Ursul – The Bear

Ursul – The Bear

This custom is known only in Moldavia, a part of Romania, on the Christmas Eve. In this case a young person dresses up in a bear costume adorned with red tassels on its ears, on his head and shoulders. The person wearing the bear costume is accompanied by fiddlers and followed by a whole procession of characters, among them a child dressed-up as the bear’s cub. Inspired by the crowd’s singing:

„Dance well, you old bear,
And I’ll give you bread and olives”,

the bear grumbles and imitates the steps of the bear, striking strongly against the earth with the soles of its feet to the sound of drums and pipes.
Filmed and produced by Rofilco Film Studio, Iasi, Romania