Fire Dancers Carry out Mystic Ritual to Save Bulgarian Nature Park

Novinite.com, 28 June 2007

Fire dancing, a ritual having its roots in the Bulgarian Strandzha Mountain, was revived in the centre of Sofia as part of a campaign to protect the mountain area, which is a state natural park.

A coalition of 17 eco activist organizations organized the event, making it a symbolic summoning of the Supreme Administrative Court so that the magistrates focus their attention on the protection of the national park from destruction.

The eco activists want to preserve Strandzha's nature from illegal felling, building, poaching and draining of its rivers and lakes.

While the mystic fire dancers prepared the embers on which they later danced with their bare feet, the gathered crowd listened to authentic folklore music from the Strandzha region. Later on the people were called to put their names under assign-up to support the initiative.

Strandzha is the biggest protected natural territory in Bulgaria with its 1161 square kilometres. It was pronounced national park in order to preserve its unique bio diversity, eco systems, deeply rooted folklore customs, historical heritage and culture.

Photos