maximus otter
Recovering policeman
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As the world uses New Year's Eve as a time for celebration, excitement and reflection, in Romania it is custom for locals to mark it slightly differently – by dressing up as dancing bears to ward off evil spirits.
In a bizarre ritual every December between Christmas and New Year, Roma gypsies living in Comăneşti, 300km north of Bucharest, in Bacău County, an area known as the Trotus Valley put on real bear skins and parade through the streets.
The festival called Ursul - which is replicated across the country - originated from an ancient Indo-European tribe known as the Geto-Dacians, who believed bears were sacred.
According to Romanian mythology, the bear possesses the power to protect and heal.
Villagers would long ago cover a newborn baby with bear fat, to give him strength and luck.
And today they believe bear skins protect them from the spirits they are chasing out of the village.
Between Christmas and New Year communities across Romania come together and march as bears.
In the procession the 'bears' pretend to roll over and die before they are miraculously resurrected – symbolising the passing of winter and the re-birth of spring.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-wear-streets-New-Year-ward-evil-spirits.html
maximus otter
In a bizarre ritual every December between Christmas and New Year, Roma gypsies living in Comăneşti, 300km north of Bucharest, in Bacău County, an area known as the Trotus Valley put on real bear skins and parade through the streets.
The festival called Ursul - which is replicated across the country - originated from an ancient Indo-European tribe known as the Geto-Dacians, who believed bears were sacred.
According to Romanian mythology, the bear possesses the power to protect and heal.
Villagers would long ago cover a newborn baby with bear fat, to give him strength and luck.
And today they believe bear skins protect them from the spirits they are chasing out of the village.
Between Christmas and New Year communities across Romania come together and march as bears.
In the procession the 'bears' pretend to roll over and die before they are miraculously resurrected – symbolising the passing of winter and the re-birth of spring.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-wear-streets-New-Year-ward-evil-spirits.html
maximus otter
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