Vidin District

Northern folklore region covers northwestern Bulgaria. Geographically, area may contain at least two subfields - Danube hilly plain (without Dobrogea) and the northern part of the Stara Planina mountain system. The boundaries of the area are emerging to the north by the Danube, to the south by the mountains to the west of the Serbian border and east of Dobrogea.

Musical instruments

Typical instruments are the wooden pipe, ocarina, bag pipe, flute, fiddle, and Shepherd’s whistle.

Folk costumes

Women's Northern costume is two-apron and consists of front and back (brachnik) embroidered aprons, embroidered white cotton shirt with lace sleeve and skirt, red wool embroidered belt. Brachnik is made of embroidered cotton pleated fabric, velvet, gold braid and lace. In the different regions the back apron has a different length, as to the east it increases in length. To the west are more colorful, with prevailing bright red color and to the east become darker. Front aprons to the west are narrower and longer.

The male costume is white and consists of tight pants, shallow in its upper part (benevretsi, cheshiri), and upper embroidered sleeveless garment or with sleeves to the elbow, without collar, with different lengths (up to the belt below the belt below the knees) white cotton shirt, tight red woolen belt, cap.

Folk dances

Characteristic of the Northern Region are the dances with small, fine steps (fine-steps folk dances). Most often chain dances start quietly, gradually quicken, then again get calm, hectic and etc. There is an alternation of fast and slow rhythms diversity. It is played in released way with ease, happily, cheerfully, with springing legs and fluttering in the shoulders ("natrishane" or "turning up" - the body vibrates). In some chain dances' the grip is on the belt, while on others - players are not holding hands. There are cases where the dancers are in short range, holding the belt or making front or back tangle of arms ("Lesi"). Dances from the plain are simpler and smoother, while in the Pre-Balkan parts are broken up, more lively and energetic. Typical chain dances are Gankino (Kopanitsa, Daichovo), Elenino, Danube, Paydushko, Grancharsko, Cherkezko, Finely Wallachian, the Straight, Shira, Uncle’s, Torlashko, Serbian-jolly, Svishtovsko, Kulsko, Angelchovo, Yankino, Daskalchovo, Denyovo, Elenska ratchenitsa, Kutsanka, Latinka and other.

Folk songs

Northern folk songs are for the harvest time (with growls) wedding, working-bees, ritual, table, Christmas, of St. Lazar, of butterfly. Typical for this area are the rebel songs, lyric, songs about mythical creatures from Bulgarian folklore (dragon, lamia). The monophonic singing is typically for this region. Popular songs are "Zableyalo mi agantse", "Nedo le, Nedke hubava," "Eleno, mome", "Mari, mome", "Malka moma Rosen Brala", "Otdolu idat ergenite", “Whose is this girl", "Rano e ranila Nine", “Janissary go, Mom", "Baba luk posela","Kitka ti padna, Deno", "Temenugo, temenuzhke", "Dunav teche, iagodo","Naklala Yanka sedianka" and others.