Soldiers' going away party – these words usually evoke memories of the not too distant past when all young men in Bulgaria had to perform military service. That was a time when the young man's parents felt obliged to throw a lavish going-away party, at least in small towns and villages where the bond with popular tradition is stronger. And where what the neighbours will say still matters. And as people would say back then, seeing a soldier off was like a wedding with no bride.

Military service has always been regarded as a symbol of crossing over to manhood. The most widespread perception was that if you hadn't done your military service you could never be a real man. In the years of socialist – somewhere in the mid 20^th century – a soldier's going away party grew to be something of a substitute for the traditional rituals marking the boy's transformation into a man. We won't look for parallels with ancient rituals but there are certain binding elements that inevitably  invoke associations with them. The first of them is cutting the boy's hair – on the day of the party or the day after - and his being adorned with a geranium posy. Shaving the young man's head was a must for soldiers. And people would turn this into a special moment - perhaps a distant echo of the traditional Bulgarian wedding, when cutting the groom's hair was done with a special ritual. When he was bidding his parents goodbye to enter the conscript army the soldier was given a geranium nosegay tied with a red thread.

Another important element were the gifts. Just as if it were a wedding, the parents would make their guests presents – practical things such as towels or handkerchiefs, depending on how wealthy the family was. While the relatives of the would-be soldier would give him money. At home, at a restaurant or in the village square the table would be laden with all sorts of food. And to round off the party, it often took place to the sound of live music. Essentially, the soldier's going away party was a time to make merry, even though it meant a long separation from parents, friends and the girl he loved.

At the close of the 19^th and the beginning of the 20^th century the picture was very different. Just two years after Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman domination, in 1880, the recruitment law came into effect, introducing universal compulsory military service in the Principality of Bulgaria. In later years the country took part in several wars and many Bulgarians were killed in the battle fields. In those times too, families would get together around the table, laden with ritually prepared food, to see soldiers off. A ritual loaf and wine were a must.

And one more thing – besides the geranium nosegay, in olden times women would make different amulets to protect their loved ones. In this they would be helped by the village fortune tellers and herbalists, who were very much in the know when it comes to magical practices. According to some,  a piece of the umbilical chord of a child born out of wedlock, sown into the clothes close to the heart, would provide protection against bullets. It was once believed that it warded off all known diseases. The old skin a snake has shed was also believed to have the same potency – people would call it the snake's sublekalo – derived from the Bulgarian word for undress – or shirt. This snake shirt would be sown into a leather pouch on the inside of the soldier's clothes. It was believed that just as the master-snake protects the home, the snake skin would protect the father or the son. In some parts of the country such powers are ascribed to the skin of a snake killed on a holy day – on Annunciation day or St. George's day etc.

Folk songs in which soldiers are made mention of are usually love songs. And the story they tell is of young girls saying goodbye to their betrothed. In many of them the girl waters beautiful flowers with her tears before making them into a posy for her loved one. Songs also sing of the young bride waiting for her husband to come home but receiving no news of him. And also - “of mother's white bread and father's red wine” that relatives say goodbye to the soldier with. There are quite a few songs whose lyrics have sealed love vows and wishes:

“Grow, flower, so I may pick you... and see my beloved go away to be a soldier, to be a soldier and do his military duty. And when he returns, he shall take me as his bride...“

English version: Milena Daynova