Sapareva Banya Municipality Kalin Gelev. This year’s cushions were again organized by Sapareva Banya Municipal Administration and Community Cultural Centre “Prosveten Lach-1905”, and the prize fund was provided by sponsors.
Text as provided by the organiser(s).
