Romanian Ursul: The Bear Dance on New Year’s Eve

In Romania, there is the Christmas carol which involves carolers dressed as bears. In the past, a real bear was also included in the dance. The tradition, called Ursul, is mostly kept in Bucovina and Moldova on New Year’s Eve. The tradition aims to purify and fertilize the soil for the next year. The bear cult is of Geto-Dacian origins when the bear was a sacred animal.

The photos were taken as Romanian dancers performed the “bear” dance during a traditional parade in Comanesti. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers used to tour from house to house in villages while singing and dancing to ward off evil.