WOMEN IN BULGARIA.
(Prom the Queen.) My mission to Bulgaria was a purely political one ; but being of a philosophic turn of mind, I thought I might obtain some informaon concerning what I will term the “ the fair ex ” —although I was soon convinced that beauty in Bulgaria is something like the blossom of the aloe, only to be met with once in a hundred years. During a term of some weeks I obtained a good deal of information, which will now, no doubt, be of considerable interest. The progress of a Bulgarian from the cradle to the grave is (in an ordinary life) a kind of pilgrimage through various forms and ceremonies, such as exist in perhaps no other “ Christian country ” in Europe. First, every village has its witch, or wise woman, who acts as general adviser, and even aids the priest in many cases which are beyond his very limited powers of comprehension. At such a very important event as the birth of a child this good lady must of course be present, not simply in her capacity of doctor, but in her more mysterious “ spiritual,” or rather “ anti-spiritual,” function. She arrives with various charms, which are presumed to be requisite to ward off all evil spirits. To her hands the babe is first consigned, and has to submit to a process which, I fear, will greatly shock English matrons. The witch rubs the baby all over with salt, and, after reciting a long Idnd of benediction, returns the child to its mother. (I have taken the greatest trouble to find out that this “ salting” is actually a fact.) According to the rules of the Bulgarian Church, it is a crime to wash a child until it has arrived at the “age of reason.” The Church has actually taken the trouble to fix this age at seven years, when, and not till then, a child may have its first wash; but long before that it is carefully taught the hundred and one little formalities of the Bulgarian faith. Even in its most childish actions “ young pickle” has always to “ beware of evil spirits,” and the dreadful consequences which would be the result of the most ordinary action of daily life if not counteracted by some equally simple spell. For instance, if sent to the fountain for a jug of water, it is taught that it must throw a small portion away before drinking it, and ever so many similar foolish things. Presuming the child to be a girl, and that she carefully performs all these rules, and is thus spared from all the dangers of life, the next important step will be that of accepting the yoke of a lord and master. The Bulgarian youth chooses his future wife as the bride of the Vicar of Wakefield did her wedding dress ; he looks out for something that will stand hard usage, and considers good bone and muscle the primary qualities in a helpmeet. The Bulgarians are very free from any kind of romance or sentimentality ; they look upon marriage as a purely business transaction. The subject is usually first arranged by the parents. The suitor then sends a deputation of his friends to the fair one’s father, with a formal offer of his hand and heart (to which he might add, “ a strong arm and a good stick”). The offer being accepted, then comes the important financial question. The mother is loath to part with her daughter, and can only be solaced with a little money paid down. Then there is the amount, or rather the value, of the presents to be given by the young man to the bride, and this must be arranged between her father and the suitor. Each drives as bard a bargain as he can. These financial subjects being arranged, the next step is the betrothal, and this is a sort of orgie, to which the mutual friends are invited. After a “banquet,” consisting of various coarse dishes and plenty of wine, there is a dance and songs. Then the intended brings in his presents. These are of a very useful nature, such as clothes for the bride, and a necklace of coins of gold or silver, which latter is a sort of dower, and is usually alone worth from £3 to £lO. This revel is kept up till daybreak, when most of the company, bride-elect included, are often far from sober. For some reason I have failed to discover, the marriage never takes place till several months after a betrothal. It is true the bridegroom must build himself a “house;” but, as the ordinary peasant farmer’s hut is a oneroomed hovel—without even a window, and not ten shillings’ worth of fitting or furniture inside—this need not be a very serious task. When, however, all this is prepared, and everything else duly arranged, the marriage is celebrated, either at the house of the bride or in a church (provided there is one near enough). There is one fact which f nearly forgot, and that is, that about two days before the marriage the bride is actually obliged to take her first bath, which is the only one that a Bulgarian is ever permitted to take. This performance and the marriage over, there is another great feast at the house of the bride. The newly wedded couple are “ anointed ” with a shower of grain, which is poured over them to insure their prosperity in future life. After much eating, but considerably more drinking, the bride and bridegroom are conducted to their “ house,” and there shut up to pass the honeymoon, which in that country (being a very practical people) only lasts seven days ; but during that time they are kept close prisoners, until a deputation of matrons calls for the bride and take her to the village fountain, where, after making the tour of the same three times, the contents of a bucket of water are thrown over her, and she is then considered what some would call “very much married.” The married life in Bulgaria is not what you would expect in a rural and purely agricultural people.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5010, 14 April 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)
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1,025WOMEN IN BULGARIA. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5010, 14 April 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)
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