About Us

It has been known for ages that one should step into the glowing embers with pure soul, body and mouth.

 

"During the Turkish Yoke, in order to protect themselves from the frequent raids of the usurpers, the inhabitants of Bulgari village set up their community in the location of "Pripor", in close proximity to the banks of Veleka River.

A high-ranked Turkish officer came across the village on his way from Tzarevo to Malko Trunovo. On entering the village his eyes spotted a girl of incredible beauty, called Nuna.

He felt an impetuous and irresistible yearn to take the girl to his seraglio. The sagacious lass challenged him by telling the officer that she would obey on one condition: he had to follow the girl’s steps and pass through the same spot as her. Should he fail to fulfill this condition he had to leave the girl and the villagers in peace. The Turkish officer thought to himself: "What could that be that a girl would be able to do and I wouldn't?" However, he agreed.

Nuna asked the village men to build a fire and then spread the embers. She passed through the scorching embers and urged the Turkish officer to do the same. Naturally, he wouldn’t, yet he kept his promise. Thus the fire-dancer Nuna saved her and salvaged the villagers. Later, Nuna settled down to married life and lived long and happily with her children and grandchildren..."

One of her grandchildren, Zlata, succeeded her to the fire-dancing rite.

In due course of time, Zlata had her home and family, too, and became a leading fire-dancer of Bulgari village, but this time where it has originally been built. Grandma Zlata last performed fire dancing in 1964, whereupon the communist regime put a ban on performing this rite.

Grandma Zlata’s house is today’s "NESTINARKA" Villa – the spot that has preserved the Bulgarian spirit and heritage of fire dancing (in Bulgarian ‘nestinarstvo’), in order to pass it down to the new generations.

Welcome to the spot, in which the Bulgarian spirit and heritage of fire dancing have been preserved, in order to pass them down to the new generations!