Pomak Turks of Ribnovo keep their traditions alive for centuries

Muslims Pomak Turks living in the village of Ribnovo, located in the southwest of Bulgaria, continue to keep the tradition of weddings alive with their traditional clothes inherited from their ancestors.

People in Ribnovo, one of the most crowded villages where Bulgarian Turks live, have been attending weddings with their colorful clothes of every age for centuries.

In Ribnovo, which stands out with its rituals in festive weddings, the faces of brides wearing traditional clothes are adorned with masks and stamps.

Ribnovo, which has a mountainous geography, also manages to protect its young population, unlike the migration problem seen in other villages of the country.

The residents of Ribnovo hosted the members of the Balkan Turks Culture and Solidarity Association (BAL-TÜRK) coming from Kocaeli and presented sections from these rituals.

The Honorary President of the Association, Bayram Çolakoğlu, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that within the scope of the "Balkans Living in Kocaeli Project", they organized programs for immigrants who migrated in previous years, and they listened to the migration memories of immigrants.

Explaining that they wanted to see and promote the traditions in Ribnovo closely in the second leg of the project, Çolakoğlu stated that the village is located at a very high altitude and it is a bit difficult to reach due to its geographical location.

"People come sometimes just to see them"
Stating that the people in Ribnovo are very friendly and that the region is one of the favorite villages of Bulgaria with its unique traditions, "The village is known for its colorful weddings. They hold weddings here with their unique clothes, which have a long tradition that dates back to centuries, maybe even a thousand years. People sometimes come just to see them," Çolakoğlu said.

Çolakoğlu pointed out that the streets of Ribnovo are narrow and this shows that the village has an ancient history and said:

"It has an architecture designed according to the old period. As you can see, it is a village where there are plenty of children. The biggest deficiency in Bulgaria right now is the scarcity of young people and children. There is an emptiness and seclusion in the villages, especially since there are many families going to European countries and young people who follow them. but this village is one of the villages with exceptions. This village is a village that keeps this ancient tradition alive and tries to keep it alive with its own headman administration, school and students to keep it alive. In this sense, traditions have become the identity of this village. It is known for its traditions. Bulgaria' 's international tourism promotions feature the traditions of this village. This is an important point."

Explaining that the villagers love Turkey very much and that Pomak Turks, their kin, and relatives live in the region, Çolakoğlu noted that the global system of the world could not enter here too much, and they attributed the adherence to traditions to this.

Pointing out that the villagers also use their traditional clothes in daily life, "There is a traditional dress that absolutely everyone can wear, especially in ceremonies and societies. He comes here by wearing it, that is, we are in an age where almost all nations in the global world look alike. People show the same reflexes, they use the same fashion. I hope this tradition continues before it ends," he said.

"I want our tradition to be passed on to future generations"
Saniye Huneva, 63, who has 3 children and 3 grandchildren from the village residents, said, "We have been dressing like this for as long as I can remember. We celebrate Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr holidays. In the past, the fabrics were simpler, now the fabrics are more colorful because they are brighter. I want this tradition to be passed on to future generations. I want her to dress like that too."

Asan Ristemov (35) also explained that Ribnovo is known as a "village with tradition" in Bulgaria.

Ristemov pointing out that these traditions were tried to be destroyed with communism, "But the people of Ribnovo are very different. They have preserved them because of their religiousness and their devotion to their traditions and customs. These people's nature also ensured the protection of the village," said.