On a typical day, it would be another quiet morning in this quiet northern Romanian village, but not today. Since sunrise, the serene atmosphere has been disrupted by the resounding drumbeats of the band warming up as they prepare for the grand show. This show, known as "Ursul", The Bear Dance Festival, is a ritual symbolizing the cycle of death and rebirth, a tradition preserved since ancient times and still vibrant today.
It is an annual event occurring every winter as the New Year approaches, in the rural area of the northeastern Trotus Valley. People of all ages, donned in bear skins, gather to dance to the melodies of flutes and percussion, aiming to ward off malevolent spirits and welcome the coming year.
The origins of Romania’s bear dance trace back to pre-Christian times when the Romani people, originally from India, descended from the forests with bears, which would dance to entertain crowds and visit homes in exchange for scraps of food and liquor.
While this tradition persists in many villages, in urban centers like Comănești, it transforms into a vibrant parade. Hundreds of spectators line the roadsides, eagerly awaiting the procession. Children blow colorful horns, some indulge in enormous pink cotton candy, heralding the arrival of those who have spent the night preparing their costumes. The moment arrives as groups of imposing bears emerge from old vans, quickly filling the City Hall square and organizing themselves by size. Led by tamers in red uniforms and black leather boots, the bears march and dance in synchronization with the rhythmic music of pan flutes and large tambourines.
With loud roars mimicking bears, they sway their enormous heads and imitate their movements, despite the weighty fur costumes, sometimes exceeding 40 kilograms. Despite months of practice, participants sweat and strain within their skins during the ceremony. The event features several acts, including the bear tamers' use of horsehair whips, symbolic death and resurrection of the bears, and a finale where bears are lifted on sticks.
The final parade group, dressed as women in colorful dresses adorned with bells, adds to the spectacle with homemade plastic guttering carbide cannons that emit thunderous blasts, accompanied by the aroma of Țuică de prune hidden within.
All converge at Parcul Central, the main square, where each troupe performs on stage, judged on skin quality, costumes, dancing, and scenery. Despite the seeming contradiction of wearing bear skins, these creatures hold a sacred place in Romanian mythology, believed to influence the seasonal changes with their mystical ability to emerge after winter hibernation.
This ancient ritual unites the community, its significance deeply ingrained in their hearts, preserving tradition for generations to come.