What and who is Trifon?

The days are growing longer, but the cold is still rolling along each day as we wear our winter clothes and start to count on to the month of April, spring and work again on the land. There are a tough plant that needs attention, the vine. It is the first task of the agricultural calendar - it has a name and a special day, a celebration day as always in Bulgaria. Trifon Zarezan, pushes itself forward as the day of the grower and wine this falls on February 14.

In Skalitsa the celebration of the first cutting of the vine took place a week earlier, but officially 14th February is the allocated day Nationally. Going back many years it used to be the first day of February, but somehow it now has arrived in modern times two weeks later - I don't think it is to do with global warming, more from a date of convenience.

Back to the poetic tale of Trifon; Bulgarian land goes back from time immemorial and with that sacred land people here have been taught to grow vines and make wine from its grapes,. It is not only taught but celebrated before during and after the labours on the land. There is no end to joy and celebration in Bulgaria with the wine that is worn throughout the year.

In past centuries, the feast of the vine and wine in Thracian lands remain to this day. There are folk festivals and customs in Bulgaria with the old pagan traditions remaining, even before the arrival of Slavs and Bulgarians took hold in the Balkan Peninsula.

Zarezan Trifon has always been regarded as just a folklore representation. He was Christianised with attachment to a young patron Saint Trifon who moving into a village called Komsada Maloaziyskata on February 14. The Bulgarians that were involved with this, not shy of fun invented the legend of Trifon and how you cut the nose of the vineyard with kosera (Bulgarian secateurs) and therefore become embedded a ritual from these moments on tagged with the name Trifon.

It is vital that each year vines are well trimmed to make good grapes and good grapes subsequently make good wine and if the wine is not up to standard, further down the line good Rakia is the safety net. A good wine raises Bulgarians good thoughts and leads to good deeds, that's what makes it so good here.

Cutting the First Vine in Skalitsa

This Sunday 7th February was celebratory day in Skalitsa village where the first vine is cut. This happens in various areas of Bulgaria where top-notch politicians are seen to perform the first snip of the wine-giving vine.

In Skalitsa this happens every year, but I've missed the last two and only got to witness this one by accident with neighbours begging us to go with them to the village centre. To be quite honest I wasn't really in the mood and wanted to spend quality time with Galia, as we don't get to do that during the week.

We decided that I would go alone, as Galia knew she would be the topic of conversation in the village centre with Skalitsa representing many villages in the area. Instead, all I got was 'Where's Galia?' when I arrived there and mixed into the crowds. I have written a detailed account of this day in my first year here which is due to be published soon on my other blog (365 Bulgarian Adventures) so I won't go into to much details for fear of repeating myself.

Needless to say, I understood far more this year than I did on my first year here. Basically there are a lot of speeches, performance or poetry, acting, singing, dancing and many speeches from the politicians who never miss a trick to gain favouritism in the public eye. The television cameras were there as well, I noticed they just focused on the VIPs speeches and actions and one or two side events form villagers, understandably mainly geared towards national interest.

The event gives prizes to villagers who had entered the wine and Rakia competitions. There were many categories of wine and Rakia and it is a big accolade to win, where they get a certificate and prize. The main winners were from Skalitsa, that wasn't bias, jus that Skalitsa is one of the biggest villages in the area and more people from Skalitsa entered the competition.

At the end of the ceremony and much public talking and performing and after quite a few glasses of free red wine served from a massive wooden wine barrel. I don't often drink wine so it was a very pleasant change as the mingling went on. Finally, with a candyfloss in hand I went back to see Galia. If you want to see more of the event visit the report was made by the Yambol press, it's in Bulgarian but the pictures give you a taste of what went on, very colourful. www.yambolnews.net

By the time I had got back the candyfloss has almost disappeared it had just seemed to evaporate. I'd never remembered candyfloss evaporating when I was a kid, but then it was eaten straight away. Galia looked at me curiously as I offered her a stick! I'm sure she though I had eaten it en route. With that we both enjoyed the rest of the afternoon pruning our own vines in the summer-type day in February.

Photograph of the kid and the candyfloss is courtesy of www.bouncekrazee.co.uk