Lecture: Bear Dancing in Europe

Historical Significance of Bears

• Veneration and Exploitation

  • Bears held a significant place in human history for food and cultural symbolism.
  • Archeological evidence indicates a bear cult from 60,000 years ago, including findings in France and Anatolia suggesting ritual significance.

• Anthropomorphic and Cultural Symbols

  • Bears' upright posture and diet led to legends and bear cults.
  • Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc cave in France shows early human-animal interactions.

Bear Dancing: Historical Context

• Early Records

  • Bears were used in entertainment dating back to ancient civilizations, including mentions in the Near East.
  • Ancient Rome featured performing bears alongside gladiatorial events.

• Byzantine Empire

  • Bear keepers, known as Athinganoi, were associated with Gypsies, involved in entertainment and religious practices.
  • The church condemned these practices, associating them with superstition and excommunication.

Performing Bears in Europe

• England

  • Bear dancing was noted as early as the 10th century, becoming a popular attraction by the 16th century.
  • Bear baiting, a cruel entertainment form, was popular until the 19th century when it was banned.

• Germany and Eastern Europe

  • Evidence of bear leading dates back to the 13th century.
  • Bear dancing persisted into the early 20th century, despite growing animal welfare movements.

• Russia

  • With a strong tradition of bear performances, the practice was banned in the 19th century due to animal cruelty concerns and moral implications.

• Balkans

  • Bear dancing was tied to the Roma community, with significant cultural imprints in Romania and Bulgaria.
  • Modern campaigns have worked to abolish the practice.

Bear Leading Schools

• Poland

  • The Smarhon bear academy, established in 1778, trained bears for global entertainment.
  • The practice declined due to legal bans and societal changes.

• France

  • The Erc bear school in the 19th century focused on training bears for specific tricks, eventually giving way to Gypsy performers post-WWI.

Bear Dancing in the Ottoman Empire

• Public and Courtly Entertainment
  • Bears and their leaders played roles in Imperial festivities in Istanbul and beyond.
  • Accounts from travelers highlight the prevalence of bears in Ottoman life.

Abolition and Aftermath

• Decline of Bear Dancing
  • Industrialization and animal welfare movements led to the decline of bear dancing.
  • Campaigns to end the practice often ignored the socio-economic impacts on Roma communities who relied on bear dancing for a livelihood.
  • Animal cruelty concerns led to bans, though exploitation persists in other forms.

Conclusion

• Bear dancing reflects a complex interplay of cultural, economic, and ethical factors throughout history.
• Despite its decline, the practice highlights the longstanding human-animal relationships and the ongoing dialogue between tradition and modernity.