Winter Customs
This section is courtesy of Travel Lady Magazine
Winter Customs in Romanian Villages
by Joyce Dalton
Few people in today's world maintain and cherish their age-old customs, as
do the villagers of Romania. Hardly a week goes by without a religious or
secular festival somewhere in Romania. Some of the best, however, take
place between Christmas and New Year's.
For the grandest winter
spectacle, head to Romania's northwestern corner by December 27 when the
"Festivalul Datinilor de Iarna" (Winter Customs Festival) takes place in
the town of Sighetu Marmatiei.
Masks hang from lamp posts and
people pack the streets. More masks‹part demon, part animal, part
indescribable‹hide the faces of young men who run through the streets as
oversized cowbells hanging from their waists clang loudly. Far from idle
Halloween fun, masks, here, are an old tradition, symbolizing fertility,
the passing and renewal of time and the good and bad aspects of human
nature. By the time the procession gets underway, everyone has caught the
excitement and the anticipation matches that of teens at a rock concert.
Accompanied by music and "colinde" (carols), some 40 to 50 groups,
representing virtually every village in Maramures, pass along the main
street. All are in traditional dress, meaning, for girls and women, stiff
white blouses with fancy work and puffy sleeves, white or flowered skirts
partially covered by striped woven front and back panels, headscarves,
embroidered black woolen vests, thick knee-high socks, a stiff ballet-type
shoe called "opinci" which laces criss-cross fashion over the socks, and
white or black wool jackets. Large homemade bags, usually of a black and
white checked design, hang by long twisted wool from shoulders. Some
walkers reach into these bags to toss rice or grain toward the viewers
which represents both prosperity and ridding oneself of bad fortune. Boys
and men don similar jackets or a white, long-haired cloak, wide white
pants, loose shirts, tooled leather belts, boots and tall hats of curly
black or gray wool.
When a group reaches the reviewing stand, they earn
a few minutes in the spotlight for a carol, a folk dance or a tune on old
instruments such as the "trambita," an extremely long horn, or the
"buhai," a small barrel through which horsehairs are pulled. Some young
men ride beautiful horses with evergreen and ribbons braided into the mane
and tails and red tassels hanging from the bridle. Gorgeous handmade
saddle cloths are ablaze with patterns of colorful flowers. Signaling the
end, a horse-drawn sleigh filled with white-jacketed youths, musicians and
of course, Santa Claus passes by the crowd. Throughout the afternoon,
folk musicians, singers and dancers perform from a stage set up by city
hall.
In many villages, especially in the northeastern province of
Moldavia, December 31 is the big day — not eve, mind you, but morning. The
tradition-packed outdoor event I observed in Verona, a 45-minute drive
from the city of Suceava, is typical. The weather may have been chilly but
neither participants nor onlookers seemed to notice. First, a choir of
schoolgirls sang old carols. Animal skin winter jackets failed to
completely hide their embroidered blouses, flowered belts and long striped
skirts from which the lacy edge of white under-skirts peeked. Colorful
hand-woven shoulder bags and black head scarves completed the costumes
which are unique to the area.
Soon, this idyllic scene gave way to the
whistles and shouts of young men who galloped out for a spirited dance of
the "caiuti," or horses. With amazingly fast foot movements, punctuated by
high kicks and boot-slaps, they maneuvered themselves and white cloth
horse heads, attached to their waists and adorned with embroidery, tassels
and a multitude of colored pom poms, around the small space. In olden
days, white horses were believed to be messengers bringing life and luck
and this dance symbolizes the bond between farmers and the animals that
pull their wagons and aid in working the land.
A clack, clack, clack
signaled that the "capra" (goat) was coming. A guaranteed crowd pleaser,
the carved wooden head is attached to a long pole which the bearer
manipulates to noisily open and close the mouth as he dances around. Any
resemblance to a real-life animal has been disguised with long ribbons, a
towering headdress and whatever other adornments flash into the creator's
mind. This dance once foretold an increase in shepherds' flocks along
with abundant crops in the new year. Today's antics are lighthearted, with
many a satirical reference to the manners and morals of the villagers.
Another festival staple is the dance of the bears (the two-legged costumed
variety). Accompanied by their Gypsy trainer and a youth beating a
tambourine-type instrument, the animals crawl through the crowd. Reaching
the centre, they perform a dance until eventually, the bears fall dead on
the ground. After their hearts are taken by the trainer, they return to
life, theoretically, a more gentle one. Even today, more bears exist in
Romania's Carpathian Mountains than any other place in Europe and this
ancient rite suggests the power of man to tame nature. Throughout the
festival, masked figures ran about, banging anything that made noise, to
frighten away any stray bad spirits that might have invaded the
merrymaking. This is another reference to pre-modern days when people
believed that spirits of the deceased wandered the Earth between Christmas
Eve and January 6. After young orators offered rhyming chants of welcome
and good wishes for the new year, the mayor presented round braided loaves
of bread, symbolizing abundance and rich harvests, to each participant as
well as to a Senator or two, who, true to the nature of politicians
worldwide, knew the wisdom of appearing at public events.
Following
the spectacle, in a scene repeated in villages and cities throughout
Moldavia, groups of children, dressed as bears, horsemen or Gypsies, made
the rounds of their neighborhoods. Announcing themselves with a jangling
bell, they touched the homeowners with a flower-adorned stick while
chanting a verse invoking them to be "strong as stone, quick as an arrow,
strong as iron and steel." In return, they received fruit, candy, a pastry
or some coins.
For those whose winter travel plans lean toward more
tropical climes, Romania offers many more festival opportunities. One of
the most well-known, "Targul de Fete," or Maidens' Fair, takes place in
July atop Mount Gaina, situated about 20 miles west of Campeni in the
province of Transylvania. In decades past, the festival served as an
opportunity for young men to meet girls from neighboring villages (and
vice versa, of course). Since this not infrequently led to marriage,
everyone dressed in his or her finest traditional attire.
With
today's less isolated lifestyle, young people no longer need an annual
event to meet. Happily, though, the festival lives on and remains a time
for traditional garb, food, music and dance along with appearances by some
well-known folk artists.
For another colorful traditional event, in an
even more splendid wooded mountain setting, don't miss "Hora la Prislop."
Held mid-August at Prislop Pass, situated along the northerly road which
connects Maramures with Moldavia, this festival attracts people from
numerous regions who come, decked out in folk costumes, to mingle and
enjoy the traditional music, songs and dance. Travelers often chance on
religious celebrations. The majority of people belong to the Romanian
Orthodox faith and it is not uncommon to come across processions of
worshipers carrying flowers and icons to a church or monastery in honor of
a significant event in the church calendar. In villages, such people most
likely will be in traditional dress.
A major religious event
takes place annually on August 15 near the Maramures village of Moisei.
Villagers from around the county make pilgrimages to Moisei's monastery
for the Feast of the Assumption. Walking in village groups, sometimes for
two days or more, the worshipers carry crosses and holy pictures. The
majority of walkers are children and young people. In a scene reminiscent
of first Communion, little girls wear pretty white dresses with white
flowers, headbands or ribbons adorning their hair. Traffic along the
narrow roads slows to a crawl as drivers wait their chance to pass these
singing, joyful groups.
After leaving the main road, the
procession continues another mile and a half up a moderately steep dirt
and rock road before reaching the spacious grounds of the monastery. Most
groups arrive on the 14th so the grass is covered with clusters of people
who have spread blankets out and are enjoying the chance to socialize and
catch up on news from neighboring villages. Some gather in a long
open-fronted shelter which has been set up for the pilgrims. Even a few
vendors have established temporary shop, hawking food and trinkets.
Surprisingly, most of the latter are completely unrelated to religion.
Many, especially the elderly, kneel in prayer before various icons set up
around the grounds. Others worship in a small wooden church, typical of
the region, dating to 1672 or in a larger, modern church nearby. On the
15th, priests lead special services for the thousands who have gathered in
the wooded setting.
With its mountains, forests, medieval sites and
traditional villages, Romania is a beautiful and rewarding destination at
any time. By planning your trip around a festival, however, you'll come
away with a better appreciation of the Romanian people and their unique
culture. And or course, you'll return home with great photos, too.
<< Back to "Traditions and Folklore"
Entire contents © 1998-2008 the Romanian Tourist Office
All rights reserved. RoNTO's prior written permission is required before parts of this Website may be reproduced in any form. The contents of this Website are for information purposes only and are not to be taken as endorsements or warranties of any kind, RoNTO shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies of the information contained in this Website or for any interpretations of that information.
|
