Куковден — дионисов или кабирически обред? Обредни действия, храна и забрани
Kukovden: A Dionysian or a Kabyrian Ritual? Ritual Actions, Food and Bans

Summary/Abstract: As a result of Ganka Mihailova’s new studies on masquerades and of Ivan Marazov’s on the Kabyrian cults a comparative analysis has become possible between the two systems of rituals. Based on this analysis has been the hypothesis about the typological similarity and elements of succession between the set of rituals of the Kukeri masked dancers and the ancient Kabyrian tradition of myths and rituals. The comparative analysis of the ritual personages, of the costumes and attributes, ritual actions, ritual meals, ritual bans and character of the Kukeri/Kalogeri rituals in Greece and Bulgaria evinces considerable lack of correspondence with the ancient Dionysian festivities. Some characteristic elements of the Kukeri masked dancers’ set of rituals like, for instance, the black personages (moreover dirty, lame, crooked and very much advanced in years), forging, carrying a distaff, ploughing and sewing, seriously challenge the thesis of the origin of the Kukeri masked dancers’ festivities from the Dionysian holidays, because they had been banned or unknown to the worshippers of Dionysus.

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