The girls from the Regional Open-Air Ethnographic Museum “Eter” (REMO “Eter”)’s “School of lazarki” continued performing the practice of lazaring for another year.
The lazaration was also displayed at Tryavna and Dryanovo. Fifty-seven girls from Gabrovo, Dryanovo, and Tryavna declared their songs at the open-air museum in Gabrovo.
The groups are expanding every year, and the organisers observe that young people are becoming more interested in taking part in the training on growing traditions. Numerous tourists attend the reenactments, which experts say is evidence that they respect Bulgarian traditions.
Nikol Lesicherska, a lazarka, remarked, “Being a lazarka is different from other things. One is going beyond of their comfort zone in today’s world. Amazingly, we can travel back in time thanks to the music we learned at the Lazarka School.
She added, “I’m delighted I can do this instead of sitting at home in front of the computer to see how their day went. Being a lazarka warms my heart, and I am delighted that the viewers are also looking back in time, appreciating the value of our roots and that life does not only work and a busy schedule”.
The children’s Folk Group “Gabrovche” entertained visitors to the reserve on the village square at the Museum of Architectural and Historical Reserve “Bozhentsi” right at noon.
According to tradition, the Lazarus custom is observed on Lazarovden. Songs about Lazarus are sung, and celebration dances are done. Lazarkas go around the homes and yell for health; if they erroneously fail, bad things will happen to the owners.
The lady of the house is supposed to offer each lazarka a raw egg, which is thought to represent immortality. Moreover, it has been used to cast spells and forecast the future.