The Kukeri are part of a traditional Bulgarian ritual that dates back thousands of years, involving elaborately costumed men who perform dances and processions, to ward off evil spirits and ensure prosperity for the community. This practice, deeply rooted in Bulgarian folklore, is characterized by participants donning intricate masks and costumes, often resembling animals or mythical creatures, and engaging in dynamic performances accompanied by the resonant sound of bells. The Kukeri tradition shares similarities with various regional practices across the Balkans, each with its unique local adaptations.

The term “Kukeri” is believed to derive from the Proto-Slavic word kuker, meaning “evil spirit and some scholars suggest a connection to a pre-Slavic deity named Kuk. Alternative theories propose a borrowed origin from “kukla”, which means puppet in Greek, or from the Bulgarian “gúgla” that means hood, from Latin “cucullus”. The most likely origin of the word comes from kuklovde, kuklinden, the day when the puppets, meaning the mummers, roamed.
Kukeri costumes are traditionally made from animal furs and fleeces, covering the entire body. Participants wear masks adorned with horns and decorations, and have bells attached to their waists. The kukeri dance, jump, and shout in an attempt to banish all evil from the village. Some of the performers impersonate animals, royalty, priests, medics, field-workers, and craftsmen. The adornments on the costumes vary from one region to another.
The timing of Kukeri rituals varies across Bulgaria. It usually starts around New Year, until the beginning of Lent. The origins of the Kukeri tradition have been a subject of scholarly debate. Some believe that Kukeri rituals have their origin in a pre-Christian Thracian mystery cult, dedicated to the god Dionysus, suggesting an ancient lineage for these practices.
The Kukeri, also known by other names, such as survakari, babugeri, jamali, used to roam through the village, especially in Eastern Bulgaria. Young men and men in costumes participated. Early in the morning, the kukeri blocked the path of villagers and demanded payment to let them pass. The central character was the king, elected by the villagers, usually a young man who could run well. The king wielded a large whip with which he struck the villagers. The king was also distinguished by a long white beard and an enormous phallus (which, if it touched barren women, was believed to make them fertile).
The procession included characters such as the elder, the old woman, the groom or the bride, women, archers, monks, and so on. A distinctive feature of the costumes was the fur coats worn inside out and fur masks imitating a goat, a ram, or other animals. Brass bells tied around the waist were also indispensable. The men carried wooden swords, axes, long-handled brooms, and sticks used for the ritual killing of the king, who was later resurrected by a “bride” in the procession.
Gift collectors, dressed as gypsies or Turks, were part of the procession; another individual noted everything in a ledger, “collecting taxes for the tsar.” An elder carrying a bag of ashes with his “old woman” (dressed as a gypsy) and a crying baby were also present. Their purpose was to collect taxes for the king and money for the baby, going from house to house. Upon entering a yard, they performed a round dance with all participants. The dance involved numerous jumps and jingling bells.
The ceremony included a ritual circuit of the village, with wishes for abundance and fertility, in exchange for gifts from the families visited. Then, ritual plowing and sowing were performed. The plowing was done by certain characters, while the sowing was done by the king himself. In the midst of the villagers, the kukeri tried to scatter ashes on them with all sorts of pranks and jumps. After the sowing, the kukeri attacked the king or even “killed” him. With the resurrection of the king, the general celebration began. The carollers gathered at the king’s house after walking through the village. The kukeri then carried him in a cart pulled by themselves to the village square. Everyone gathered there for a large feast and the king sat first at the table, followed by his noblemen, then the common people. The kukeri did not sit. The king was fed by his attendants. The kukeri, standing in the background and harnessed to a plow, intervened at the end of the meal, offering the king wine and grains. Before drinking, the king shouted wishes of abundance and fertility. Then the kukeri intervened and were then whipped by him and forced to plow. Chaos ensued, and the plowing was done with difficulty. At nightfall, the kukeri carried the king home in the cart, where he whipped everyone except women and children.
Often, the camel ritual dance (kamila, djamalo) was also performed during the kukeri ceremony. The camel, represented by two men covered with a blanket, had a long snout like a pincer. The camel entertained the villagers, jumping and making faces, and just like the “king,” it died and came back to life. Also part of the procession were the camel handlers and the elders. Their task was to collect the flour offerings, which they later sold to buy wine.
The celebration ended with a round dance in the village square. With the collected food, lavish feasts lasting two or three evenings were organized. Finally, the kukeri were called to drive away devils.
This ritual of death and resurrection supports the theory of the tradition’s origin in the antiquity, resembling ancient mystical cults such as those of the Cabiri or the Mithraic cult, in which death and resurrection played an essential role, symbolizing the death of nature (winter) and its rebirth (spring), as well as the “death” of the old self and the “rebirth” as a new, initiated person.
Today, the Kukeri tradition remains vibrant in Bulgaria. One of the most notable events is the annual Surva Festival in Pernik, held in late January. This festival gathers thousands of participants from various regions of Bulgaria and around the world, showcasing the rich diversity of Kukeri costumes and rituals. In 2009, Pernik was proclaimed as the European capital of Survas & Mummers and included in the UNESCO list of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The Kukeri tradition serves as a powerful link between Bulgaria’s past and present, reflecting the nation’s rich cultural heritage. By preserving and celebrating these rituals, Bulgarians maintain a connection to their ancestors and uphold a sense of community and identity.