A team of traditional well-wishers, known in Bulgaria as sourvakari, visited the National History Museum in Sofia on Wednesday.

The sourvakari ritual is usually performed in the days around Christmas and New Year's Eve and it is supposed to bring good luck, health and prosperity to the owner of the house. A group of men goes from door to door, performing the ritual and is treated to food and drinks in return.

The Bela Voda group from the town of Pernik totals 50 to 70, divided into three smaller groups. The first one, that of the bell-ringers, is the largest. They are mainly dressed in hides or strips of various colours and carry a number of copper bells with them and masks over their heads.

The second group is the "wedding" group, where one is dressed as the bride, another as the groom and there are in-laws, a priest, musicians, and guests.

The third group gathers other popular traditions, some of which are slowly dying out. The bear-keeper with his dancing bear, the gypsies and other masked individuals are represented in it, Darik News explains.

Pernik's sourvakari group usually performs its dances and rituals on the eve of January 14.

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