Brasov customs

 This is the reason there was such a crown on the streets of Brasov...and I was so glad to be part of...as a spectator :) The Juni of Brasov. 

The Juni (youth) festival takes place in Braşov at the end of May. Perhaps the largest and most colorful event in the city, the festival begins with a gathering of people at Uniri Square. From there, young men from the Şchei neighborhood of Braşov (formerly a traditional Romanian village), dressed in folk costumes parade through the city on horseback followed by bands of musicians and crowds of participants, ending at Soloman’s Rocks.. Some of the costumes are over 150 years old, trimmed with up to 4,000 spangles weighing close to 88 pounds!  

Originally, Juni of Braşov used to stretch over 10 days: it started on March 25, on the day of Blagoveştenie – an important holiday in the folk and religious calendar – continuing past Palm Sunday for another eight days until Easter Sunday. The celebration combines pre-Christian and Christian practices celebrating the ritual death and rebirth of the seasons. It is a mystery whether it originated as an initiation ritual of the young or whether it marked the only day of the year when Romanians were permitted to enter the Saxon town of Kronstadt (Braşov).

Certain rituals were carried out at precise times of the day, with interdictions connected to the age of the participants in these rituals, ritual feasts and dances (the căţeaua, the hora) were organized, ritual items were used (the fife, the mace), fertility and virility practices took place, etc. The hora at Solomon’s Rocks once functioned as a folk trial, because those who disrespected the rules imposed by the community were not permitted to join the circle. If they did join the circle, the hora was stopped until they left it.

 Many of the original purposes of these rites were lost once the village of Şchei became a district belonging to the city of Braşov, but the celebration remains nevertheless an extremely interesting event. One practice that remains unchanged is throwing the mace, a test of men’s power and virility.  -> info source  <-

It was one of the few things that made me proud of being Romanian...A true show of  power, beauty, strength, control, distinction and delicacy. Hope you enjoy the pics!

 See ya soon!

Love,  Gab~

One step closer to spring!

Started the day with a delicious Chicken Salad made by Mate and then we headed to the "Martisor" Market. If you're not aware of the romanian customs, then sit back and learn something new, because this is a   tradition that you won't hear somewhere else but in this country. Every year the festive day of  March 1st,  brings back to us renewed hopes, confidence, faith in good fortune and a prosperous life. It is life, spring and the shining sun which win the battle against chilly weather, overcast skies and the nasty days of the Babe (the first 9 days in March). This triumph of rebirth and regeneration could not be better embodied but in the Martisor ( a trinket, March amulet) offered to loved ones in early spring.

The white and red thread of this amulet (a coin, money cowrie) which parents customarily tied around their children's wrist, young men offered to young women, and young women used to exchange among themselves was believed to bring good luck, good health, "like pure silver, like the river stone, like the seashell".

Hope I made you curious! :)

Here are the cutest ones I've seen at the market! Adorable! 

These are the ones that joined me home :)

Love, Gab~

Easter Day part 1

The forecast predicted a rainy day...so I wasn't really happy to go outside when I remembered we were invitede to Inna's home for the Easter Day meal. But, surprinsingly enough, when I woke up it was quite sunny. And I do respond well to sun, cause it's all good energy :)

I soon started to lay the table for breakfast with both some gifted goodies and some Easter red painted eggs that I did for the first time all by my self in the last several years. It was fun :) I only painted a few, cause it's no use to make a tone just for 2 people. And eggs are not really my cup of tea anyway...

So, here are some pics with the "papa"- it's "food" in romanian. :)

It's all romanian traditional food cooked for Easter. It's mostly lamb products.

Nice red Easter eggs, huh?

customs and traditions in Neamt

More than a couple of years passed since I last visited my grandparents in the Neamt region. What's special about this area is during winter time (around New Year) people have lots of customs, traditional dances preserved since decades ago...I really wanted to see them this year, I got some videos too, but till I'll sort them, enjoy the pics (and the info)!! Plus I had two cousins costumed...I had to be there!

A bit of info : The life of the Romanian peasant has always been structured around the yearly cycle of labour, agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, fishing and beekeeping. The life of a peasant has always meant making the land productive, not with the aim of becoming rich, but simply to assure a good living for his family. The yearly cycle is also followed in traditions and beliefs, many related to a good crop and placating the spirits. Among the most important traditional beliefs are the ancestors’ spirits, which are said to return among the living during the winter holidays from Christmas to Epiphany. They do not come with harm in mind and are paid due respect. If these spirits delay the return to their own land there is a risk that they could turn dangerous.The same mask playing tradition recounts also beliefs in the supernatural powers of animals, such as the bear (symbolizing protection and strength), the goat, the ram, the ostrich, which are represented with realistic masks.

I got the chance to see many relatives along with old friends and the weather was so warm for this period of the year, that allowed us to enjoy the show!