In this edition of the Shipka Fest, already the fifth! We had the opportunity to host “Persistence Achieves the Idea”. This is a craft school created by “Svetlina – 1861”, the Community Center where us, the volunteers, participate.
The classes were held outside of the Shipka ethnographic museum, where some of the volunteering tasks also take place. There the neighbours and visitors could learn about blacksmithing, knifemaking, embroidery, flute making, pottery…, among others. It was an amazing opportunity to participate in the creation of these pieces in the traditional Bulgarian way of doing.
In order to do this, it was essential the participation of our experts in the different areas: Stefan Chakov mastered the fire at the blacksmithing, Elitsa Maksimova worked with the coloured yarn while teaching us to weave, Reneta Hristova at coppersmithing for the first time at the fest, Yordanka Nikolova at the kene station making decorative pieces, Tsyatko at whistling sharing his academic background in music, Albena Venkova demonstrating stained glass and Lyudmila Kutieva with soap making, Stanko Kirov created baskets out of wicker, Rumen Milkov at woodcarving and Desi Vladovska shaped the clay into vessels at the pottery class.
This mix of educational and cultural program never forgot about its original purpose, the transmission, preservation and popularization of Bulgarian heritage. To which we have to add the music, folk dances, exhibitions and screened films that the organization also offered to the participants. The performers were Vishna-Chereshka, Prema, Surbahar Live Band, Ambient Folklore, Isabel Sokol-Oxman, Sarina Stefanova and Soulfia. It’s also worth mentioning Hristo Tapanov’s display of drawings and paintings. And for the cinema: “Life is a Parable”, about the spiritual teachings of the White Brotherhood, “222” for the kids to reflect about nature, “Infinity Wall” from Tako Mladenov that transported us to the Patagonia, “Voev” about the life of the musician Dimitar Voev, “Is There Life Before Death” from Trifonov, “Experience Who You Are Directly” and “Meditations in the Spiritual Heart”.
Thanks to everyone who decided to participate in this edition and we’re waiting for you who’s reading this to come and join in the following editions. You won’t regret it!