TUIDA

The Association “Club of Medieval Martial Arts- Ratina” at Tuida Fortress presented traditional trading techniques within the festival dedicated to the anniversary of the opening of the AltSek monument in the Italian town Chele di Bulgria.
At the invitation of the Ascension Foundation, a delegation of 10 people, headed by Milen Petrov, embarked on the shores of Italy from Sliven. On June 7, 2017. in front of the monument of the Bulgarian leader Altsek group was the main accent in the festive program. The good preparation of members of the Medieval Martial Arts Club, the warm welcome and the common historical memory brought a brilliant and emotional performance to the crowd.
Association " Club of Medieval Martial Arts - Ratina " was founded in 2015, with the seat of the city of Sliven and head Milen Petrov. The club bears its name in analogy to a legendary and long-lost ancient book containing the epic war songs of the Bulgarians. A record of this book is found in the collection of ritual folk songs, "Veda Slovena", Book II, Chapter XXI. Encumbrances.
The main goal of the club is to study the medieval Bulgarian military and preserve it in the form of traditional military art. Activities designed to achieve this goal are aimed at recreating the medieval military culture and its values by exercising the body in certain forms of armed struggle. The club's activities include: reconstruction of the medieval Bulgarian arms and clothing as a response to emerging issues in history, as well as the presentation of the various social and cultural aspects of the military lifestyle and the life of the population in the early medieval Tuida fortress - Sliven. Reproduction period: First Bulgarian State (VII-XI century).
In the club is joined all the team of Tuida Fortress and many other children and adults from Sliven. Since its founding, the Club Rathina and the team of Tuida Fortress have had numerous joint events related to medieval reenactments, martial arts, demonstrations, and participation in folk reunions held in the old cities of Pliska and Veliki Preslav, in the Markeli fortress and Varbitsa, in Aula of Bagatour School in city Stara Zagora, Mezdra, Asenovgrad, Yambol and of course in Tuida fortress.
Milen Petrov and the members of the club express their appreciation to Mr. Ivelin Mihailov and the organizers from the "Ascension" Foundation for the invitation and the opportunity "to show the world a small part of the Bulgarian fighting spirit. For all of us, it was an unforgettable experience. Thank you."
The pleasant surprises for the Sliven club and the Bulgarian delegation did not stop all the time. The Bulgarian bus, with volunteers and participants, was accompanied by Professor Margarita Vaklinova, a long - time director of the National Archaeological Institute with a museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, one of the most famous investigators of the Middle Ages. Interesting discussions, controversies and future plans accompanied the trip. On their arrival in the Campania region, the Bulgarian delegates were greeted with cities decorated with the Bulgarian tricolor, inscriptions that welcomed in the native language with "Welcome!" And many smiles. Local residents had prepared culinary tastings of homemade dishes and pastries. Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to Rome , His Excellency Marin Raykov expressed his enormous expectation for the presentation of the Sliven group on their arrival in Chele di Bulgeria.
At the Folklore Festival-Festival was also celebrated the anniversary of the twinning of the town of Veliki Preslav and Chele di Bulgeria.
The three-day program included:
- The twinning of the "St. St. Cyril and Methodius "in the town of Veliki Preslav and the village of Dragoevo and the secondary school" Chernorizets Hrabar "in the municipal center with the primary school in Podderia (Italy)
- Velotour to Mount Bulgaria
- Demonstrations of the Medieval Martial Arts Club Rathina Sliven
- Round table "Twinning ... Opportunities" - Presenters: HE. Marin Rakov Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to Rome, Adv. Corado Matera adviser to the Campania Tourism Region and Gino Marotta Mayor of Chele di Bulgaria.
- Painting exhibition
- Bulgarian folklore performances of songs and dances
- Concert of Pierra Lombardi
- Meeting with tour operators from the region
- Closing the school year for schools in Chele di Bulgaria
At the time of the Round Table dedicated to twinning and opportunities, His Excellency Marin Raykov, the Bulgarian ambassador in Rome, handed on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the honorary sign "Golden Lure Branch" to the Mayor of Chele di Bulgria - Gino Marotta. He in turn thanked and merits of the Bulgarian embassy and in particular Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Ninov Foundation Treasure Foundation and Ascension, which is due to the erection of the monument Khan Altsek in the Italian city.
The Italian settlements, allegedly of Bulgarian origin, are over a hundred: Bolgar to Bergamo, Bolger to Terni, Bolgari to Livorno, Bulgari di Cesena to Forli, Bulgarrogras to Como. The most closely connected with our history is Chele di Bulgeriya, which means "cells" from Bulgaria. It is reached after a one-hour voyage by Salerno. A steep mountain road takes you to the Mingardo Valley at the foot of Mount Bulgeria. Similar to a lying lion, the 1225-meter peak touches the southern slope of the Mediterranean Sea.
According to some authors, the Bulgarians arrive here on several waves beginning in the IV-V century, the most significant being their settlement in the 7th century when kin Asparuh's brother, Alsek, moved to Central Europe with his horde, Thousands of people. He separated himself from his older brother, who passed the mouth of the Danube river somewhere around the fortified camp of Ongala and moving along the route passing through today's cities of Sofia, Belgrade and Dubrovnik, reaching the Apennine peninsula. In 668, he asked Langobard King Greenwald let him settle on his land. The King appointed him to military service with himself and sent him with his army in Benevento. There the royal son Romuld provided the Bulgarians with a coastal area in Ravenna, together with the towns of Sepino, Ideirnia, Bolivianum (later called Boyano) and others, located in today's Campobasso area, which Bulgarians have built and developed. For the later relations between Bulgaria and Italy, the fact that in the First and Second Bulgarian kingdoms the country had an outlet on the Adriatic Sea through the Drachma region, which was inhabited mainly by the Bulgarian population, helped. The Maritime Border allowed the continuation of relations and the development of trade exchanges between Bulgaria and Italy. The number of Bulgarians settled in Italy between the third and the sixteenth century was significant. Bulgarian communities have contributed to the development of Italian society. Over the years, Bulgarians have held important positions in government, state administration, magistrates, military aristocracy, and in the institution of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1119, the Bulgarian community in Bologna founded a university called Universitato Bulgaro, one of the oldest universities in Europe. The Bulgarians have left clear traces in the names of geographical areas, mountains, rivers and localities in Italy, especially in Ravenna, Lombardy, Tuscany, Piedmont, Emilia and Umbria. In the 18th century, in the Cesena area there was a municipality named Bulgaria.
Today these relationships continue to exist and strengthen. With contagious curiosity, the inhabitants of Chele di Bulgria are looking for the dimensions of the Bulgarian.
Gino Marotta, Mayor of Chele di Bulgeriya: "I was in Bulgaria and as soon as I arrived I had the feeling that I was home. Nature is similar to ours. I found very close traits between the Bulgarians and the Italians ".
Mr. Marin Raykov, Bulgaria's Ambassador to Italy: "More and more Bulgarians come here, not only because of the incredible beauty of this beach, the place where Bulgaria descends to the sea, but I would also say for the extremely cordial attitude of Local Italians ".
In Chele di Bulgeriya everyone finds their way to the ancient past of Bulgarians and in the first year since the opening of the Altsek Monument, Sliven also left a trail in history. The presentation of the Sliven group was fascinating and memorable. It included demonstrations of medieval combat techniques - archery, scouring, sword, spear, struggle, training of young wars, and various aspects of the lifestyle and culture of ancient Bulgarians - medieval games and crafts. Stanimir Rusev, at the age of 9, was the smallest fighter who caused the greatest applause and pride of all Bulgarians in the audience.
"It was a great honor for us to be invited to this forum. Each of our participants put our heart in the preparation and presentation of the club. We will work in the future more and more committed to the preservation and preservation of the Bulgarian traditions, war, life and culture! "- Milen Petrov - Head of the Ratina Medieval Martial Arts Club at Tuida Fortress Sliven.

Photos: Guida Anna Ida - Photography and Maya Ivanova