A Naked Man Walks into a Bar...

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Babinden - Day of the Baba/Midwife, is a traditional Bulgarian festival celebrated on the 8th January which honours the village's midwives. The holiday has pagan origins. There are many traditions that surround the event and I managed to find a Bulgarian culture video that follows the women who take part in the festivities. It is in Bulgarian (I think) but can be seen here -

The women are the mothers of children that have been born in the previous couple of years. They collect water and go to the midwife's home bringing small gifts. Outside, under a fruit tree, they take turns to ritually wash her hands. In the video the gifts include things like aprons and towels. But the woman doesn't wipe her hands on the new towels, instead she wiipes her hands on the skirts of the women (to ensure fertility).

The women prepare a feast of bread, banitsa (like a filo cheese pie), grilled chicken and wine. In some parts of the country, the midwife is taken to a river or lake and is ritually bathed. Each of the women kiss the midwife's hand and gives her some food. The women sing, dance, drink cognac and make 'sexually-suggestive jokes and banter'. No men are allowed, and if they get caught out by the women as they are making their way between venues, the women demand a ransom.

Whilst watching the video, my friends and I drank some brandy and told 'sexually-suggestive' jokes.


Tomorrow - The Philippines: El Nazareno Negro.

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