There is an unusual event of welcoming a New Year in Macedonian village Begniste (Бегниште) on every January 14th. A sense of pagan times revives, and if you happen to be there you will see people with beards made of goat hair, dressed in strange clothing belted with heavy bells. One man is always dressed in white and he represents a New Year, while there is also another one dressed in black that represents a year that is behind. This living pagan ritual called jolomary (џоломари) is not very well known, but is extremely interesting to see. So on January 14th, village Begniste is where I like to be. If you speak Macedonian you can read more about jolomary here.
– Aleksandar Elenin
Secretary
