Babari 2026 | Vasilica in the Bair, Bitola | 13 January | PART 2

This project is supported by UNESCO, through the “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs), a project funded by the European Union that aims to foster dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. @UNESCOVeniceOffice #CC4WBs #CCI #culture #EU ⸻ Vasilica continues in motion through Bair, Bitola, North Macedonia on 13 January. The Bride — a man dressed as a woman, a liminal ritual figure — dances continuously. Through movement alone, she channels the energy of the New Year, guiding the ritual as it unfolds. She never speaks; her body performs the rite. The Babari guard her. Their presence creates controlled chaos, maintaining intensity as the procession moves through houses, yards, and streets. The Babari’s form — animal skins, bells, masks — links to regional winter masquerade traditions, showing continuity across Balkans beyond ethnic boundaries. In this video, the ritual is already underway: the movement, the rhythm, and the interaction with the environment carry the energy forward. Historical context: Vasilica is a winter ritual with millennia-old roots, originally a pagan celebration of renewal, protection, and the turning of the seasons, now integrated with the Christian feast of Saint Basil (Old New Year). It is part of a wider Balkan and European tradition of masked winter rituals, where masked and costumed figures, often in animal skins, create noise, movement, and chaos to protect the community, drive away evil, and channel seasonal energy. These rituals are living, embodied traditions, performed through dance, noise, and physical presence rather than words, and they have been passed down orally for generations. ⸻ #Babari #Bitola #Bair #Macedonia #NorthMacedonia #Mask #Masks #Tradition #Masquerade #GoatSkin #AnimalSkin #Zurna #Drum #Ethnography #Anthropology #CulturalAnthropology #Culturalheritage Ritual #Rite #Music #EthnoMusicology #Festival #newyear ⸻ If you liked this video, please 👇 👍 LIKE, 🔔 SUBSCRIBE and 💬 COMMENT for more content! ⸻ 🌟 Follow us on our other profiles: Instagram: / tijanatimebomb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dromenaworld?... Telegram: https://t.me/dromenaworld ⸻ ✨ Stay connected for more updates and cultural content!