REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 1973
VALUE: 40 stotinka

This stamp, issued as part of a set of six by the Bulgarian government in 1973, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter. Each stamp depicts a slgihtly different kuker mask in somewhat abstractly.

:

REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 1973
VALUE: 20 stotinka

This stamp, issued as part of a set of six by the Bulgarian government in 1973, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter. Each stamp depicts a slgihtly different kuker mask in somewhat abstractly.

:

REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 1973
VALUE: 13 stotinka

This stamp, issued as part of a set of six by the Bulgarian government in 1973, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter. Each stamp depicts a slgihtly different kuker mask in somewhat abstractly.

:

REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 1973
VALUE: 3 stotinka

This stamp, issued as part of a set of six by the Bulgarian government in 1973, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter. Each stamp depicts a slgihtly different kuker mask in somewhat abstractly.

:

REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 1973
VALUE: 2 stotinka

This stamp, issued as part of a set of six by the Bulgarian government in 1973, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter. Each stamp depicts a slgihtly different kuker mask in somewhat abstractly.

:

REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 1973
VALUE: 1 stotinka

This stamp, issued as part of a set of six by the Bulgarian government in 1973, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter. Each stamp depicts a slgihtly different kuker mask in somewhat abstractly.

:

REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
YEAR PRINTED: 2004
VALUE: 0.80 leva x 3

This sheet of 3 stamps, issued by the Bulgarian government in 2004, celebrates the traditional kukeri characters of Surva, Pernik. The kukeri are masked figures that parade through the streets in January, making noise with bells to frighten away winter.

:

TITLE: Kuker Mask
TYPE: hood mask
GENERAL REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
ETHNICITY: Bulgarian
DESCRIPTION: Kuker Mask
CATALOG ID: EUBG001
MAKER: Elitsa Ilieva
CEREMONY: Christmas; Ephiphany; Sirni Zagovezni; Survakari; Kukerovden
AGE: 2012
MAIN MATERIAL: cloth
OTHER MATERIALS: sequins; plastic beads; thread

The dance of the kuker (plural, kukeri) is a pre-Christian ritual.  The word kuker comes from the Latin word for hood. In Bulgarian folklore, the kuker is a mythical monster that drive evil spirits away from the village.  Men dance as kukeri wearing suits of goat fur, leather, or cloth; masks of wood, leather, or goat fur; and heavy bronze bells.

During late winter festivals such as Christmas, Epiphany (January 6), or Sirni Zagovezni (the Sunday before Lent), the kukeri dance through the village streets to purify the village and ensure a successful planting season, visiting houses and blessing the inhabitants. The grotesque costumes and loud noise made by the bells are intended to frighten evil spirits away.  The kukeri may also perform in folk plays, such as Survakari and Kukerovden (The Day of the Kukers). In some villages, participation in the Kukerovden play was long considered an initiation ritual that a young man had to complete to qualify for marriage.

: