Village Culture. Culture in Villages.

Village Culture.
It is a village of 200. One bar, one flour mill, two places to buy food, and a bunch of farms. The village of Stefan Stambolovo does not have a school - not surprising given the fact that there are no children to attend.

The Old Mill [machines are circa 1920's].

In the mornings, there is a shuffling group of grandmas (babas) heading to the store to pick up bread. By the afternoon, the bar regulars have put down more than their fair share of brew. And, the dust from the flour mill seems to filter out whatever color might have made it to this little place. Roaming around the washed out, dusty scene are various livestock: cows, goats, geese, and ducks mainly. [side note: a flock of geese now rates top on my list of ‘most annoying sounds to wake up to.’ Seriously, it is horrible.]

The abondoned school.

Sadly, there are tons of places like this all over Bulgaria. With no children around, the median age only drops when yet another death notice is posted. One of the babas had to stop planting her garden (which for decades had been her main source of food) because at 90 years old, her back just couldn’t take it. She still sends her children and grandchildren (who have moved to bigger towns) fresh jam, canned veggies, and fresh butter as often as she can. She, with a few others all over the world, is living out the conclusion of an era. The tools they use, their houses, their daily lives have already made it into Museums [i.e. Naper Settlement]. And, when you stand in the center of this place, you get the feeling everyone is waiting for the inevitable. The end.


Culture in Villages.

But, it is not all gloom and doom. Some Bulgarians [Rossen Donev - photographer and Milko Bojkov - painter] put on a cultural exhibit in the town this past weekend. Paintings, film, and photography were on display – all for free.

The painter owns a house in the village and has converted a building into a gallery. This year, he focused on the village itself - from the old pictures they dug up, to paintings and photographs they made.

"Village Movie
Peace Corps /USA/
Presented
Today, 16.X.2004 at 17 o'clock
in Village Hall
Italian Film
ROME
entrance free"

The film was the Fellini classic – Rome.

The turnout was pretty good considering there are only 200 people and it was raining. Again, this project is not going to cure cancer or stop the village from fading out – but, the ‘something is better than nothing’ rule applies. Do what you can, and hope it helps someone.

The Kids.

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