Survaki / New Year / Vasiliovden

Survaki, Surva, Surba or Vasiliovden, New Year (January 1, January 14^th  old style) is one of the winter holidays, which is celebrated during the, so called "Durty Days" (see the article about the  Dirty days) This determines a significant part of the rituals. The holiday is associated with the scoring and the beginning of the new calendar year. The origin of the “sourvakane” custom is pre-Christian, but it is not clear if it was practices by the Thracians, Slavs and proto-Bulgarians. However, it is certain that it does not have a Slavic characteristics because it is not known among any of the major Slavic nations. One of the most common associations about the origin of the "Survaki" is the relation of this custom with the Proto-Bulgarians, and hence with the ancient Iranian sun god Suryya. The etymology of the word "survakane" is associated with the Iranian word "sura" which means "power". On the other hand the root "sur" means "fire", which is associated with the birth of the new sun. At the same time there is no evidence other nations of the Indo-Iranian community to have such custom. A comparison between survachka and caduceus (the ancient scepter of Hermes) also exists, but having in mind only the similarities on the outside can’t be an evidence for an existing connection and possible origin of the custom.

The feast

On the eve of Survaki incense of the festive table is made, similar to the Christmas Eve, therefore the evening of December 31^st is called "second incensed dinner." The oldest woman in the family makes the incensing done in some villages in the Western Rhodopes the table is censed three times, then the oldest woman in the family goes to the fireplace calling out through the chimney, inviting "Vasil ' at dinner.

As it is typical for the winter holidays and for this on the night before Survaki festive table is prepared around which the whole family gathers. The Meals that are present at the table are the same as those on Christmas Eve, but what is required is “banitsa” or round loaf and pork.

As the tradition requires in the banitsa // (also known by the names: plakya (cheese, met pastry), zelnik (leek pasty), bulgurnik (croup pasty etc.)// a cornel twigs with buds are put and each one of them is enchanted for health, luck, love, fertility, etc.; and divination is made what the year for a person would be depending on what one has received. In Lovech before the breaking of the banitsa the house keeper lifts it above his head to get higher crops and the cornel twigs are thrown to the livestock for fertility. In Strandja people even put silver coin attached with cornel twig tied with red thread in the middle of the banitsa. The coin symbolizes the lucky of the house. And nowadays, there are more modern versions of this custom. People write on small sheets wishes for good luck for the coming year, again attached to cornel twig with red thread, the banitsa is divided among the family members or friends and everyone wishes their luck for the coming year.

The bread for Survaki is ritual bread or unleavened cake made ​​especially for this evening. In certain regions the woman who kneads the dough before washing her hands of the dough goes and touches every fruit tree in the garden and the beehives - this is done for abundance in the coming year. In Strandja the bread is kneaded with sweetened hands. According to the custom silver coin is placed in the bread. After incensing the table the bread is broke up in certain number of pieces and each piece is enchanted to a family member, a peace is left for the house, for the livestock and Virgin Mary. This determines who will get the luck this year - in whose piece is the coin.

What distinguishes the traditional meal on Christmas Eve form the Survaki is the obligatory presence of pork. Traditionally the meal includes pig’s head brawn and jellied pig’s trotters from pork slaughtered around Christmas. The presence of pork determines the names Dirty (containing fat, meat) Christmas Eve. It is also interesting to note that this is the only use of pork in the Bulgarian spiritual culture. In Ivailovgrad this dish is considered as the "pagan dish" (related to the dirty days) it is called "karakanzel" (i.e. karakondjul (see the previous issues of the magazine for more information about this creature).

Divinations

On the day of Survaki divination for health, prosperity, love and fertility is made. In the fireplace are thrown cornel buds and they are named to e certain family member, seeing which one will jump and burst - it is believed that this person will be healthy throughout the year. In Plovdiv in 12 peels of onion salt is dusted, each husk is named after a particular month of the year. In the morning, one sees in which husk the salt is melted, so this will be the month when it will be rainy. In Sakar for example three coals which symbolize three crops are put, the one that burns until the end will give a lot of production.

Of course highly prevalent are divinations for marriage, which most often are done by girls. But both the lads and lasses keep the first piece of the banitsa (or the bread), put it under their pillows at night and they should dream of the woman or man they will marry. Another way to make divination is to is to guess the name of the man, which will marry the girl, early in the morning the girl gets up, sweeps and goes to throw out the trash in the dump - the first name that she hear hears is the name of the future husband. In some regions on the evening before the holiday the girls make "bridges" - transferring of sticks through the stream, it is believed that at night the girl will dream her future husband with whom they pass along "the bridge".

Survakane

The main and most typical custom that is done on Survaki (New Year) is the so called "survakane." The performance consists of subjecting wishes and ritual providing of health by through the touching with raw stick (most often cornel stick). The neighborhood or a defined territory is ritually walked, usually the whole village. The people who perform the ritual are called "survakari." The Survakars are children, sometimes only boys between the ages of 5 and 12 years. They go around their homes and the homes of friends, relatives and neighbors starting from their own home. In clean clothes and with a bag each child has decorated wand called "survachka, survaknitsa, Vasilicharka and etc.” The decoration of the survachka varies depending on the region - in some places strands of popcorn on thread are made, yarn, threads or ring-shaped buns. The Children (Survakari children) tap someone’s back with a decorated cornel twig (they perform the survakane) and pronounce blessings, they always start from the oldest person in the family (or in the house). Here I will share with you, the so-called blessings (sorvakiya), which I know from my childhood and that I used when I was performing the Survakane:

  

Surva, Surva Year, Happy Year,

Green crop in the field,

Great cluster of grape,

Yellow maize in the forest,

Red apple in the garden,

House full of silk,

Alive and Healthy till the next year,

Till the next year, till the end.

This blessing is performed for fertility and health. It is important to note that this blessing should not be sung but spoken. Sometimes the children make the survakane (the tapping) to pets, too. The grateful owners in turn give to the children different gifts - walnuts, fruit, bacon, money, ring-shaped buns. In Central and Eastern Bulgaria the survachka is decorated with fruits, grains and bread products, while in Western Bulgaria coins are often hung. One of the most important elements of the survachka is the attachment of the cornel twigs in order to take shape of the Bulgarian Cyrillic letter "F" - Ф. The Survachka has magical powers only in this day of the year, otherwise it is a simple stick. It is believed that the cornel tree has magical power to increase the power of the blessings.

Мечкинден или Едринден / Bear's day оr Edrinday

Българите наричат празника Едринден, Едрей или Мечкин ден. В народния календар, е известен под различни имена и като Ендрин, Едрей, Ъдрèй, Дрèйовден, Едрèвдън за различните краища на страната. Вярва се, че на този празник (30 ноември ) денят започва да расте, да наедрява, колкото едно просено (царевично, грахово ) зърно. Казва се, че „Андрей прогонва зимата и дългите нощи.” Затова и още в навечерието или рано сутринта на 30 ноември се приготвя вариво в ново гърне от царевица, жито, фасул, леща, ечемик, овес, боб, леща и др. Това се прави, за да едреят посевите, тъй както наедряват
сварените зърна. От него се дава на домашните животни, и на кокошките, за да е добър приплода им. Също така, всеки член от семейството хвръля по малко в комина, като пожелава „високи” добри посеви, а останалото количество се изяжда. Някъде раздават от варивото на съседи „за здраве”, но по-често това не се прави, за „да не се изнесе плодородието от дома”.
Приготвянето на обредното вариво в народното мислене се свързва с „наедряването” на селскостопанските
култури, на младите булки и като цяло на плодородието. Затова и на този ден празнуват и невестите, очаквайки благоволението на съдбата – да забременяват, да раждат здрави и хубави деца. В района на Южното Черноморие, рибарите почитат Св. Андрей (наравно със св. Никола) като господар на силните морски ветрове и бури. В Петричко има поверие, че Св. Андрей е баща на св. Николай.

 В Северна България Андреевден се почита като празник на мечките, познат под името „Мчекинден”.
Народното предание гласи, че някога св. Андрей бил отшелник в планината, там той обработвал малка нива. Но веднъж мечка изяла вола му. Разгневен земеделецът уловил звяра и го впрегнал в ралото и изорал земята или (според друг вариант ) я яхнал като кон. Затова и светията се тачи за предпазване от мечки. Също така според друго поверие
преди изгрев слънце на Андреевден най-възрастната жена в семейството взема от варените зърна и ги хвърля нагоре в комина или върху покрива на къщата като нарича: ”Нà ти, мечко, варен куркуз, да не ядеш суровия и да не ядеш човеците и стоката!” В някои райони в Южна България, характерните за Андреевден обреди се извършват на празника Варвара (4 декември).

Вещиците

The Bulgarians call this holiday Edrinday, Edrey or Bear day. In the national calendar, it is famous for its different names as well as Edrin, Edrey, Adrey, Dreioday, Edrevday for the different parts of the country. It is believed that on this holiday (November 30th) the day begins to become longer with the size of one millet (corn, pea) grain. It is said that ‘Andrey droves away the winter and the long nights.’

That’s why on the day of the celebration, early in the morning on November 30th, people prepare legumen of corn, wheat, beans, lentils, barley, and oats in a new pot. This is made in order for the crops to grow bigger as the boiled grains grow bigger. This is given to the domestic animals and to the hens for their good offspring. Similarly, every member of the family throws some of this legumen in the chimney by wishing ‘high’, good crops and the rest of this is eaten. Some of this legumen is given to the neighbors ‘for health’ but often this is not done for not to ‘carry the fertility out from home’.
The preparation of the ritual legumen in the folk understanding is connected with the ‘grow’ of the agricultural crops, the fertility of young brides and to fertility as a whole. That’s why this day is also celebrated by the wives expecting the destiny’s goodwill – to grow like the day and seeds, to become pregnant, to give birth to healthy and good children. In the region of the southern parts of Black sea the fish men honour St. Andrew (together with St. Nicolay) like a master of the strong, sea winds and storms. There is a belief in Petrich region that St. Andrew is the father of St. Nikolay.

In north Bulgaria, St. Andrew is honoured as a holiday of the bears, known as ‘Bear day’. The national belief states that St. Andrew was hermit in the mountain and there he cultivated a small field. But suddenly his ox had been eaten by a bear. Furious, the cultivator caught the beast, harnessed it in the wooden plough and ploughed the field or (according other variant) ride it like a horse. For that reason, the saint is respected for protection against bears.
According to another belief, before sunrise on St. Andrew’s day, the oldest woman in the family takes from the boiled grains and throws them up in the chimney or on the roof of the house while saying: “Bear, take this boiled corn in order not to eat the raw one and in order not to eat humans and goods!’ In some regions in south Bulgaria, the traditional customs for St. Andrew’s day are made also at the holiday of Varvara. ( December 4)

The Witches

 

Рангел - Душевадник или Архангел Михаил/ Rangel - Тhe Тormentor or Archangel Michael

В традиционния народен календар Архангел Михаил се чества на празника, носещ неговото име „Архангеловден“ (8 ноември). Св.Михаил или Свети Рангел е един от седемте ангели при Божия престол, който според народното християнство е вожд на небесните сили и борец срещу духовете на тъмнината. Изобразява се с копие в ръка (понякога на кон), тъпчещ дявола с крака. Според народната митология на българите Рангел е един от шестимата братя юнаци, които си разделили света. На него се паднала земята на мъртвите. Затова в народната лексика той е наричан „Рангел - душевадник". Съществуват много приказни сюжети, които разкриват фолклорната представа за образа на Архангел Михаил. Според народното вярване душата на човек не може да се отдели от тялото, ако не дойде Св.Рангел да я прибере. Този ден се празнува в чест на св.Рангел, на смъртта, за да е по-леко  на човек, когато вадят душата му.

Смята се, че  той  се спуска при умиращия  и с нож или сабя (коса) в ръка  я изважда. Ако застане до главата му – болният ще умре; ако застане до краката – ще оздравее. Когато вади душата на умиращия, му подава обикновено ябълка (по-рядко китка). Той отвежда изтръгнатата от тленното тяло душа в отвъдния свят, където заедно със своя събрат св. Петър я отправя в райската градина или във врящия казан на пъкъла, според това дали е праведна или греховна. Ето защо в християнската иконографска традиция Архангел Михаил се изобразява или с окървавен нож в ръце, или държащ везни, с които измерва човешките грехове. 

Архангел Михаил е състрадателен и справедив. Съществува поверие, че когато умиращия се усмихва, значи Архангел Михаил подава златна ябълка, за да поеме душата му –  казват  възрастните хора от Шоплука, и много мъки изпитва умиращият, когато светецът закъснее.Той моли бога за душата на сиромаха, за да не останат децата му сирачета. В известния сюжет  за свети Рангел кум, той отлага смъртта на своя  кумец, но не го избавя от нея. Предпазната мярка да се излива водата от съдовете в дома след настъпване на смъртта се обяснява с представата, че в нея  Архангел Михаил измил ножа си.

С Архангел Михаил – душовадник, е свързан специален обреден хляб, който се приготвя при погребение, за следпогребални обреди и за празника на Архангел Михаил. В Западна България  се нарича Рангелово блюдо, а в Източна България – Арангелово, Рангелов хляб, хляб на св. Михаил. Хлябът е наричан и  Господьов хляб , боговица, или  света Петка. Почитането на св. Архангел Михаил като господар на отвъдния свят на душите предопределя и съблюдаването на една от най-големите и тържествени задушници през годината, която се пада винаги в съботата преди празника. На Архангеловата задушница жените отиват на гробището и раздават хляб и варено жито за “Бог да прости”. На Архангеловден  българите  колят  курбан  в  чест на светеца-покровител на мъртвите. Обикновено се жертва мъжко животно - овен или шиле, чиито глава и крайници се варят цели и след това се кадят с тамян. Жените приготвят и раздават помежду си специални обредни хлябове. Тържествената трапеза, била тя семейна или общоселска, се освещава от представител на църквата. Кожата на обредното жертвено животно се дарява винаги на църквата.

Седнали край празничната трапеза, най-старият от домашните чупи обредния хляб на кръст, сипва отгоре вино от пръстена паница, а домакинята събира това вино отдолу с шепи и го пръска навред в къши за берекет, като благославя: „Свети Архангеле, Свети Никола и всички светии, помогнете ни, почитаме ви и на кръст колач сечем да се роди жито до пояс! Сега с шо можахме, а догодина с шо искаме ! Сега с паница, а догодина с бакъра!" После разчупва погачата и дава на всеки къшей хляб. Къшеят се поема с две ръце и се изрича благослов: „Колкото зърно в комата, толкова купни и здраве в дома! Амин!".

Почитането на светеца-покровител е един вид надхитряване на съдбата, защото закрилник на празника (живота) става смъртта в лицето на Архангел Михаил. Вярва се, че почитането на покровителя на мъртвите ще осигури здраве и добър живот на живите, че ще му е по-леко на човек, когато дойде неговия ред да го навести.След Архангеловден българският народ

вярвал, че започват "Мратинци", "Вълчите празници". Подобно на предшестващия "Мишкин ден" се спазвали обичаи, които да предпазят хората от злини.

In the traditional national calendar Archangel Michael is celebrated on the holiday which bears his name – Archangel day (November 8th ) St. Michael or St. Rangel is one of the seventh angels to the God’s throne, who according to Christianity is the leader of the heaven’s powers and fighter against the spirits of the darkness. He is depicted with a spear in his hand (sometimes riding a horse), threading on the devil with his legs. According to the national Bulgarian mythology Rangel is one of the sixth brothers - heroes, who divided the world between each other. The land of the dead had been given to him. That’s why in the folk lexicology he is called – Rangel - the Tormentor. He is called tormentor because he takes out the soul of the dying, giving him an apple (rarely bunch). That is why he is accepted by the nation as an angel of death. There are many fabulous stories, which reveal the folklore notion about St. Archangel Michael’s image. According to the national belief the human soul can’t be separated from the body before St. Rangel comes to take it. This day is celebrated in honour of St. Rangel and death, in order for the man not to suffer when taking out his soul. It is believed that he  drops to the dying man and with knife or sword (or scythe) in his hand takes out man’s soul. If he stands next to his/her  head - the sick person is going to die; if he stands next to his/her legs - the sick person is going to live. He leads out the wrested soul form the perishable body in the another world where together with his colleague St. Peter takes it to the heaven garden or in the boiling cauldron of hell according to the fact whether the soul is  pious or sinful. That’s why in the Christian iconograpic tradition Archangel Michael is depicted either with blood-stained knife in his hands or holding scales with which he measures the human sins. Archangel Michael is compassionate and fair-minded, one and only intercessor of God for the soul of the dead person. There is a belief that when the dying man is smiling, that means that Archangel Michael gives a golden apple to take his soul – said the old people from Shopluka and when the saint is late the dying person suffers great pain. He begs God for the soul of the poor man because of his children not to become orphans. In the famous storyline for St. Rangel Godfather, he cancels his godfather’s death but did not save him from it. The precautions for pouring out the water from the cookware at home after the beginning of the death is explained with the notion that Archangel Michael has washed his knife in this water. The name of Archangel Michael – tormentor is connected with a special, ritual bread, which is made for funerals, for after-funeral rituals and for the holiday of St. Archangel Michael. In west Bulgaria it is called Rangel’s dish and in the east of Bulgaria – Arangelovo, Rangel’s bread or bread of St. Michael. The bread is called God’s bread, Bogovitsa or St. Petka. The honoring of St. Archangel Michael like a master of the other world’s souls predetermines the observing of one of the biggest and solemn all souls’ day during the year, which happens to be Saturday before the holiday. On the Archangel all souls’ day the women go to the cemetery and serve bread and boiled wheat for the God’s forgiveness. On Archangel’s day the Bulgarians made a votive offering in the honor of the saint - patron of the dead. Usually they sacrifice male animal – ram or lamb whose head and limbs are boiled and then incensed. The women prepare and serve special, ritual breads. The solemn table either family or for all villagers is sanctified by church representative. The skin of the ritual animal is presented to the church. Sat by the festive table, the oldest of the family breaks the ritual bread on crosswise, pours wine on top by the earthenware bowl and the housewife gathers wine from the bottom and splashes the house with it for rich harvest by blessing: ‘St. Archangel, St. Nikola and all the saints, help us, we honor you and we break the bread crosswise in order to have wheat to the belt! Now with what we could and next year with what we want! Now with the bowl and next year with the copper!’ Then she breaks the round loaf and gives morsel to every member of the family. The morsel is taken with two hand and a bless is said: ‘ As grain in the morsel as health in the home! Amen!’.  The honoring of the saint-patron is a kind of outwitting the destiny, because the patron of the holiday (life) becomes the death in the face of Archangel Michael. It is believed that honoring the patron of the dead will provide health and good life to the living so one will feel calm when comes his/her  turn. After Archangel’s day the Bulgarian nation believed that “Mratintsi”, “The wolf holidays” began. Similarly to the preceding ‘Mouse day’ traditions were kept, which protected people from evil things. Вещиците / The Witches Източник:  "Българска митология, Енциклопедичен речник",  съст. А. Стойнев, София, 2006