Princesses for Sale

Teenagers dancing. Each spring in Mogila, Bulgaria, is celebrated the Gypsy Bride Market. In this festival the virginity is for sale. The honor can be bought. Every girl has a price to be agreed between the parents of the girl and the candidate. The price can range between 1.500 and 10.000€, in a country where the minimum salary is just over 100€. The market joins the Kalajdzii families, known as the thracians tinkerers, whose tradition is still alive. Many girls dress as real princesses, others prefer to dress in a modern way. They dance during hours the ring dance while grandparents and parents watch the way the young interrelate. Many girls dream to be married by the rite imposed by the tradition. Nowadays there are some girls that don’t agree with the tradition and would prefer not to marry, although they assist to these market all the times. Divorces and elopements, so far taboo, are becoming everytime more frequent. Beyond the topic, ethnologists, define it as the Kalajdzii’s disco, where the family honor is involved in a commercial transaction. This ritual has being celebrated for years, so anthropologists think is not going to change too much in future.

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Filename: h_00021709.jpg
Copyright: Eva Parey/4SEE
Image Size: 4016x2677 / 2.4MB; Bride Market Mogila Bulgaria Gypsy Kalajdzii* Tradition fair gipsies girls marriage tradition ritual commercial transaction market princesses sale festival virginity price Kalajdzii families
Contained in galleries: Women - Princesses for sale

Teenagers dancing. Each spring in Mogila, Bulgaria, is celebrated the Gypsy Bride Market. In this festival the virginity is for sale. The honor can be bought. Every girl has a price to be agreed between the parents of the girl and the candidate. The price can range between 1.500 and 10.000€, in a country where the minimum salary is just over 100€. The market joins the Kalajdzii families, known as the thracians tinkerers, whose tradition is still alive. Many girls dress as real princesses, others prefer to dress in a modern way. They dance during hours the ring dance while grandparents and parents watch the way the young interrelate. Many girls dream to be married by the rite imposed by the tradition. Nowadays there are some girls that don’t agree with the tradition and would prefer not to marry, although they assist to these market all the times. Divorces and elopements, so far taboo, are becoming everytime more frequent. Beyond the topic, ethnologists, define it as the Kalajdzii’s disco, where the family honor is involved in a commercial transaction. This ritual has being celebrated for years, so anthropologists think is not going to change too much in future.