wedding rituals

Bosnek 1

52 (a) po trì dèna se pràveše svàdba razbìraš li

Weddings used to last three days. Do you understand?

57 (a) nè nàči kato e svàdbata u nedèl’a onì u sɤ̀bota

No. So. The wedding itself is on Sunday. On Saturday they –

58 (a) se sobèra momìčetata i če pèja i zèma ə čimšìri

the unmarried girls get together and sing, and take boxwood staffs.

59 (a) i togàva nèmaše ùbavi ràboti zèma ot tàa xartìja napràvat le

There weren’t any fancy things back then, they took paper to make [decorations].

60 (a) napràvae i odgòre na teferìčo tùra jàbɤlka pa igràeja pa pèja

They make the flagstaff, put an apple on top, and dance and sing.

61 (a) i posle kato dòjde i sutrintà zetovète če dòjda zèma: tovà čemšìrite

Then the next morning the groomsmen come and take the boxwood staffs.

71 (a) i tùra ednà čèrga kato tùra čèrgata i tùra

And they put a rug on it. When they put down the rug, they put down

75 (a) i svekorò fàne s a snaàta i ja vɤrtì nèkolko pɤ̀ti okol nègo

And the father-in-law takes the daughter in law and spins her several times around him

76 (a) ta da ne bèga snaàta da sedì dòma da go slùša

so the daughter-in-law won’t run off, so she’ll stay at home and obey him.

Bosnek 3

39 (a) a koì sa pa mlàdi nevèsti kogà se klàn’axa to ednà

The ones who are young brides, when they bowed [to their elders], and one –

40 (a) tì klan’àla li si se ne sì nè ne me lɤ̀ži ne sì

Did you bow then? No, you didn’t. Don’t lie now, you didn’t!

47 (a) ta jàze bèx ne i ràno ìda è òše u trì časò

And I was – They go early, already at three o’clock

48 (a) ìde u čèrkvata ta bìe kambànata ta ìdexa

she goes to the church, the bells ring out, and they [all] went,

49 (a) i nalì sɤz bèli kɤ̀rpi nalì znàeš kakvò se klàn’axa

with white towels, you know how they would bow, don’t you?

Černovrŭx

1 (a) segà čàkəj zə svàdbətə də vi kàžə

So now, wait [and] I’ll tell you about weddings.

2 (a) slet tùj še vi kàžə zə cɤ̀rkvətə i kràj

After that I’ll tell you about the church, and then that’s all.

4 (a) a kuètu sə čùdite màlku zə cɤ̀rkvətə

Those things you were wondering about, a bit concerning the church.

5 (GK) kàk pràjət venčàfka bes cɤ̀rkva

How do they do a wedding ceremony without the church?

8 (a) dà vəf svàdbətə

In the wedding …

10 (a) kàktu vi ub'əsn'àvəm tò e ud'èlnu konkrètno ìdət sigà

… as I was explaining to you, that’s separate. In actuality now they go –

11 (a) osòbenus nàšte dɤržàxə tùkə z'èmət pod nàem kunè

and our people were especially insistent on this – they rent horses.

13 (a) kun'ète gi kàg də ti kàžə səs ednɤ̀ dùmə pisk'ùli

And the horses – how shall I say it in a word – they’re tasseled.

14 (a) no nà pisk'ùl kəkvò e

Here, [you know] what a tassel is?

15 (GK) dà dà

Yes, yes.

16 (a) vrɤ̀zvət im kəkvò li ni štèš

And they tie on them whatever you want.

17 (GK) po glavìte na konète

On the horses’ heads.

18 (a) à pudàrəci i gi z'èmət i trɤ̀gvət sigà kulònə c'àlə kòjtu ìskə

Right. And they take gifts and set out. A whole column. Whoever wishes

19 (a) otìvə nə venčàfkətə venčàvət gi f tr'àvnə punèže tàm cɤ̀rkvətə

goes to the ceremony. They wed them in Tryavna, because the church is there.

20 (a) i kəm dvà kəm jid'ìn čəsɤ̀ tr'àbvə də sə zəvɤ̀rnət

And around 2:00 or 1:00 they are supposed to return.

21 (a) pris tùj vrèmi kətu gi venčèjət xòrə si ìmə tàm səs t'àx

There's people there with them during the time of the church ceremony,

22 (a) ìdət i pràštət n'àkuj àj tùkə komìtə mu kàzvəmi èj tàm

and they send somebody, we here call him a rebel, up there

23 (a) ə tɤ̀j gurɤ̀tə kàktu i str'èl'ət də predizvest'ɤ̀t či ìdi tùkə

in the forest to shoot [a gun] to announce that they’re coming,

24 (a) če še si ìdi svàdbətə v'èče

that the wedding [procession] is on its way.

25 (GK) kàk im kàzvəxə na tìja dètu strèl'at dètu isprevàrvət svàdbətə

How do you call those who shoot, who go on ahead of the wedding procession?

39 (a) à kònnici dà sə im vìkəli pràvilnu štòt ìskə pò inirgìčni xòrə

Ah, yes! They called them horsemen! Because it requires more energetic people ...

41 (a) i est'èstvenu či i tò dr'èbnə ràbutə d'è əmə səopštàvət

… of course. Well, it's a minor job. So they announce [the news] –

42 (a) i ne ì znàm i sled tùj səupštàvət bɤ̀rzət

– I don’t know them – and after they announce [it], they hurry.

43 (a) kətu utìdi də sə venčàvə òšte ut sutrinɤ̀tə rànu

When it's time to have the church ceremony, already early in the morning

44 (a) tɤ̀rs'ət sə nər'àzəni dɤ̀ski dɤ̀ski pək stulòvi

they’re looking for cut boards, boards ( = to be table tops), and chairs,

46 (a) i sə rəspolàgət xùbəv dèn kəto i nə xərmàna

and if it's a nice day they make up the tables [out] on the threshing floor.

48 (a) i s obrəzùvə trəp'èzə às ni znàjə

and a festive table is created. I don’t know

49 (a) v bɤlgàrijə təkà li e bilò nəfs'àkədi vìš tùj ni znàm

whether it was like this everywhere in Bulgaria – you see, this I don’t know.

50 (a) zbìrə sə c'àlutu s'èlo nə jàdene i nə pìene

The whole village gathers together for eating and drinking.

51 (GK) n'àma značènie rodnìni li sɤ

Regardless of whether they are relatives or not?

52 (a) n'àmə sàmu če si gòtv'ət

Regardless! As long as they cook [and bring] food.

53 (GK) sèki si gòtvi sàm

Each cooks himself?

54 (a) s'èki si gòtvi zənàs'ə ə gòtv'ət pòvečeto vəf sùxo səstujànie

Each cooks, and brings [something]. Mostly they cook foods without liquid

55 (a) zə də mòe sə nòsi də kàžem

so that they can be transported [more easily]. And [let me] tell [you]:

56 (a) uttàm ìmə idìn xùbəf ut tùrsku ròpstvu xərmàn

there’s a beautiful threshing floor [dating] from the Turkish occupation,

58 (a) ftòrijə xərmàn ut des'àtəkə ot ot tùrcite d'ètu e tvà

the second threshing floor from the Turkish tithing period.

59 (a) tòj bèši nàj putxud'àš dàže n'àkuj gu zeə z'èməd gu

It was the most appropriate [spot], and some even rent it

60 (a) pri svàdba ne mògət də sə rəspulòžət

for a wedding, and [even then] they can’t fill the whole area.

61 (GK) ne gù pràat v dvòrovete f kɤ̀štata

They don’t do it in the yards of houses,

62 (GK) f kɤ̀štata da bɤ̀de svàdbata

so as to have the wedding at home?

63 (a) kujàtu kɤ̀štə pril'àgə mòži nàštə às nìj sm'e d'ès'ət dùši

You can in a house that’s appropriate. Our [family] – I – there are ten of us

65 (a) às səm nàj màlək àj nìj sm'e bèdni t'à b'èše ùžəs

and I am the youngest. Ah, we were poor. The [whole thing] was horrible.

Gigen 2

14 (VZh) [Как ставаха сватбите?]

[How were weddings celebrated?]

15 (d) te tì sɤ pravìle̝ gulɛ̀mi svàdbi f sɤ̀bota pregòtvɤd zə svàdbətə

Well, they put on big weddings. On Saturday they prepare for the wedding

16 (d) f nedɛ̀l’a svàdbətə f pondɛ̀lnik pràvat prik’àš na bùlkata

on Sunday the wedding, and on Monday they prepare the bride’s dowry.

17 (d) ìdvat f nedɛ̀l’a zə də zèmɤt bùlkətə ut tɛ̀xᵊ pòsle òdɤt

They go on Sunday to get the bride from her [parents], and then they go

18 (d) na sɤvèt na cɤ̀rkvata sa xodìle̝ pò ràno dè

to the village council. Earlier they went to the church – you know [about that].

Hvojna 1

28 (VZh) [Как се правеше сватба?]

[How did you do weddings?]

29 (a) ətə sə ə pràvilə pu təkʌ̀f nàčin če eli gi zəgud’àvəxə

[Wed]dings were done in such a way that you either got engaged

30 (a) eli nəpràvu bùlkətə jə vòd’exə tòčnu f svàdbenijə d’èn

or they brought the bride straight [to her new home] on the very wedding day

31 (a) i sìčki sə ràdvət če si zìmət mumà zə fkʌ̀šti

and everyone rejoiced that a maiden was being taken into the house.

Skrŭt 2

1 (GK) ami da rečèm da mi da mi kaeš inò vrème svàdbi godèži

Can you tell me, for instance, in the old days – weddings, engagements,

2 (GK) tovà glàveži svàdbi kàk stanùvaxa

and such – how did engagements and weddings happen?

3 (b) emi kàk stanùvaa svàdbite togàj od domà zakàrvat momàta

Well, how did weddings happen then? They take the girl away from her house.

4 (b) nè segà snòšti sa a zakaràli k’i pràat čestìto

It’s not [like] now: [someone] took the girl the night before, with congratulations,

5 (b) pək k’i ìat ə drùk pàt pà svàdba nì j zakàrvaa napràvo oddòma

and they’ll do the wedding another time. They didn't take her straight from her home,

6 (b) i tàpane i kam momčèto pò pišìn nèma

[to the sounds of] drumbeats, off to the boy’s [house]. In older times, none of that!

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