Kukeri
Collection
The starting point of my final project was my heritage and national identity. . My final collection is dedicated to my native country and its traditions. Kukeri is a centuries-old tradition intended to chase evil spirits away. Men and boys dress up in furs and animal skins, put scary masks on their faces, and jump with huge bells tied around their waists. No matter where they’re from, the kukeri will dance through the village to invite good luck for the locals — and scare away the evil eye. The dancing is for celebration, luck and fertility, while the all-important bells and scary face masks simultaneously dissuade bad energy. Traditionally, the kukeri are played by men and the ritual has been passed down from father to son, but today women and girls enact the creatures, too. The faces in the masks can mimic those of animals but might just come from the creators’ imagination. I found my inspiration in the culture and the uniqueness of that pagan observance which managed to preserve itself even during the conversion of Christianity and the Communist movement.
I have use the materials that are usually used in the Kukeri costumes but I did used eco fur and eco leather instead of using real fur and leather like they use in the real Kukeri costumes. The costumes usually have heave bells. Some of the bells weigh no less than 220 lbs(100 kg), and the art of dancing with this burden around your waist is a thing to admire. The masks are usually constructed from wood and covered in colorful yarn threads, fur, animal teeth, beads, and horns. I decided to use bamboo sticks that will create the same sound like this from the bells but that way the garments are not that heavy.
Traditions remind us that we are part of a history that defines our past, shapes who we are today and who we are likely to become. Once we ignore the meaning of our traditions, we’re in danger of damaging the underpinning of our identity.
