Is it a crime to be Pomak? (video)

When the baby is born as every family and their first task is to they give a name him.Yes, it is easy if you know your nationality and religion. To the Pomaks this is one of the most difficult things. They give a name to the baby at the hospital the Christian name. But when they come at home, the baby gets and the other name –Muslim name. Every Pomak has got two names. In the documents is the Christian and among the members of family Muslim name. The life of the young Pomaks is many difficult because of this reason. They don’t know how to call themselves and their religion. The Pomaks celebrate the Muslim and Christian feasts. When you ask one pomak to his name he will answer you according to your nationality. If you are Bulgarian for you his answer will be Christian name. But if you are Turks he will tell you his Muslim name.
So I once asked a boy six years old from Drangovo ( Kardzhali village) who is Pomak. His answer was Ismet (Muslim name). Then I asked him if he had other name. Yes, of course, he had the Christian name-Peter. He told me that at home everyone calls him Ismet but at the school the teacher and his friends as when they go to the near town his parents call him Peter.The boy was confused, he didn’t why he has two names. Then he asked me if I have got two names. My answer was “No, I haven’t got.” He pondered over it and went to home to ask his parents. The boy didn’t know the answer but the adults knew.
Young Pomaks felt ashamed of that fact. Marriage is the determining factor. If they marry a Christian, define their religion as Christian, and if they marry their Muslim religion is now Muslim. But when marriage is between them, so the problem goes to the grave.
Who buries The Pomaks?
On this day Pomaks instead of mourning the death of his neighbor. They think what they will do if the priest or imam refuses to perform the bury rite. If one of The Pomaks is with the Christian name ,the imam refuses to bury him. Yes, but the priest also refuses to bury under the pretext that the pomaks aren’t Christians.
Recently a friend of mine died of Pomaks, who always said that he is a Christian and he wants to bury him priest. His relatives put on a suit him (like Christians) and they went to the priest, but he categorically refused to bury him. Then they went to the imam. But he also refused, because Muslims are not buried in a suit. After many requests, he agreed. He performed the funeral rite only in that case was a dead man suit.
This is the life of Pomaks. Throughout his life The Pomaks wonder what they are. Sometimes they are ashamed and other time they feel sad. They ask themselves: Is it a crime to be Pomak?
Pomak girl

Pomak wedding

Pomak wedding