The most characteristic Bulgarian custom associated with the coming of the New Year is called “survakane”. The ritual represents a wish for health and prosperity.
Survaka is a traditional Bulgarian custom that is performed on the first day of the New Year – St. Basil’s Day.
It is performed with a “survachka”, which is made from a branch of dogwood or another fruit tree.
The custom consists in the ritual walking around a certain territory (hamlet, neighborhood, most often the whole settlement) by a group of survakars – children aged 4-12 years or bachelors. These survakars go from house to house, entering the homes where they survak the family members, cattle, the barns, stables, etc., uttering wishes for health and fertility. The survaka starts from the oldest person – the survakar children tap the survaka on the back and say a survakar blessing:
Surva surva godina,
Vesela godina!
Edar klas na niva,
Golyam grozd na loza,
Zhalt mamul na lesa,
Palna kasta s koprina,
Chervena yabalka v gradina,
Zhivo-zdravo do godina,
Do godina do amina!
The hosts then gift them with money, fruits, nuts and dried fruits.
After finishing the survakane, the survaks are left in a place where they cannot be reached- they are thrown on a tall tree, on a roof, in a river, etc.
In Strandzha region, after the kid survakars, leave the young ones, called “lefters” – bachelors. If they are engaged, they go to the homes of their chosen ones. With small survaki, they jokingly survak the maidens and they treat them with wine, honey and jam, and in the cities – with coffee. Young people exchange also nuts. If the girl does not like a bachelor, she deliberately drops or throws the walnuts in front of him.
