Why Bulgarians Nod The Other Way Around?

/more interesting facts about our gestures that will surprise you…/

A short guide for foreigners

In most countries, nodding means confirmation. Many studies show that people born blind and deaf also nod for agreement, which speaks to the innate nature of this gesture. BUT for US.. Bulgarian people, things are not exactly like that.

One of our most famous strange traits is that when we disagree, we nod up and down, and when we agree, we nod left and right. Absolutely the opposite of other countries.

The story dates back to the time of Turkish slavery. The Turks asked the Bulgarians, stabbing them in the throat, whether they were denying the Orthodox faith. If the tortured answered in the negative (moving their head left and right), the Turks executed them. Then the Bulgarians change their gestures; the affirmative gesture of consent should be left and right, and the negative – up and down. So ostensibly they nodded that they agreed to change their faith, but in their souls in front of God they expressed their disagreement!

“If you rely on the gestures of your Bulgarian business partner, you can quickly be mistaken,” Catalina Schroeder

More interesting facts about us as culture and gestures:

✅ We are one of those who likes to give a thumbs up in agreement. In Greece, this is accepted as “shut up,” and in Australia it’s a pretty rude way to kick someone out. Kinda weird people, right?

✅ If you show “the devil’s horns”/ it is common at rock and metal concerts/  this is the beginning of the “party” for us. But for Italians, Albanians and Czechs, this is the beginning of a fierce battle.

MoMa Restaurant obeys each of the gestures in the way we’ve explained to you.

Find us here: https://moma-restaurant.com/en/

Bulgarian is Bulgarian. Do not say you misunderstood us. (:

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