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Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur: Without a national programme, the cultural heritage is wasting and dissipating and it cannot be optimally valorised by the current and future generations

Patrimony Romanians

Revival of a village: The power of volunteering at Stejărișu, Sibiu County

Valorisation of traditions at Găujani, Giurgiu County: School uniforms with traditional motifs

Capu Câmpului Commune, Suceava County: Touristic farm – a modern concept of rural tourism

RĂDĂCINI DE ŢARĂ EUROPEANĂ Rural Romania – No. 20

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NSU, Department of Publications, March 2015 ISSN 2393 – 123X ISSN-L 2393 – 123X © NRDN, 2015

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Copyright for photographs: Liviu Brădean, GAL Colinele Iașilor, GAL Bucegi-Leaota, Kurt Hieldcher, Mihaela Olteanu, Mircea Ursache, Cornelia Enache, Florin Cramariuc, Mariana Chiriţă, Virginia Linul, Stela Boca, Gabriel Neacșu, Tiberiu Ghiţă, Ștefan Constantin, Ion Tiţa Nicolescu, Nicolae Muntean, Dumitru Sofonea, Adela Petre, Fundaţia Austria Pro România, Sorin Radu CONTENTS

EDITORIAL ...... 3

INTERVIEW Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur, coordinator of the Thematic Work Group of the National Rural Development Network regarding the immaterial cultural patrimony: Without a national programme, the cultural heritage is wasting and dissipating and it cannot be optimally valorised by the current and future generations ...... 4

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Patrimony Romanians ...... 8

Let us build traditionally ...... 12

Spring customs – Mărţișorul (Trinket worn in honour of the 1st of March) ...... 14

Incursion in history and traditions at Golești Museum from Argeș County ...... 16

The wood spoons of the artisans from Spanţov support the development of the commune ...... 18 Valorisation of traditions by entrepreneurship at Găujani, Giurgiu County: school uniforms with traditional motifs and cultural events ...... 20

Calendar of our villages ...... 22 Tourism in the countryside in Romania: accommodation in patrimony houses, local food and visits at the “last Mohicans” of trades ...... 26

PEOPLE

Florin Cramariuc, the artisan from Bucovina: “The wood is alive. It tells you what it wants to become” ...... 30

Valuable ethnographic collections in the villages from Vrancea County ...... 32

Virginia Linul, from Nösnerland, carries forward the tradition of the national costume ...... 34

Old Man Pupăză, the wood wizard from Maramureș ...... 36

EXPERIENCES My farm :

Touristic farm – a modern concept of rural tourism in Capu Câmpului Commune from Suceava County ...... 38 My business:

Local initiative at Cocorăștii Mislii, Prahova County: Traditional costume shop, ten jobs in the community ...... 40 My community:

The power of volunteering at Stejărișu. Revival of a village ...... 42

UPDATED LEADER

„Colinele Iasilor” LAG supports the development of the village ...... 44

Funds accessed through “Bucegi – Leaota” LAG - a “breath of fresh air” for the members ...... 46

MARD News ...... 48

INTRODUCTION OF NRDN MEMBERS ...... 50 România ru rală – Nr. 5

2 Editorial

Patrimony of our villages?

We are probably living a paradox: we are rich and poor at the same time! Our villages, left by the young people just because they do not seem to provide them with perspectives, have a great wealth that is not taken into account, and, therefore, not valorised: the cultural patrimony and traditions.

Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur, a well- known ethnologist and coordinator of the Thematic Work Group of the National Rural Development Network regarding the immaterial cultural patrimony, warns that without a national programme, our cultural heritage is dissipating and it cannot be valorised. He believes that an inter-ministerial effort is necessary in order to promote specialists at the level of all institutions which have a role in this field. At the same time, in order for the children to learn at school about their roots and the where costumes are made for folkloric Sibiu County. The locality has revived values of Romanian village, ensembles has determined the thanks to the implication of the cherishing and protecting them later, creation of ten jobs. At Gaujani, inhabitants. The villagers, many of it is necessary for ethnology to be Giurgiu County, a similar initiative them without a job, attended included in school curriculum. has also included the execution of qualification classes in various fields, school uniforms with traditional and they did volunteering in the We have among us Romanian people motifs. community as practice. Through the who are declared Real Human carried out activity, the facades of old You can also find out the stories of Thesauruses by the Ministry of houses were renovated, and a few some artisans: Virginia Linul has Culture within a UNESCO initiative of buildings from the village were acknowledgement and promotion of taken the national costume from transformed into accommodation the national artisans. One of the Bistriţa-Năsăud to Smithsonian premises for tourists. articles is dedicated to them. From Museum from Washington; the gates another article you can find out from Maramures made by Patru We hope you will also enjoy information about a few patrimony Godja called Pupaza have reached houses renovated with care and Spain, in an outdoor museum; Florin discovering the traditions from the included in the touristic circuit, and Cramariuc from Bucovina is known calendar of the Romanian villages at also about some of the “last for the wood objects he creates – the boundary between seasons. Mohicans” of the trades they have. furniture, sledges, jewellery boxes, We also offer you a few examples of dowry chests – and he receives orders Viviana Vasile , Team Leader of valorisation of the local traditions and even from Japan! One of the most „Establishment and Support of the trades. At Cocorastii Mislii, Prahova beautiful examples of solidarity and National Rural Development County, the establishment of a shop vision is of Stejărișu Village from Network” Project

3 Rural Romania – No. 20

Interview

Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur, coordinator of the Thematic Work Group of the National Rural Development Network regarding the immaterial cultural patrimony: Without a national programme, the cultural heritage is wasting and dissipating and it cannot be optimally valorised by the current and future generations

forced cooperativization, accelerated industrialization, and, finally, in the era of Ceausescu, the aberrant policy of “village systematization”, we were unfortunately left with the general mentality of “a peasant population” in a pejorative sense. What saves us from this true historical, social and cultural depression, makes me happy to say as ethnologist, is the miraculous survival, especially, but not exclusively, in the mountain and around mountain areas, of the exceptional ethnic and cultural values, reminiscences of a superior and bright classical village culture and civilisation of ancient and medieval origin, which astonish the entire works and even make the country brand specialists exclaim: “Come to Romania to discover your own origins ” (Sue Wood, Sibiu, 2007).

With these values, whose survival is truly miraculous for the post- modernist era, we certify, at universal level, the destiny of “custare” (“a custa” – to survive in • Ethnography and Ethnology Are we still a peasant harsh historical conditions) of the must be included in population? How were we Romanian people and of our gymnasium, high-school and influenced by the communism peasant culture (“by enduring and university curriculum. and which are the effects of the singing doina”), providing us with • We need to collect the values first post-communist decades? the illustrious quality of remaining belonging to historical and among the “last peasants from cultural patrimony from each Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur: Based on the “short-sighted” policy Europe”. locality (village, commune) adopted in 1990 (of returning the and to collaborate with land properties “on the old The communism did “not specialists in the field of locations”), the absence of a land influenced us”, but destroyed, both preservation, protection, reform programme, considering structurally and organically, the transfer and valorisation of that anti-peasantry rural policies universe of our rural world – so the cultural patrimony. have been operated since 1950, like powerful and balanced for more than a thousand years – by

4 implementing collective farms / Romanians have the impenitent what we, the Romanian people, agricultural production feeling of being abandoned (the should understand/think/feel – cooperatives, by disowning the same as a ship abandoned by the when we refer to the cultural peasants from their land, animals entire crew in an outrageous storm), patrimonial thesaurus – essentially and their entire agricultural confused – without a national comes to the two expressions inventory, making them programme for the restoration of acquired hundreds or even proletarians, by physical liquidation rural economy (until the thousands of years ago: to inherit- of the elites of the rural world (by appearance of the National Rural inheritance (from the same family imprisoning, deportation and Development Programmes), with the Thracian words mosii and classification as “people’s enemies” atomized – by dissipating “in all the mosia (estates and estate) and – with persecuting and rigorous corners of the world”, stateless – by zestre (dowry, from the Latin word treatment), by odd atheist being deprived of the most “dextra, ae” – which refers to propaganda, in villages and elementary rights, humiliated – by “solemn promise”). These forbidding all Christian customs, all the degrading poverty, many of expressions “cover” the entire of these competing for the them ending dependant on the customary cultural patrimony destruction of the sense of the “social aid”, desperate by the transmitted from generation to private property and the sense of inexistence of jobs for them and generation (material and own ethnic and cultural identity. their children, exasperated – not immaterial/spiritual, monumental seeing any hope, future and and objective, utilitarian and The effects of the suicidal perspectives. artistic, laic and religious), as an indifference policy on the ancient custom (the synonym of the “peasantry”/rural population from Disastrous for the entire nation was neologism “tradition” adopted in the “transition” period (in the the lack of any national ideal after the second half of the 19th century) opinion of Ferdnand Braudelle, the 1990, accentuated by the painful and not only as inheritance from the peasantry being the “conjunctive feeling of humility caused by the parents, but as a loan from out tissue of the history” – that which incapacity of working their land, of descendants, with the holly promise “binds” the other tissues of the finding a purpose in their own (especially of our governors – national body) consisted in: the country (the only social echelon treasurers of the nation!) to humiliating poverty of the rural which makes an exception is transmit it to the descendants not population from numerous areas, represented by the young endowed altered, but even enriched. depopulation of the villages with people apt for integration in the adult and young generations who universal civilization, reactivating No distinction should be made are apt for work – which caused the the ancient aphorism: “ubi bene, ibi between the categories of this abandonment of millions of patriae” – where I feel good, there is national thesaurus with regard to hectares remained unworked, my country). The danger of our the value and importance of each exclusion of the young people, who denationalization is imminent, if one, just like a parent should not left in search of another destiny “in the governors do not urgently find make any distinction between his foreign countries”, many of them solutions for the re-establishment of children! becoming “servants on foreign the national economy and plantations” (some of them, in true restoration of the balance of the As ethnologist, what worries slavery conditions!), the final effects social and national structure, and bothers you most consisting in the huge majority starting with the rural area. nowadays? import of agricultural products outside the country and When we talk about the rural Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : As an implementation of a quasi-general patrimony, what should we old (“veteran” discharged after defensive mentality of atony and protect first? What matters the serving the “cultural army” of the disgust. most: buildings or traditions? country for almost half a century) ethnologist and ethnographic How would you define the Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : museum curator I am bother by Romanian nation today, Instead of the collocation used by many aspects, but if I have to choose regarding especially to the you “rural patrimony” – which two of my sufferings, these would relationship with itself, with refers rather to the land patrimony be: the disappearance of its identity? Are we a confused – I prefer the two collocations, Ethnography and Ethnology from nation in danger of losing its which became universal after the any school, high-school or identity? two UNESCO Conventions: “natural university curriculum (this being and cultural patrimony” (1972) and the first condition undertaken in an Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : “immaterial cultural patrimony” unconscious and suicidal way by Nowadays, the majority of (2003). From their perspective, those who led the destinies for

5 Rural Romania – No. 20

Learning and Education in post- with the most diverse touristic the world, a library dies” - and by communist Romania!) and the routes from all over the country, like paraphrasing this saying, we can say absence of a governmental inter- the one of the “traditional trades that every time an old person dies, a ministerial programme which to and fairs”, “national costumes and tradition, an old lesson, a custom, strictly apply (because our ancient customs”, “holidays and an experience of great cultural or lymphatic tissue is much too weak calendar rituals during the year”, utilitarian value dies with him/her), and slack) both the laws of the “symbolist masks and rituals”, that I think it is redundant to give Culture and Cultural Patrimony, “patrons of churches and only one example. adopted in the period of Democracy, monasteries” – holidays when the Still, looking at the “fakes” which and all the relevant Conventions Christians wear their holiday appeared just like mushrooms and Recommendations of the clothes, of “village museums and grow, in all our villages, with regard European and universal bodies, collections” – of inestimable value to architecture, folkloric art and promoting, at the level of all by rewriting the local history etc., is even to the national costume or institutions of scientific research, the best evidence that, without a folklore, I would say that what has valuable object collection and national cultural programme in the been essentially and irrecoverably patrimonial preservation of field of the Immaterial Cultural lost from the conscience of our valorisation by education, Patrimony, the entire national peasants within the last 65 years is specialists with the highest cultural legacy scatters, dissolves, the classical template of beauty – qualification and excellent dissipates, ignored, anonymised because beautiful (frumos) in managers. and not valorised neither from the Romanian comes from the classical national educational perspective, Latin word “formosus, a, um”, Where do you recommend us nor from international touristic which means “perfect shape”. to go in order to discover the perspective! Hence, we forgot, in an traditional village? overwhelming sentence, the Could you mention any of our beautiful shape of things and also of Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : The traditions which may go the relationships between people “traditional village” does not exist. extinct? and of the good customs. It is a simple convention, an artistic license. Thank God, we find a Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : So What can we do in order not to multitude of traditional values in many traditions have went extinct be suffocated by fakes and today’s Romanian village, in almost within the last quarter of the kitsch? all ethnographic areas. That we do century and they go extinct every not have a “national map of day (it is said that “every time an old Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : You immaterial cultural patrimony” man dies in a village forgotten by can “fight” kitsch only by adopting

6 the “technique of the passionate gardener”: cutting with the hoe, again and again, from the root, any weed that invades the flower or vegetable garden, with the stubbornness with which he waters the seeds and plants during drought periods or shelters them when it is cold or mildew outside. But for this we should have “passionate gardeners” on all the “fields” of Romania!

In the case of folkloric creators, it is recommended to educate them in the spirit of the true traditional values, and in the case of the public benefiting from the folkloric culture, we should educate it to vehemently reject all non-values and all fakes! What is to be done? To “take us the memory of the nest from which The Romanian village is poor seriously” with the seriousness with we left”, which means to be always and impoverished, and the which the Romanian peasant aware that, at any level of young people leave. But, the worked his land, to project our own representation – whether foreigners say that the destiny with the responsibility with individual, community, regional, Romanian village is full of which our peasants trained national or universal – we cannot richness just because it still generations – whom to inherit and define and claim our own cultural has the traditional trades and succeed them, to be all aware that identity without relating to these agricultural practices alive. “we will answer” to the future cultural ethnic-defining values. What can we do to valorise this generations for our today’s wealth and support young unworthiness! In the capacity of coordinator of the people in building a future in Thematic Work Group no. 8 of the the rural area? What should we do in order to National Rural Development promote and support this Network (dedicated to the Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : The patrimony? Immaterial Cultural Patrimony), I assessment regarding the “richness declare with all responsibility that that abounds in villages”, with Prof. Dr. Corneliu Bucur : First the new National Rural regard to traditional trades, old of all, to record, with maximum Development Programme and the agri-zootechnical practices, famous seriousness and professional new policies and strategies of the recipes from ancient times etc. is so accuracy the “current stage of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural erroneous. In reality, just by what cultural patrimony” from each Development provide an you declare in the same phrase (“the locality. I have proposed such a unexpected chance of remediation young people migrate abroad en project under the National Rural of the critical situation in this field. masse”), our cultural traditions, Development Network, namely, irrespective of their type, are going “Systematic recording of the local – Of course, it would be desired for extinct: the old artisans have no communal, village – values the Government of Romania to descendants, the state does not belonging to the historical and decide upon the implementation of encourage the maintenance of cultural patrimony in a repertoire”. a synergic programme at the level of traditions (we have no law which to Then, we should do everything that all ministries that are responsible protect the act of traditional stays in our power, at local level, in for the “development of sustainable creation, irrespective of the fact that order to keep these values rural civilization in Romania in the it is a trade, a national costume, unaltered, educating the young 21st century” as we undertook as a plastic arts, music instruments, people in the spirit of knowing and nation by promoting the Resolution folklore!), and it seems that this cherishing them. Therefore, to treat project (with this enunciation) at phenomenon, which is truly tragic the cultural traditions, saving them the Earth Summit from Rio de for the preservation of our ethno- from alteration or extinction, with Janeiro in June, 2012, adopted cultural identity, is of no interest for the feeling that they represent the under “Rio+20 Resolution”. the government of Romania or for supreme chance of “our high flight the ministers of Culture! towards the vastest horizon, with

7 Rural Romania – No. 20

Rural development

Patrimony Romanians

The true thesaurus of Romania is still in with the Great Award of the Union of corresponding. When she came to the country; it was not lost abroad. It is a Fine Artists. “ I have a small tambour, Romania, she saw me spinning goat Romanian traditional cultural which is one hundred years old, and I hair and she wanted to kiss my hands inheritance; artisans, ceramics and pre- take it everywhere with me. I also have during weaving. She said that those Christian Christmas carols. A part of the four vertical looms. Everywhere I go, I were not human hands. She is still Romanian cultural thesaurus was make trade demonstrations, I spin and asking me to come to America; she told included in UNESCO patrimony. I weave under people’s eyes. In 1999 at me that whenever I want to go, she will Washington, in Smithsonian Folklife provide me with plane tickets! ” Adela Petre, the waver whose hand Festival, people gathered around me Laura Bush wanted to kiss and they could not believe what was Adela Petre is also the only keeper of the coming out of my hands. I donated to traditional motif called “Calul de Buzau” At 86 years old, Adela Petre astonishes Smithsonian Institute the largest carpet (Horse from Buzau), which she made the world with her goat hair woven I have ever done ”, remembered Mrs from goat hair in combinations of red fabrics. In 2012, the Ministry of Culture Adela Petre smiling. The fame of Adela and black. “ Calul de Buzau is my granted her the title of Alive Human Petre reached the high circles of favourite. It was lost, but I reproduced it Thesaurus, acknowledging her as a American politicians. Hilary Clinton, from a very old album; we were in the keeper of an important folkloric trade. Laura Bush and Jull Biden are a few of Communist years when I sewed it on a She learnt to weave from her the admirers of her talent. “ When Jill towel. It is a motif typical for the area of grandmother in her childhood years Biden came to Romania, I have stayed Buzau. I like to respect the folkloric spent in a village from Buzau. After for one week at «Dimitrie Gusti» Village ornamental motifs: water wave, finding all the secrets of the traditional Museum and made demonstration. I crinkled flower, zigzag ”. The weaver weaving, Adela Petre had the idea of moved her to tears. Hilary Clinton was only goes out dressed in the national using goat hair for rugs, interior astound to see at once three generations costume. “ I do not go anywhere without ornaments and carpets. The first carpet of weavers in my family: me, my my national costume on; I wear blind made of goat hair spun in a vertical loom daughter and my grand-daughter. And skirt without stripes. On the night of the and woven on tambour also provided her with Laura Bush I am still New Year’s Eve, you will find me at the

8 church, reciting Plugusorul to the them. I am amazed when someone The sheepskin coats of Dumitru folkloric creators .” shows me an icon painted by me in their Sofonea keep warm to public homes. When I get rid of the feelings figures Nicolae Muntean, a man as big as a with which I paint, I almost do not spiritual thesaurus recognize my icon. People especially In Tara Fagarasului there is no other appreciate the ones I painted in tears, furrier more famous than Dumitru He is a wood sculptor. He was born in when in sorrow and pain, because I Sofonea. He is 80 years old and, within Cunta Village, Alba County, but the imprinted my sufferance in them. I do the last 11 years, since he got a heart wood and glass painted icons are the not believe that they are artistically diseases, he has made more vests than ones which bestowed on him the title perfect, but the emotion in them attracts he has ever done in his life. He got with Alive Human Thesaurus. Nicolae people .” callosities on his palms. Muntean raised the traditional Romanian iconography at art level, Nicolae Muntean gets its inspiration Dumitru Sofonea learnt the trade of combining the folkloric style with his from the naïve icons from the rural area, furrier from his father and, in turn, he own experiences. “ I believe that God in order to respect the folkloric tradition, taught his sons. He has five children and taught me to make icons; I started but it adds to this style his own need for they all know the secrets of the furrier’s making them 30 years ago and I have harmony. “ I have worked for a while in trade. They are going to organise not reached perfection yet. The oil paint, but I am currently working together, in the village of Dragus, in their childhood in my native village filled me with powder colours, egg emulsion, like own shop, a trade school, where future with soul purity by keeping our spiritual in old times. In exchange, I try to furriers of Fagaras will be trained. traditions, by the presence of people combine the colours different from what who were part of the tradition with is done. I want for my icons to transmit The furrier from Dragus has already their entire human being, not just to say kindness, goodness, conciliation of the travelled around the world, and Dumitru so. On the face of the Romanian peasant people with their fellows. That is why, Sofonea was declared Alive Human you see Jesus; so much purity and so mu colours may appear artistically Thesaurus. Over time, he has dressed a much simplicity and faith is in the inadequate, but God gave me the power series of public figures like Tudor Romanian peasant. This is how I paint to tame and join them. My colours do Arghezi, Nicolae Ceausescu, Ion Tiriac, icons, with the pure soul of the not fight and do not yell .” but also ambassadors of USA (Michael Romanian peasant. I paint them in Guest and James Rosapepe). “ 40 years tears, fasting in my soul from evil The frames of the icons painted by ago, Father Arsenie Boca ordered a against my fellows .” Nicolae Muntean are usually black, sheepskin coat. He recognized me in the sober, with a tradition patina. They are crowd and called me, asking me to He developed as icon painter following painted with chimney soot grinded in make a sheepskin coat with fur borders Maria Poienaru, who is the mortar; they are carved as windows to for Nun Zamfira from Prislop. I took it representative of a famous family of icon the sky, with traditional ornamental to Draganescu, where he was painting painters from Laz, and talking with motifs: life rope, soul bird, cross guarded the small village church ”, remembered specialists at fairs. Today, his icons are by two pigeons. “ I am honoured by the Dumitru Sofonea. His wife, Valeria, has covering the walls of the houses of received awards and distinctions, but stood by him side and also helped him Romanian people from the country and all I want is health, to be able to work prepare the sheepskins for coats. “ It is abroad. “ I often not even recognize for many more years .” very hard to prepare the skin. We only

9 Rural Romania – No. 20

refer to burning. The pots are first moulded from clay, partially dried, painted, dried again, scraped and completely dried again for approximately seven days.

„Here, at Horezu, pottery is transmitted from generation to generation. The families of potters distinguish from one another through their artistic style, especially at paint level. Although the work technique and the ornamental motifs are traditional, the work being done by hand, each of the artists has his own style. In this way, we, the authentic potters, distinguish from one another .”

The spouses Laurentiu and Nicoleta Pietraru have their own ceramic shop from where they sell. They inherited this trade from their parents. Still, they have a great discontent: Horezu ceramics is suffocated at home by fake ceramics, the so-called Bulgarian ceramics, which is not even ceramics, but plaster. work with sheep and lamb skin bought vessels, the décor and ornamental from the sheepfolds. The skin is taken motifs, together with the working „Many tourists are tricked into buying from the animal, it is brined, dried and technique from the preparation of the Bulgarian fakes instead of Horezu tanned ”, explained Valeria Sofonea. clay to the moment of painting, amazed ceramics. The authentic Horezu Sofonea coats are traditional for the area the world with originality. ceramics is easily recognizable: it bears of Dragus. “ The colours specific to the the signature of the artisan, it is not village are fuchsia and red and the “Horezu ceramics is artistic, at the most enamelled on the outside and it has combinations of dark red with dark utilitarian. One can serve food from specific colours, a combination of the brown. But, we pretty much use all the Horezu pots, but it cannot cook in them. five mentioned colours; there are not colours of the rainbow: red, black, They are pots with artistic value, two identical pots .” green, yellow. The ornaments are the decorative pots ”, said Laurentiu ones representative for Dragus, the Pietraru, authentic potter from Horezu. Ioan Maris, the sing of ancestral ones: roses, eights, branched The features of Horezu ceramics are the adult…youngsters embroidery. It is a whole story! ” very old traditional decorative motifs (rooster, life tree, house snake, peacock In Marisel Commune from Cluj County, Women from Dragus wear vests with tail, rhombus and flower motifs) and the Colindul Junilor (Youngsters’ Carol) is a buttons on the chest, and men with four used raw materials. The colours are scrupulously kept custom. The world pockets and border reinforcements, natural, borrowed from nature. “ Five knows it for hundreds of years and they which often have the shape of flowers. colours specific to Horezu ceramics are are still practice it nowadays, every year. The pocket adornments are very combined: white (clay from Harghita Singing from house to house in groups of interesting: “ The pockets have about 14 Mountains), dark brown (soil, the so men has passed beyond the borders of centimetres long and 10 centimetres called pepper from Slatioara Romania, and, nowadays, it is part of wide. The year in which the coat was Commune), ochre (clay from Vaideni UNESCO patrimony. More than any tailored is written on them: the first two Commune), cobalt blue and green .” other Romanian, the people from the figures are written on one pocket and region of Apuseni Mountains are proud the other two figures are written on the The work technique has remained at of this custom. other pocket. Flowers are added below, Horezu the ancient one, a manual reflecting the season in which the coat technique that uses specific instruments „We have transmitted the custom of was sewed – green flowers for spring, transmitted from generation to singing from house to house in groups black flowers for winter, red flowers for generation for hundreds of years. of men from generation to generation summer and brown flowers for with the same old songs. There are pre- autumn .” “We still paint with cattle horn provided Christian Christmas carols, but they are with a goose feather at the end. For each not about the Birth of Jesus, but they Horezu ceramics, in UNESCO colour we use another goose feather. only wish health, luck and life joys. The patrimony For more fine paintings, we use another carols are dedicated to people and tool, a sort of a stick with a needle at the family ”, said Professor Ioan Maris, the Horezu ceramics has conquered the end ”, said Laurentiu Pietraru. coordinator of “Marisana” folkloric world and stated its unicity at As a working period, Horezu ceramics group. international level. The painting of the implies several phases, two of which

10 In Marisel, this custom is also called Ceata Junilor (Group of Youngsters), and the mix of joy and seriousness which accompanies the ritual has made it a touristic attraction. “ Marisel consists in five small villages, and a few single men are selected from each village for the group. The group overall consists in ten members conducted by the eleventh member, the chief; they also have instruments, most often tarogato. They sing to absolutely all houses in a group of men as of the night of Christmas and until the third day of Christmas. Afterwards, the single men gather in one place and party for two days with what they were given by the people. So, in Marisel, Christmas actually lasts for five days .”

The groups are formed from one year to another with young boys, but with the old carols specific to each moment. When entering people’s homes, the group of men sing “ Veseleste-te, domn bun! ”, afterwards, around the table, they sing the food carol, and, if there is an unmarried girl, the maiden carol is also sang. The group is invited to toast a glass of wine with the host. Afterwards, the bags of the men are filled with money, plum brandy and cookies. This is followed by one or two dances. Then, the men from the group sing the leaving carol at the door.

For the sake of tradition, Ioan Maris has also established a Group of Adult Youngsters with older people, who know the secrets of singing carols, which are in the UNESCO patrimony. It is called “Marisana” folkloric group. “ We have twice participated in the competition from Bistriţa, the Christmas Carol and bărbătească (Carol singing by a group of traditional homemade dishes. The Custom Festival, and each time we won men from house to house). restoration was scrupulous, the team the great prize with our pre-Christian from the Village Museum came with carols ”, said Ioan Maris. Babes House, the traditional old ingenious solutions to salvage the old fashioned house from Sibiel wood with cavity solutions and beeswax The Ministry of Culture grants the title treatments; they worked with brushes of Alive Human Thesaurus to those A house from 1890 from Sibiel has and syringes” , said Daniel Babes. All persons who distinguished as keepers recovered its simple brilliance it once beams, the floor and even a part of the and transmitters of the traditional had. It was bought by a family in love furniture were salvaged. The rest of the culture. This is an UNESCO initiative with rural traditions and restored with furniture pieces were custom made out which arose from the will to preserve the the help of a team from the Village of wood, complying with the simplicity immaterial cultural patrimony, by Museum. It is a small but coquette of the original furniture. “ Where the acknowledging and promoting the house, which maintains the authentic wood could not be salvaged, we have folkloric artisans. From 2010 until 2014, spirit of Sibiel Village. “ Babes House is supplemented with raw plank stained in 40 Romanian people were declared Alive the sum of the ancient natural elements: order to simulate the patina. The Human Thesauruses. wood, stone and water. We have interior is rustic and archaic. When we restored it exactly like it was, also have guests, it smells like wood and hay, In UNESCO Immaterial Cultural respecting the partitioning of the rooms. and folkloric music can be heard on the Patrimony, Romania is found with the We have three bedrooms upstairs, and background .” ritual of Călușul, Doina, Horezu we have arranged a dining room Ceramics and Colindul în ceata downstairs, where we serve only

11 Rural Romania – No. 20

Let us build traditionally

Verde”, it is among the first houses built from straw bales in Romania. Harghita, Buzău, Cluj and even Giurgiu are some of the counties in which there are such constructions.

Houses with reed roof

Covering the roof with reed is a technique often encountered in Danube Delta. Currently, this method is also used in residential buildings, vacation homes, villas, pavilions, beach umbrellas, museums and agricultural buildings. The use of reed to cover the houses can reduce the heating and acclimatisation costs. In Tulcea County, the artisan Tănase Dobre is known for the reed roofs that he builds. A modern house with the roof made of reed was erected on the lakeshore at Mogoșoaia. Houses made out of straw bales The straw bale houses incur low costs, they are resistant to earthquakes and The roof made of reed can be installed The cereal stalks (oat, wheat, barley for their erection, local materials are on planks or OSB board, and the ideal etc.) can be collected in bales, which, often used. They are traditional thickness of the applied reed is 30 cm. dried and compressed to similar sizes, materials in our country and provide The durability of such roof depends can be used as construction blocks. thermal comfort and fire proof. The on the quality of the reed, but the The modality of building with them laboratory tests have shown that a falling angle is also very important varies, being several finishing wall made of straw bales and (ideally, 45 degrees); thus, as the tilt modalities. Natural materials are also plastered with a layer of clay of increases, the durability of the reed used for foundation: gravel or clay. approximately 3 cm can resist to roof increases. If it is well maintained The erected straw bale wall is 2,000 degrees Celsius for two hours, and cleaned, it shall last for long. plastered with the first basic layer of because the straws that are well clay or lime or it is isolated with wood pressed and plastered do not receive Adobe houses panels. The cement is not sufficient oxygen to burn fast. recommended, because it tends to Adobe is a mix of clay, straws and crack and it impedes to walls to The straw bale walls are sound proof. manure. From this mixture, bricks are breath. Straw bales can be used to In the United States of America, there made, which are left to dry in the sun. build houses without necessitating an are two recording studios built with Talking about natural materials, there additional structure. If the work is straw bales. Straw bale walls were are people who say that an adobe done well, if the straws are well also erected close to airports and house is among the healthiest types of protected and painted with care, motorways in USA and Europe as houses. Additionally, adobe is also a without leaving uncovered spots, sound barriers. very good thermal insulator and it from the foundation to the roof, and costs less than other materials, but it attention is paid not to leave thermal Such house built within the last years is often associated with poverty. But, bridges, the house will be very we find at Sângeorz Băi, Bistriţa- within the last years, those interested resistant, Năsăud County. Called “Popasul in tradition and more

12 environmentally friendly construction projects resorted again to this material.

Cottage houses

This type of house can be used as a place for relaxation or as a place for keeping and storing the vegetables, both fresh and preserved. Many gardeners build cottage houses, because they are extremely easy to execute. The cottage house is a type of semi-buried or buried construction. For the young people from the cities, this type of house is especially associated with the homes of the hobbits, the characters from the “Lord of the Ring” trilogy.

There are specific building methods depending on the climatic features, but the basic idea is the same: a house with the floor below the soil level. Such house, built within the last years, is found at Olănești, and it seems to resist to an earthquake of 10 degrees on Richter scale.

13 Rural Romania – No. 20

Spring customs – Mărţișorul (Trinket worn in honor of the 1st of March )

Archaeological discoveries trees bloom. In some regions, the trinket fight the dragon and set the sun free. is worn for as long as the days of the Old The journey of the young man lasted for The archaeological discoveries from the Ladies last or until Palm Sunday, when three seasons: summer, autumn and areas of Dacian fortresses show that the it is removed and hanged from the winter. Towards the end of the winter, first day of spring was celebrated 8,000 branches of a tree. It is believed that, if he found the castle of the dragon and years ago. During the period of Geto- the tree makes fruits, the human shall fought with it for days until he defeated Dacians, the New Year began on the 1st have luck. the dragon. Weakened and seriously of March. Thus, March was the first injured, the young man succeeded into month of the year. The popular calendar In ancient times, on the 1st of March, the reaching the sun dungeon. He released of Geto-Dacians had two seasons: trinket was given before sunrise to it and, afterwards, he died, his blood summer and winter. During the period children and young people, both girls gushing on the white snow. The sun of Dacians, the symbols of spring were and boys. The trinket string, consisting climbed up into the sky and announced made during winter, being worn after of in two twisted wool threads coloured in the arrival of the spring, filling with joy the 1st March. Then, the trinkets work in white and red or in white and black, the hearts of the people. Since then, honour of the 1st of March were small represents the unity of opposites: young men weave two threads, one stringed stones coloured in white and summer-winter, warm-cold, fertility- white and one red, offering them to the red tied with small white and black or sterility, light-darkness. girls they love or to the close ones. Red white and red wool threads. The coin signifies love for everything that is was associated with the sun and it was A legend says that “ once, the sun beautiful, reminding of the colour of the the symbol of fire and light, and, descended on the earth, transforming blood of the young brave man. White therefore, of the sun. The Dacians into a young man, in order to symbolizes health and purity of the believed that the trinkets brought luck participate in a round dance in a snow drop, the first flower of the and wealth and they wore them until the village. The evil dragon kidnapped him spring .” trees bloomed. and closed him in a dungeon, causing sufferance to the entire nature. It is said About the history of the trinket worn in Brief history that the rivers ceased to flow, the birds honour of the 1st of March, Tudor no longer sang, and the children quitted Arghezi said in his volume “Cu bastonul The tradition says that the trinket is laughing. No one knew what to do until prin București” (With the cane through worn until the roses or the sour cherry a young and strong man decided to Bucharest): “… In the beginning, when

14 this beginning was due, the trinket was Nowadays beginning of every March ”, said an not a trinket and maybe, it was not even artist from Ploiești. called like this, but the girls and wives, The 1st of March has an intense who wanted to remain innocent even commercial meaning. The Dacian coin, “Last year’s profit was somewhere before this beginning, noticed that the which brings luck, was replaced by spring wind stained their skin and there various cartoon characters, plastic, glass around 10-15,000 Lei, at least double was no cure for that. The ancient or bone figurines, but also by small the invested amount. But, we have to bookish women, and, afterward, the objects made of seeds, dried flowers, subtract the cost of the trip, food, bookish men, by casting spells, taught raisin, coloured stones or other accommodation, and premises rental. the freckled girls to wrap around their materials. Last year it was a good year. But, now, neck a twisted silk thread. The thread I do not think that we will cash not even was so good that all the ladies from the The popular artisans, artists, but also suburbs and downtown were going out other traders use this occasion to sell half of the last year. People no longer for a walk in March with the thread creations and small objects dedicated to have money” , said a popular artisan around their neck….The gently blowing this tradition. It is not a business with from Buzău attending the 1st of March wind from March, which speckled the great profit, and some artisans say that Fair from the Romanian National eyelids, nose and chin, was called the sales only cover the investment. Peasant Museum from Bucharest, a Mărţișor, and if we also say that the thread was red, we understand that it “The purchase power is not the same as place with tradition for the trinket protected from both the wind and evil in the past years. I work in advance all sellers. eye .” year round and I cash my salary in the

15 Rural Romania – No. 20

Incursion in history and traditions at Golești Museum from Argeș County

streets, church, city hall, an inn, and it looks like a true village from ancient time. The farms comply exactly with the style of the region from which they originate and they were arranged from North to South, per areas, as they are found in Romania. The constructions were photographed, measured, dismantled and assembled in the museum by specialists, and afterwards, they were subject to a preservation process.

The Pedagogical Division of the museum comprises “Școala slobodă obștească” established by the great bookish man Dinicu Golescu, who wanted to provide the poor children from the neighbourhood with the chance to learn together with the rich children. The manuals were free, and, for the first time, girls were accepted to learn together with the boys. It was the For history and ethnography fans and The mansion of Golescu family was first modern school with classes in not only for them, a stop at Golești, in built in 1640 by Stroe Leurdeanu with Romanian and it operated from 1826 Ștefănești Commune from Argeș, is the help of Stoica, the artisan, this being until 1830. Both furniture pieces and welcomed. At only 10 km from Pitești, the only fortified laic construction from manuals from the period of Spiru Haret is Golești Museum, a feudal ensemble the country which dates from the are exhibited in the school. with a fortified construction, which also medieval period. The mansion was has an outdoor section which sends us surrounded by tall brick walls and Near school there is the Watch Tower of back into the ancient history of the cannons were installed in the defence Tudor Vladimirescu used to supervise village from Romania. towers. In 1646, Stroe Leurdeanu the neighbourhoods. Tudor erected the church nearby the mansion, Vladimirescu lived his last days of The Museum of Viticulture and Fruit which combines the mountain freedom here from May 18th until May Growing from Golești was established influences with those from Moldavia, 21st, 1821. Retreating from Bucharest to in June, 1939 by the King Carol the 2nd, Armenia and Near East. Oltenia Mountains, Tudor established being given the name of “Dinicu his camp here, being in good relations Golescu” Museum, and it developed In 1966, behind the museum centre, a with the boyars from Golești. Near the along the years with new exhibitions village with over 200 constructions was tower, there is the hospital (currently which reflect the history of Golescu developed, spreading on approximately used as temporary exhibition room), an family, a family of politicians and highly 10 hectares and comprising 35 farms establishment dedicated to the elderly, cultivated people from Wallachia, but brought from the main viticultural and ill and poor people. It was established also the history of Romanian traditional fruit growing areas of the country. Each by the great ban Radu Golescu and culture and civilization. Dinicu Golescu, farm has a home, dependencies, maintained at his expense. Romanian boyar and bookish man, has working tools specific for pasturage, created the first school from the rural agriculture, animal breeding etc. The It is a place filled with Romanian area in Romanian. complex is thought with houses on history, according to Dr. Ion Tita

16 Nicolescu, museum curator. In 1716, the to transmit the secrets of the art which people, including the selected activity, mansion was destroyed by Turkish they master very well and of which they plus the price of the entry ticket (2 people, it was set on fire, afterwards are very proud. lei/pupil, student, pensioner; 7 restored in 1818 by the great ban Radu lei/adult). During summer, Golești Golescu. In 1866, the mansion of For example, last year, around Easter Museum is opened daily, except on Golescu family was the first location Holidays, a workshop for egg dyeing Mondays, between 09:00 a.m. and visited by the King Carol the 1st, after with specific motifs from Argeș 06:00 p.m., and in winter, the museum the abdication of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. ethnographic area was organised. The is opened only until 04:00 p.m. Every The mansion was restored from 1940 activity was coordinated by Liliana year, around 10,000-20,000 people until 1945, again in 1960s, and, this Bursuc, a popular artisan from Galeșu come to the museum and they do not year, it will be closed for an important – Argeș County. Also, there are leave disappointed, ensured Ion Tita renovation after more than 50 years. workshops for making traditional Nicolescu. Among visitors, there are Various objects are exposed here, like puppets coordinated by Elena Nencov, often groups of French people, vintage furniture, personal things of a popular artisan from Curtea de Argeș. considering that Renault factory is close Golescu family, manuscripts, decorative At the end of the class, each to the museum, at Colibași, and they art, books. participating child goes home with a return with their families on vacation, personal creation. The children who being impressed by the rustic style of the outdoor museum and by the It is interesting to visit the Turkish bath, participate in the workshops come from fortified mansion. Additionally, the which is unique in our country and Pitești, but also from the neighbouring equitation fans can enjoy horse and completely preserved, although it was localities or communes. As of 2011, also pony back rides. built in 1784. in this museum, an international painting competition for children has The museum is the host of national and The museum also has an intense been organised, having an ethnographic international conferences and educational activity, here being theme. In 2014, the theme of the symposiums. In 2014, for example, the organised workshops, classes and competition was “Traditional means of 6th edition of UNESCO International creation camps for children: clay transportation in my country” and 954 Conference “Youth and Museums” took moulding, glass painting, egg dyeing for small painters from 24 countries have place here, having the theme “Forgotten Easter, wood sculpture, wool fabrics, participated. The jury, consisting in customs of minorities”, in which traditional puppet making, little famous cultivated people, selected 91 personalities from 14 countries and also gardener project, a workshop for finalists from whom the laureates were representative of the national cooking “just like grandmother used to selected. minorities participated. cook” and visits at the animal farms. The professors are well known The price of a class is between 10 and 20 traditional artisans who come at Golești Lei per child, valid for groups of 10-15

17 Rural Romania – No. 20

The wood spoons of the artisans from Spanţov support the development of the commune

In Spanţov, Călărași County, there are Faculty of International Relations and Association, with the support of PACT a few economic opportunities, and the European Studies. From its Foundation, has implemented the school abandonment has increased establishment, 20 young volunteers project called “The artisans from among young people. Aware of the have become aware, starting from the Spanţov” by which the local traditions issues their commune deals with, power of the example of the three of Boyash people from the locality are Estera Anghel, Cristina Costea and women, of how important is their promoted, and they are supported to Emilia Ion have established in 2010 involvement in the development of live from the trade they inherited. It “Împreună pentru Viitor” the community. By involving in the is one of the 21 community projects Association, with the support of PACT actions of the association, they learnt which were financed for the Foundation (which carries out how to help their community by implementation in the competition community development actions in helping themselves. called “Ideas from Andrei’s Country”, the rural area from the south of edition 2013. Boyash people have a Romania). “ The Foundation helped Preservation of traditional fascinating history. A story that is still us develop the idea by starting from trades and community identity told by the elderly. Through a real solution, a feasible project ”, meanders of the history, they passed said Estera Anghel, graduate of the In 2014, “Împreună pentru viitor” from mining to carved wood. The

18 feeling of identity through specific tools are traditional, being transmit to the young generation a occupations is very strong. transmitted from generation to feeling of appurtenance and pride. generation. The wood carving trade is wide- The project was completed, but there spread among Boyash people. The The expected results were jobs for are still stocks of spoons which are elderly remember how they were community, providing the young sold. They are currently working on selling the merchandise from one people from Spanţov with the ability identifying new customers and village into another from waggons, and the interest to practice these finding new financing resources, around the city of Călărași: spoons, traditional trades, obtaining income which to supplement the income by troughs, bowls, forks, tables and three and reinvesting the profit in social capitalising the products on the leg chairs, almost everything that projects of the association. market until the business could stand people need in their homes. on its feet. “ We try to find customers The financing from the project was for the handmade objects in order to Unfortunately, in Spanţov, there are used for the payment of the artisans, participate in fairs and exhibitions ”, only five artisans who practice this acquisition of raw materials, said Estera Anghel. trade. Together with them and with promotion of their products and the help of consultants, the participation in fairs. Involvement of young people community association has launched a social business called “The Artisans They made 300 spoons with which The trades are activities which would from Spanţov”. they participated in June, 2014, to the disappear, if they are not transmitted Street Delivery event from Bucharest. to the new generations. The Social business, a sustainability (http://2014.streetdelivery.ro/) participation of the young people in model the project was a modality to waken The artisans from Spanţov the interest for personal development, A social business is a business created collaborated with Kaptura de Aer considering that one of the great to solve a social issue. The social designers (Veronica Olariu, Cristina issues faced by the rural communities enterprises can be a solution for the Enuta) and Ruxandra Sacalis, who nowadays is the school abandonment. creation of jobs, generation of promoted the trade of Boyash people Some young people got involved in incomes for certain disadvantaged in a less usual way: through a wood making the objects, others in categories, by valorising local spoon installation. According to the decorating them or in developing the resources or offering basic services designer Ruxandra Sacalis, the wood brand and in promotion. which are missing in a community. A spoons, often associated with the model of creative joining between a kitchen, “ received a new role and Several initiation and demonstration classical non-governmental stories through the interaction with workshops were organized in the organization and a model of classical the public in an urban space. ” courtyard of Uncle Ion, the oldest business, the social business is a form artisan from the community. The of organization with significant In the organisation of the social potential of sustainable development business, the situations with which young participants were witnesses, at the level of rural communities. the association deals are the difficulty but also apprentices, to the execution Having a mainly community mission, of procuring the specific tools, the of chairs and spoons, learning about but with a business management, it is costs of procuring the raw materials, the used tools and the stages of also supported from income directly the wood, in this commune near completing a product. generated from what it produces and Danube, the competition with similar sells. but standardized products Together with the artisans, the manufactured in series, the necessity association continues to organize “The Artisans from Spanţov” is the of a creative marketing strategy, workshops for children and young first social business initiated by which to insist on the cultural and people in order to teach them, to “Împreună pentru Viitor” social value of the product. The raw assess their skills, but also to show Association. It is meant to provide materials, tools or design do not them how to obtain income from additional income to a disadvantaged guarantee the success. The practicing a traditional trade. category by valorising trades which entrepreneurial approach and are still practiced by the old Boyash monitoring of financial indicators in “It is our tradition. We have revived artisans, in this way keeping the trade the activity management are it. We want to inspire the young and the value of the traditional essential. The association and the people from Spantov to work products in the community. artisans have also benefited by together and change their lives and specialty consultancy in this field. the community they live in ”, said The five Boyash artisans transform Estera Anghel from “Împreună the poplar and willow wood in small The promotion of the objects made of pentru Viitor” Association. chairs, trough, wood plateaus, untreated poplar wood is a chance of spoons. The products are carved by income for these people, but also the You can find out more information hand in their own farms and they are opportunity to give back to the at: www.impreunapentruviitor.ro unique. The working methods and community the local values and to

19 Rural Romania – No. 20

Valorisation of traditions by entrepreneurship at Găujani, Giurgiu County: school uniforms with traditional motifs and cultural events

The community from Găujani, Giurgiu quality, the traditional quilts and confidence. County, consists in three localities: runners were replaced with synthetic Pietrișu, Găujani and Cetăţuia, including coverlets and rugs. The textile industry In 2010, through “Education- 2,500 inhabitants. In 2011, here, on the also disappeared. The factories no Participation-Trust” Programme, bank of Danube, a process was initiated longer acquired wool from the DATINI local initiative group was to change the entire community by producers. Therefore, hemp and cotton established at Gaujani. At the end of rediscovering and valorising the local were no longer cultivated and the 2011, the initiative group has acquired traditions. peasants no longer raised sheep. These legal character, becoming Datini- activities were no longer of interest for Educaţie-Cultură Association. The The issue – a disoriented the Romanian industry. The traditional founding members are people interested community trades disappeared, the artisans got old. in solving the issues of the community. Because of the lack of interest for their Cornelia Enache, our guide and the products, they stopped practicing the The folkloric art was considered the most founding member of “Datini-Educaţie- ancient trades .” adequate instrument for the reinvention Cultură” Association from Găujani, of this community. It was revived by the makes an analysis of the position of the The solution – economic and social members of the association, who, commune: “ After 1989, the folkloric art valorisation of traditions and together with other people from the in the South of Romania was lost almost trades community, made an inventory of the completely, because of the appearance artistic and work traditions from the on the market of products which “A strong community is that which commune, and, afterwards, they thought replaced the traditional ones: carpets identifies its issues. The things start about how to use them in order to were replaces with all sorts of Turkish from down to upwards, and we are develop a social business based on the rugs, the linens embroidered by hand currently trying to revive the local specificity, which to determine the were replaced with linens of bad community ”, said Cornelia Enache with creation of new jobs.

20 First, they brought to the light, from the attics of their homes, objects old of a few generations: weaving looms, agricultural tools and music instruments. The old people who remember old carols, songs, poems, disenchantments and they were proud to share them: the photos collected from homes show Gaujani tens of years ago, restoring the image of the past and reinforcing the feeling of identity and cohesion. The local association has attracted in the project young volunteers from the commune, who helped collecting an impressive data base. Cornelia, who worked at the Folkloric Creation Centre from Giurgiu, knows how valuable this work is. The result: 300 photos brought to light and digitalized; old recorded songs; the brochure “Identity, traditions and local welfare”, which presents old objects inventoried at community level.

The entrepreneurial spirit of the members of the association has intuited that this treasure can be valorised for the economic benefit of the community by cultural tourism.

When there are ideas, initiative and enthusiasm, people mobilize. The Association was assigned by a fellow citizen an old house built in 1926, consisting in six rooms and 600 sqm land within the built-up area. A museum called “Casa tradiţiei” was fitted up here, come to your village, try and search for development of the community. proudly said Cornelia Enache. The the local resources in order to create people from the commune donated old jobs!” , said Cornelia Enache. From this Various pieces of clothing are objects from their homes in order to conviction, the idea of a social business manufactured in the shop, having scrape up a public collection. The beautifully called “După Datina mă port” traditional cuts and motifs, but with a tourists are attracted by organising (I wear clothes in accordance with the “simplified technique of the template”. events filled with tradition, this being a customs) was born. The trades of the An extremely interesting element is the “living museum”. “ You not just come as a community are sewing and weaving. creation of school shirts with traditional tourist to see some objects, because Datini-Educaţie-Cultură Association has motifs for the 250 students from the village museums are also in other parts identified the resources from the commune, an ingenious modality of of the country. But events are organised community, the people, the buildings, transmitting to young people the love for here every Saturday: music, games, the local market and developed the the beauty inherited from the past, of natives dressed in national costumes, project of establishing a tailoring shop. developing the feeling of local pride and serving traditional food. The visitors They have identified the source of a market for the production of the shop. learn «Șchioapă» (The Limp) or financing in order to acquire two state of The costume with traditional motifs «Cârligul» (The Hook), but also songs the art sewing machines, to purchase the created for the people from the project like «Usturoi cu patru foi», «Ce faci raw materials and to cover the costs of will become the uniform of the children moșule în padure», «Pe marginea qualification of those who were going to attending the school from Găujani. A Dunării» ." be hired at the shop. 14 women from the symbol of recovering the past for a commune were qualified, receiving a sustainable future of the Romanian Another step on the road of degree of tailor. Three of them were village! entrepreneurship permanently hired at the shop. The skills were in this way valorised in activities “Instead of waiting for the investors to with impact on the long term

21 Rural Romania – No. 20

Calendar of our villages Iulia Gorneanu

March – the calendar of the the day of the 1st of March as being the freezing winter and mourning. People holidays with fixed date beginning of the New Year. It is the day wore the two coloured string at hand, on which the thread of time spun by neck or pinned on the chest; they tied it „The time also has its way and course; Baba Dochia weaved in the colours of to the horns of their animals, to the that is why it is good to know it. The the two seasons: white and black, winter wings of the hens, to the handle of the time is like a creature and you must pay and summer, day and night, death and bucket from the well, to the gate of the attention to it.” Oprea Constanţa from life. This “year rope” has become the shed or to the home door. In this way, Vârlezi, 1938 (Ernest Bernea – “Space, thread of the trinket worn in honour of numerous magical circles and knot were time and causality in the Romanian of the 1st of March. formed at the limit between years and people”) seasons, defending against the evil eye Mărţișorul (Trinket worn in and bringing luck. March is the month in which relics of honour of the 1st of March) matriarchal holidays still manifest at The black thread was subsequently the boundary of the village, when Baba As I was saying, in ancient times, the replaced with the red thread, the Dochia, the mother goddess, the two twisted threads were white and symbol of life, sun and passion. Later, embodiment of the past year, dies in black, the natural embrace of winter this two colour thread was added a order to reborn together with the with summer, of the day with the night, silver or brass coin and it was called calendar time, the same as all divinities of the death with the life. Back then, “mart” / “martigus”. Afterwards, the from the threshold of equinoxes and black was considered the colour of coin was replaced by all sorts of solstices. Both the Roman calendar and fertility, fruitful soil and rain clouds, figurines, signs of luck and spring. This the ancient agrarian calendar records and white was the colour of death, is the time where martigus became

22 mărţișor. It started being sold and us smile and to bring the spring into our close to their farm. They took their bought, it ceased being just a spring soul. dowry out into the sun in order to keep symbol about which not much is the moths away for the entire year, and known. Babe and Moși, our mythical they symbolically “stack” the snake eyes In the old days, there were clear signs ancestors which change the by covering with clay the cracks from which requested the removal of the seasons the house walls. trinket, and the separation from it could not be done no matter how. The arrival After Mărţișor and Baba Dochia, the Day of the Snake of the storks and swallows, the first trill Days of Babe come. They are our of the cuckoo, the blossoming of the mythical ancestors, whose wisdom was The spring equinox equally divides the cherry trees, roses and hawthorns were transmitted to women from Romanian day and the night, symbolizing the moments in the popular calendar which villages, women initiated in the balance, the two halves of the year and implied the removal of the trinket. The divination practices, keepers of the of the world, a unique and special state trinket was taken off in a ritual context, earth’s wisdom, connoisseurs of the of mind. It is the time for the ritual this being thrown after the cuckoo or plants and remedies, a sort of shamans cleaning, the light, the lighted fires, a stork, it was thrown in a stream or it of the ancient matriarchal communities. time which updates every year true was tied to a blossoming branch. It was The representations of our “cosmic” metical scenarios, with superposition thought that by receiving the trinket, Babe remained in Bucegi, Buzău and and influences from both the area of the bird, the water, the flower were Maramureș Mountains, the sacred Zoroastrianism and from the area of the guarded from the evil eye and, by a stones which watch the boundary of the divinities from the Greek-Roman symbolic transfer of properties, they seasons, unties the spring and, together pantheon. Both the spring equinox and offered to the girl, the flight, trill, white with it, the time for spells, magic and the autumn equinox are patronized by colour, fertility, beauty… charms… the Snake, which divides the year into two seasons, together with the ritual of The same as the trinket should have Then, the Days of Moși come, who are its hibernation. The two days of the been pinned on the chest (tied at hand our mythical ancestors. It is said that Snake during the equinoxes are under or neck) at sunrise, “when the sky they descend from the sky once a year the sign of an ancient prehistoric becomes red”, the gesture of taking it off and tap the soil with their sticks in order goddess. Considered the symbol of should not be seen by the Sun, because, to release the spring. They are also the cyclical rebirth of nature, the image of it got mad and “burnt” the face of the ones who succeeded in catching the Sun the snake biting its tail has been, during girl. Regarded from this perspective, the and turn it towards the sky, when, being the history, one of the best known trinket may be considered a “solar mad at the people, it attempted to run representation of the eternal return. On charm”, and the chant collected on site in its magical cart pulled by nine flying the Day of the Snake, people are not by Romulus Vulcănescu argues its cultic horses, on the day called Cap de allowed to kill it or to call it directly on solar origin: “Holy Sun, holy Sun, /I Primavară (Head of Spring). They are its name. In exchange, they may cast give you trinkets, /in exchange of which followed by Alexiile, Spring Equinox, spells over it and comply with you protect me / of freckles that darken Day of the Cuckoo or numerous interdictions: they do not my skin. / Please, take my dark spots / Blagovestenia…March brings magical touch objects whose shape remind of its and make them bright / turn my face festive days. shape, they do not cut logs, they do not into a flower / holy Sun, holy Sun.” spin or weave, they do not use the Moș Alexie cel Cald scissors or the needle. In our villages, One should not lose count of the fact the snake oscillates between the that of the 1st of March was the In the Popular Calendar of Romanian hypostasis of anthropophagus, present beginning of the New Year, both in people, the Pious Alex, celebrated by the in the mother curses, carols and ballads, Geto-Dacian calendar and in the Orthodox church on the 17th of March, and the hypostasis of totem animal or Roman calendar. Changing the colour is eclipsed by Moș Alexe or Alexie cel mythical ancestor, the House Snake. of the thread from black to red might be Cald, the patron of snakes, fishes and all explained by the fusion of the holidays creatures which spend the winter under This is the time of the year when of Geto-Dacians with the holidays of the ground, in caves and under the bark “equinoctial fires” are lit. Symbolic Romans. On this day, in the ancient of the trees, under stones and boulders, projection of the sun on the earth, the Rome, Mars was worshiped, the fierce in streams and stagnant waters. fire burns the old season in order to god of war, and the military campaigns make the new one reborn, bringing from the Ides of March were started. He opened the earth for the creature vigorousness and life. At the same time, From here the weaving of red, hiding from the winter cold to come out, it has an apotropaic, fertilizing and symbolising life and victory in battles, he ordered fishes to scatter in the water, magical role. Children jump over the with white, symbolising the beginning, he gave back the voice to frogs and he fires lit in each courtyard in order to but also the possible death. offered wings to butterflies. He brought protect them from illnesses, women the triumph to the spring. Bee keepers scatter the ash around the farm, Solar or lunar symbol, amulet against took the hives outside and splashed forming a protective circle against evil eye or lucky charm, consisting in a them with holy water. They fasted in snakes, men maintain the fires for as twisted thread, a coin, a clover, a order to have luck all year round. long as possible, believing that in this chimney sweeper or snow drop, the Women tried to deceive the wild way they warm up the old people of our trinket has been continuing for animals by giving them salt and food in nation. thousands of years to adorn us, to make the fields in order for them not to come

23 Rural Romania – No. 20

Day of the Cuckoo the complicated process of decoration, manifest by accident in our folkloric but also of the “torture” which the egg culture. Both in the Roman Antiquity A day dedicated to the Cuckoo is was subjected to. and also in the Persian Empire, the egg following, this being the oracular bird of dyed red was considered an archetypal Romanians, a true horologe of the We must not disregard the fact that in symbol of genesis, life and immortality. seasons in the ancient calendar. The our villages, we also encounter eggs popular holiday is also called dyed in a single colour, eggs with flower In my journey through Iran, I was Blagovestenie, and the religious holiday motifs, painted eggs, eggs covered in confirmed a Persian New Year ritual is called Bunavestire. For the Romanian wax and adored with beads. identical with the Romanian Easter peasant, the 25th of March is the day on ritual. The Persian New Years’ Eve takes which cuckoo starts to sing. First, the Colours and plants place every year on the spring equinox “cuckoo of the sky” sings at the and lasts for 13 days. During this festive Heaven’s door, and afterwards, its voice In the old days, the colours used for interval, the presence of dyed eggs is heard over our valleys until the dyeing the eggs were obtained from being mandatory on the ritual table. On summer solstice. Trying to explain why plants: red originated from the sweet the last day, the eggs are broken cuckoo sings only three months a year, apple and wild rose peel or from beet believing that the time and the place are the popular imagination met no juice; blue from violets; green from nut purified by symbolical death and boundaries. Fairy-tales, stories, leaves, alder bark, sun-flower; yellow rebirth. Other absolutely amazing legends, ballads, proverbs, riddles, from St. John’s wort and xeranthemum. similitudes between the Romanian and songs, verses, the entire folkloric speech At symbolical level, yellow represented Persian popular calendar are the is crossed by the theme of cuckoo and the colour of the sun on the sky, and red charities given for the soul of the dead its song. In the rural area, cuckoo was – its colour at dawn and sunset. In some people, lighting ritual fires on solstices offered ritual gifts, which indicates the villages, the eggs are dyed black, the and equinoxes, celebrating Dragobete appurtenance of this bird to the cult of colour of earth fertility obtained from on the 24th of February, the custom of the ancient divinities of the nature. the green bark of the nuts. In ancient playing jokes on the 1st of April. times, numerous fertilization practices And as we are getting close to Easter, spoke about the burial of the dyed eggs The Chinese people believe that the Sky and without dyed eggs we do not feel it at the edge of the field on the night of and the Earth are a huge egg made by a is a holiday, we present to you an Resurrection. magical chicken born from chaos, the ancient custom, kept until nowadays, of Indians explain the beginning of genesis dyeing the eggs. Drawings and signs by taking the Golden Egg from the primordial waters, and the Incas, by the Egg dyeing Women apply again their endless Sun sending three eggs on the earth: imagination, sacrifice and talent, one of gold, from which the noble men If in the communist period, the making a true art from egg decoration, came out, one of silver, from which their ethnologists signalled the danger of whose decryption has roused the women came out, and one of brass, losing the custom of dyeing the eggs, curiosity and motivated the research of from which the people came out…The nowadays, the women from our villages ethnologists. Thus, Christian motifs Tibetans consider that the ancestral egg have more care than ever for the Easter like, the lost path or the path of the would have appeared from the five egg dyeing to be kept alive. It is good to slaves, the girdle of Virgin Mary, the primordial elements (air, water, fire, know the fact that not all the eggs must Easter cross, the eye, the pigeon, the earth and wood), a white lake would be decorated in this way, but only those fish, the hand, the ladder, were have come out of it, together with other which shall be kept the entire year in the classified. Some of the motifs remind us five eggs representing the five senses, house for good luck and wealth. legends about the beginning of the men and women…. world, like, the snake or the bee, which Dyeing begins with the division of helped God create the world, others The cosmic egg, the archetypal symbol ornamental fields on the egg. Thus, with make us think about a much older, of all beginnings, appears in all the help of the drawn lines, one can solar, symbolism, like, the rooster, the mythologies, on all continents, and it is obtain two, four, six, eight or even more rosette, the circle. And, because it is impressive how drawings like the moon, surfaces. These lines, and also the first spring, and the land working is holy for the sun or the sky with the Milky Way motifs drawn with wax, partially cover each family, stylized drawings of the are encountered on the eggs decorated the white surface. Then, the egg is main tools from the farm appear: the by the women from our villages. Still, inserted in the yellow dye, drawn out rake, the shovel, the iron of the plough, Mircea Eliade does not completely and dried, and, afterwards, other motifs the stick of the shepherd. There are also agree with the strictly germinating of the same colour are dyed. It is anthropomorphic representations, but interpretation of the primordial egg, continued with red and it is ended with they are extremely rare, the image of a saying that “ it rather refers to rebirth black or another dark colour. Finally, shepherd singing the flute being than to birth, this being repeated in the egg is dried. Afterward, the wax encountered only in Bucovina. accordance with the cosmogenic lines are removed. These are the dyed template…The egg confirms and eggs, also called in certain areas of the Cosmic egg, ancestral egg, golden egg,.. promotes resurrection…which is not a country “împistrite”, “închistrite”, All these things were not recorded only birth, but a return, a repetition .” “worked” or “tormented”, because of in our country and they did not

24 25 Rural Romania – No. 20

Tourism in the countryside in Romania: accommodation in patrimony houses, local food and visits at the “last Mohicans” of trades

From all the types of tourism offered by village as simple tourists, we fell in love we are talking about a Transylvanian Romania, the foreigners are especially with an old house and bought it! ”, Saxon house, the rooms are very big interested in the rural tourism. They remembers Mihaela Ghiţă. The house and bright, over 20 meters each. The come to Bucovina, Maramureș, consists in a U-shaped building. The furniture was custom made out of Dobrogea and Ţara Făgărașului to year of construction – 1780 – is stained fir wood, and a painted draw discover the life style of the Romanian scratched on the beams. “ 80% of it we the Transylvanian Saxon flower peasant, to taste his food, to admire the renovated just the two of us with our motifs. In bedrooms, the atmosphere is skills of his hands. The Romanians bare hands, keeping the beams, floors, of a 19th century mansion. We make living in cities appear to become shutters and even the doors. In the the heat with wood stoves, and the increasingly interested in preserving the courtyard, the former owner casted warm water is at discretion .” traditional architecture and trades. cement, but we broke the pavements and restored the original aspect of a Many of the tourists of the “House with The house with morning glory, the Transylvanian Saxon courtyard, based morning glory” from Crit are foreigners. Transylvanian Saxon house on 300 years old sketches .” In Germany, the story of the “House with morning glory” was promoted in a Mihaela and Tiberiu Ghiţă from Brașov The partitioning of the rooms was also touristic catalogue dedicated to gave up the modern life and moved in kept, these being fitted up for touristic Romania. “ We had the pension for one Crit village for the sake of an old purpose: on one side the dining room, year when foreigners started to come. fashioned house. “ In the autumn of the kitchen and pantry, and on the other We did not know how they found out 2006, while walking through Crit side, four double bedrooms. “ Because about us. In 2014, we looked through

26 especially the beach from Gura Portiţei. Not to say about the gastronomy of Lippovan people! ” The foreigners are captivated by “lacherda”, a sort of a dish consisting in small fishers which are brined, cleared of salt, dried in the wind and smoked.

Pomohaci guest house, the house from Bucovina

In Botus village from Fundu Moldovei Commune, Viorica and Dana Pomohaci opened a guest house. “ We live here just like hundreds of years ago. We administer ourselves with animals and vegetable garden and we provide accommodation and food to the tourists passionate about tranquillity and tradition. We do not want to attract clients, but only to share with the tourists our rural lifestyle; those who come in contact with us searching for modern comfort do not feel good here, so they also make us feel bad ”, said Dana Pomohaci.

The guest house was opened in the former shed of the family, a shed built many years ago based on a model inspired from a monograph of the that catalogue. Even our summer stove He refers to the roof built on wood mountain villages from Carpathian was photographed there. I believe that structure, but executed from large Mountains. It was then transformed former clients advertised for us ”, quantities of reed, which is pressed with into guest house with a peasant believed Mihaela Ghiţă. a special wood comb until it becomes atmosphere. “ The roof is specific to compact and impermeable. A ridge, just Moldova, with four beams, and inside, At the “House with morning glory” the like a reed weaving, is placed above, this we eliminated the walls in order to tourists serve the three meals of the day being replaced every five years. The make windows, and in the attic we cooked based on traditional recipes technique is so old and difficult that it fitted up bedrooms .” from Alba Iulia. “ We use the recipes of is no longer used in Jurilovca. “To build my grandmother: country pies, potato a Lippovan house nowadays is as Inside, the house of Pomohaci family soup with tarragon, chicken stew with costly as a modern house and it lasts has the aspect of an ethnography paprika and mushroom dumplings. even longer, and the work volume is museum: white stove, traditional The foreigners are willing to take huge. The walls are made of adobe ceramics, textiles with folkloric motifs. Romanian cooking lessons .” bricks stack with soil, based on an On the walls, traditional costumes were almost extinct technique. On the inside hanged. “ The textiles are in our family The house from Jurilovca, a and outside, the walls are plastered for many generations, national Lippovan house with a mix of soil and straws, and the costumes, towels, quilts. The former resistance becomes fantastic. It is wall carpets I used them as rugs; they Ștefan Constantin is from Dâmboviţa, almost impossible to break such wall. are beautiful, with floral motifs and but the most beautiful period of the year The ceiling of the Lippovan house are bright colours, but they are old and he spends in Jurilovca village, near the made of wood, reed and soil, placed in give the house a calm air .” Absolutely paradise from Gura Portiţei. He bought several layers. The work technique is all ceramics and household objects are an old Lippovan house, restored it and fascinating, but because of the traditional, from the countryside, in any opened it for tourists. “ Many of the difficulty, it disappeared, being case not bought from stores. tourists are foreigners. I think that in considered primitive and not at all 2016, I will have only clients from affordable .” The meals served to the tourists consist abroad. It is a house built in 1900, in rural dishes. “ As main course we which I restored it in an old authentic The house from Jurilovca consists in a have polenta with sour cream, cheese fashion. I tried to modify it as little as passage and three rooms fitted up as and stews. The Romanian soups and possible. The roof was destroyed. It is bedrooms with a fisherman’s home deserts are not missing from the table the only thing that I have completely atmosphere. “ Jurilovca village is a – pies and crepes. Often, we cook based replaced, but I did it based on the treasure. Argamu, Histria, Enisala on the recipes of the tourists. They Lippovan model and technique ”, said Fortresses, Danube Delta with Chilia want food tasting like in their Ștefan Constantin. and Sulina Branches must be visited, childhood and we try to cook dishes

27 Rural Romania – No. 20

1813, operated until not so long ago, being subsequently valorised as a tourist attraction: the owners transformed it into a pension. It is called “Moară de piatră” and inside the mill a kitchen was fitted up and tourists can cook by themselves.

“An illustration of what clothing washing in whirlpools once was in Ţara Făgărașului is represented by «La vâltori» Centre from Lisa village ”, explained Elena Bajenaru, the manager of “Valer Literat” Museum. “ The procedure is the same as a few centuries ago – the clothes, thick wool fabrics, made in the weaving loom, in order to become resistant, are placed in the washing basked and swirled just like in the washing machine for several hours. After they are sun dried, they are brushed with hawthorn branches on a special wood wheel and rinsed again and dried. Afterwards, the that they ate at their grandparents .” important touristic attraction is, of fabrics are inserted in a wood room course, the citadel with the same name. heated at 90 degrees Celsius, where Village Hotel, the house from It dates from the beginning of the 14th they are placed on a wheel with inside Maramureș century and, in 2014, it was included in wood nails. In order not to dry, water a top of the most beautiful fortified must be continuously thrown on these In Breb village, an Englishman named citadels of the world, ranking second. fabrics. In this way, the clothes shrink Duncan Ridgley opened a rural hotel: Although its main role was of military almost half their size, becoming “The Village Hotel”. In reality, there are defence, the Fagaras Citadel remained resistant and almost impermeable .” three small traditional houses from famous for the pompous balls from the Maramureș, which are at least 100 years formers dungeons, during the reign of Press house at Valea Călugărească old, being bought from the Mihai Viteazul. The ruler bestowed it as neighbouring villages, dismantled, a gift to his wife, Stanca, and also built A very old press house from Valea transported piece by piece and an Orthodox church inside. Călugărească was given the chance of a reassembled. The hotel consists in the new life as a special cultural monument. Small House, the Old House and the Subsequently, in the 20th century, the The press house was built in 1777 and Painted House. citadel became a symbol of political operated until 1984, when, because of persecution established by the the damage caused by the earthquake The foreign tourists are those who are Communist regime. It is believed that from 1977 and of its age, it collapsed. dying to come to “The Village Hotel”. All 1,000 political prisoners suffered in the The County History and Archaeology the small houses are fitted up in rural dungeons of Făgăraș Citadel, many of Museum from Prahova County style, with authentic textiles from them dying there. intervened in order to recover the Maramureș, which are filled with original wood beams, the press house colours and folkloric motifs, wood Nowadays, the citadel is administrated being considered a local patrimony furniture beautifully painted with as a museum with 66 rooms on five element. After 1990, the construction shades of blue from Săpânţa. No TV or floors. In a few of the cells, collections was erected from scratch on a nearby internet. consisting in torture objects and tools land. The press house reconstruction used by the communists were exhibited. works lasted for seven years, and, in There is a small kitchen and bathroom Also in the citadel, “Valer Literat” 2013, after completion, 1777 Press inside, but these are the only elements Ethnographic Museum can be visited. House Museum was inaugurated. which remind from the 21st century. Otherwise, the foreign tourists are Representative for the rural patrimony “It is a true rural attraction ”, said Nina taken out for a drive with the cart on the of Ţara Făgărașului are the mills and Grigore, museum curator. “ The small village roads and led to the whirlpools. The oldest mill from museum consists in four rooms neighbouring farms of the people from Făgăraș, which is still operational, dates reconstituted based on the model of the Maramureș to serve the meals. from 140 years ago and it is located at authentic press house from 1777. The Ohaba. It was built with mill stones room from the attic was fitted up as an The patrimony from Ţara brought from France, which were never ethnographic exhibition space, where Făgărașului changed. pieces decorated with grape and vine leaves motifs specific to press houses In Ţara Făgărașului, the most In Carta village, an even older mill, from can be admired. The second room of

28 the press house contains old is amazing, but people are still knowledge. The young people do not instruments for grape processing and returning to their origins. I saw that want to hear about a trade that is so wine making pieces; the cellar was people prefer to buy handmade leather complicated like dowry chest making .” built based on the model of the 18th belts instead of the serial and industrial century, with a stone and mortar ones. So, thanks to them, I continue this The dowry chests from Budureasa are foundation, just like in old times, and trade and I want to transmit it to my famous in Bihor County; in the old days, between the two rooms, we have also apprentices ”, said Ioan Nistor. they were part of the pieces of furniture fitted up a hallway, where the tourists of any countryside family and the dowry can admire photography and He works in a Transylvanian Saxon of the bride was kept in them. document collections from the 18th shop with working instruments that are Nowadays, Gheorghe Laza makes century .” in his family for at least three decorative dowry chests used as generations. The folkloric motifs, the ornamental pieces. Because of the fact that it is found in a weavings and the model of the seams major viticultural area of the country, are also in his family for hundreds of “I have learnt from my parents to work Dealu Mare, 1777 Press House Museum years and they are traditional for the with the wood. I used to make large makes efforts in order to give the area of Târnave. “ I have many tools chests of more than 1.20 meters, but visitors the chance of wine tasting. with German names, for some of them now I make them small, based on “Currently, upon special request and in I did not find a Romanian orders, and people keep money, certain occasions, at 1777 Press House correspondent .” documents and jewellery in them. The Museum visiting tours are organised process is complicated, lasts very long with Romanian wine tasting. Still, we Ioan Nistor is the only one who can and several chests must be done at are trying to make from the wine tasting make belts from a single piece, unique once. ” a permanent practice in this museum. belts whose prices address the middle We want to bring wine samples from all social class. “I use only cow leather and Specific to the chests from Budureasa is over the country.” I custom make anything, from belts to the stage of smoking the wood. It is a horse harnesses, bags, weaved unique custom for both aesthetical and Trades going extinct horsewhips, absolutely anything. My practical purposes. By smoking, wood The last belt maker from peasant leather girdles (Serpare) are cavities are destroyed and, at the same Sighișoara easily recognized, because I make them time, the wood material obtains an even based on the model from the area of and pleasant brown colour. “ After Ioan Nistor is the last traditional belt Târnave.” smoking the wood, I assemble the chest maker from the area, and his leather and I finally apply the drawing. I use cutting shop is opened in the Tower of The last dowry chest artisan from traditional drawings from our region, the Furriers (Turnul Cojocarilor) from Budureasa the wheel, the fir, the wheat grain, but Sighișoara. Although the temptation the client may also select a favourite was big to pass to industrialized In Budureasa, the art of making dowry model ”, said Gheorghe Laza. The chest production, with modern working tools chests is going extinct. Gheorghe Laza are made of beech wood and, by and machines, Ioan Nistor preferred to is the last dowry chest artisan who is smoking, they are guaranteed for at continue the traditional trade, with still active. “ I remained the only artisan least 20 years. manual techniques and instruments old from Budureasa who makes dowry for hundreds of years. chests; there is another artisan, but he is very old and he no longer works. I “It is true that life goes on, the progress have no one to whom I can pass my

29 Rural Romania – No. 20

People

Florin Cramariuc, the artisan from Bucovina: “The wood is alive. It tells you what it wants to become”

He receives orders from the Having a special connection with this students. Having the shop and the tools country, but also from USA, Japan material from his childhood, the of his grandfather at hand, he took and United Kingdom attended the wood industrialization advantage of the situation and became high-school from Suceava, the “entrepreneur” at a young age. In high- Florin Constantin Cramariuc has been vocational school for carpenters and the school, Florin Cramariuc met the girl passionate about wood carving since he popular art school, the wood sculpture who later became his wife, and they was little, showing interest and skills department. have been working together since then. since he was learning to walk. He was Initially, they worked in the wood not even two years old when his At first, he carved the wood with a processing factory from Suceava, but grandfather, who was a well-known hunting knife of his father until he was after the Revolution, they opened their carpenter from Breaza Village from gifted an adequate knife. From the 8th own firm. Currently, Cramariuc has his Bucovina, near Câmpulung grade, he used to make small objects own shop built on the land bought close Moldovenesc, gave him pieces of wood which he offered or even sold. The to Suceava. None of his two sons to play, and he drove all the nails in the movies with Amerindians being very followed his paths, although both of threshold of the old fashioned house. popular at that time, he made bows and them inherited his talent. The elder son They are still there, kept as a memory in arrows and he appeared in “Cutezătorii” is studying piano and jazz compositions the door threshold, said Cramariuc. Magazine, which was provided to at the Conservatory from Iasi. He did

30 not allowed him to carve the wood too funds. He wrote a book that is almost context, his ideas and advices are much, trying to protect him against ready, which he is going to deliver soon cherished by other popular creators. possible finger injuries, in order not to to the publishing house. affect his profession. Still, a few years “Each human being, based on its ago, he came home and told his father Six years ago, in order to protect certain purpose and nature, was created on that he wanted to make a dragon. He models he had created, the artisan earth by the supreme Creator together drew it and then carved it in wood and it recorded his own brand at OSIM (State with an inestimable treasure. Each of came out perfectly, without any flaws! Office for Inventions and Trademarks), us receives this treasure. The question so he can guarantee the authenticity of is what we do with it during our lives? The objects which Florin Cramariuc the products made by him and he Do we know how to use it or we pile enjoys best to make are the ladles, succeeds into making unique objects, trash over it every year until its because the roundness of the object and based on orders, with the stamp “FC brilliance disappears for good? Why the energy load of the wood give him a wood art”. can’t we offer what we are offered? special calmness. “ The wood is alive, it What can’t we give for free what we has life, you have to understand, it tells The prices of the objects he makes are offered free of charge? We will ask you what it wants to become. And those varies from two Lei for a simple wood ourselves: whom to give? To our who do not understand it, must not spoon, 20-30 Lei for a carved spoon, 50 fellow. Who is our fellow? And so on – torture the wood. Few are real artisans Lei for a jewellery box, up to 1,000 Lei a an entire list of questions for which we – you are weather born with it or wayside cross, 1,500 Lei a dowry chest do not have an answer, but we are not not …”, said the artisan. Other objects or 2,000 Lei a chest with arched lid. He even trying. Wouldn’t it be simpler to which he enjoys making and have a has clients from the United Kingdom, give that interior treasure that we were special significance are the garlic USA, Japan, who request him to make offered without expecting any rewards, mortar and pestle, which represent the objects which they pay in advance and but being aware of the fact that by “male and female in the life matrix ”. are sent to their homes by mail/courier. offering more the Creator would give you double the gift you made? If it is The artisan makes chairs, tables, chests, “Any type of wood is good for carving. hard for us to offer, at least, we can various types of sledges for the The tools are important, but the skill is leave a door open towards this transport of tourists, small hatchets, what matters the most ”, said treasure and keep it clean, without crosses, wayside crosses, jewellery Cramariuc. For example, the linden has staining it or throwing garbage at it. boxes, dowry chests and many more. He a compact fibre and it is used for small, How are we going to educate our participates in fairs from all over the utilitarian or decorative, objects, like children? What are we going to tell country, and because he is already spoons, ladles, jewellery boxes, the oak them about the treasure? Is it a myth famous, people look for him in order to wood is used for furniture, beams, or reality? I say it is never too late, the order different objects. He advertises as wayside crosses, and the ash wood is age is not so important, the goal is only he can: he offers visit cards, brochures, used for building carts. one: to leave the Chest Lid open, he participates in various events; he exemplary cleanness, and the rest will teaches classes at the Village Museum Since 2004, he has been the founding come afterwards ”, wrote Florin from Suceava every summer; he member of the Association of Popular Cramariuc in 2008 in the “Lada de participates in demonstrations and Artisans from Moldova, and since Zestre”, the magazine of the Association short and long term classes for non- 2008, he has been the founding of Popular Artisans from Moldova. governmental organizations, under president of the Association of Popular projects supported from European Artisans from Bucovina, and, in this

31 Rural Romania – No. 20

Valuable ethnographic collections in the villages from Vrancea County

shepherd’s heap remind of the defining occupation of the villagers who have spiritually sublimed their wealth in the ballad called Mioriţa collected by Alecu Russo from the region of Soveja. The utilitarian ceramics preserves shapes and symbols which offered depth to the passing rituals and ceremonies: the cross, the meander, the communion bread, the ram’s horns.

The room from Crivăţ exhibits textile thread and fibre processing utensils, a collection of traditional costumes from the South of Moldova, almost 200 ornamental ceremonial towels with embroidered or weaved friezes, icon covers, “prostiri” (ornamental linens), rugs and coverlets that keep numerous phytomorphic, zoomorphic and anthropomorphic ornamental motifs, whose significance is still present in the memory of the women who have artistically sublimed the beauty of nature, the beliefs and hopes that guided them through life.

The objects have their story, which fascinates the Romanian visitors and those who come from other countries: Mexico, USA, Japan and from all European countries. And because we love to receive children, we dedicated them with love and hope in the future a collection of more than one hundred dolls which illustrate diversity, beauty and elegance of the traditional costume In the fascinating Vrancea County, in Moldova by reconstituting a traditional of Romanians and of the co-habiting Rucăreni Village from Soveja peasant farm. The house, typical for the ethnicities. The children understand Commune, at the foot of Bisericii Hill, architecture from Soveja, is bordered by that, far from being a stage costume, the in a wood and stone house built by Ion a “tarnat” (veranda) with fretted grill, national costume has and identity and Roscan, fighter in the anti-communist and the wood lace that adorns the eaves initiating value, being unique opposition from Vrancea Mountains, has as dominating motif the solar depending on the age and social statute Ion and Mariana Chirita gathered their rosette, frequent apotropaic symbol also of the person who wears it. dowry and opened widely the gates of on the matrixes for smoked cheese, a their soul for their fellows. representative product for the local From respect or the intellectuals from gastronomy. the villages, priests and teachers, the The “Dowry” ethnographic collection true civilizing heroes, whose provides the visitors with the The passage offers to visitors anonymous job was not over before the opportunity to discover the creative thematically organised exhibits: the altar or the desk, but it continued in the nature of the villagers from the south of collection of cudgels, the saddle and the community, we have fitted up a room

32 which reconstitutes the atmosphere from the home of the priest and teacher between 1900 and 1950. The visitors discover with delight a school bench from 1906 with blackboards, pens, inkpots and school manuals. The old furniture, toys, photos take them in a world ennobled by books and icons from the 19th century, cult objects which brought the Romanians close to God by faith, diligence and piety.

In the courtyard, among agricultural tools and flowers, you can learn about the touch of the grass and the joy of traditional toys, you can experience again the charm of holidays and the dignity to be Romanian in our country.

The foreign visitors are surprised by this Romania as they did not know from the touristic brochures or from the media in their country. They ennoble themselves by wearing the traditional costume and discover and profound and fascinating Romania.

Chiriţă Mariana, Collector Telephone: 0757 243 892 e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

33 Rural Romania – No. 20

Virginia Linul, from Nösnerland, carries forward the tradition of the national costume

The name of Virginia Linul from Slava by the boys from Bistriţa-Năsăud. of my mother and of my entire Commune, Bistriţa-Năsăud County, family. My mother was became a brand itself when the Because she no longer coped with the acknowledged as being one of the artisan took the national costumes work after becoming famous, she best skilled sewers from Ţara sewed by her hands, from Valea hired other 50 women from the Năsăudului. She sewed for people Someșului to Smithsonian Museum village which to sew traditional from the entire area of Someșul from Washington. Romanian blouses and skirts, to make Valley, Sălăuţa and Zagra Valleys .” collars and purses and peasant coat Together with other popular artisans, and sheepskin vests which Virginia Virginia remembers that she started Virginia Linul was co-opted in the Linul sold at fairs and even based on sewing when she was very little: “ At team of the French designer Philippe orders. Adapted to the new period, the age of five I made my first Guilet in order to create the collection she even has a website «creation». I sewed beads on the called “100%.ro” inspired by the (www.costumepopulare.ro) from lower border of a female vest from Romanian folkloric tradition. where the interested customers can our area, afterwards, I began chose their models. learning how to make other models After her art was acknowledged all that were increasingly complex, over the world, the Romanians also Virginia Linul learnt how to sew from meaning more and more discovered who Virginia Linul was, her mother. “ I was glad to be born in complicated .” and they found out their story, a story a family with four children, me being of flowers and beads sewed on the the youngest ”, said Virginia. “ My About her success abroad, Virginia shirts and flourished linens worn by mother was the one who transmitted Linul talks with love, because she girls and women from Sălăuţa and to us, her children, the love for the does not consider that it is just a Someșul Valleys, a story of peacock national costume and for sewing, personal achievement, but an feathers on the cloches proudly worn because sewing was the basic trade appreciation at world level of the

34 Romanian traditional values. with regard to our national values creating artist was also and with each experience, I fortified acknowledged, and he gave me “In 1999, Romania was invites at the my trust in the perpetuation of courage to continue to use my great Smithsonian Festival from Romanian traditions. ” talent. ” Washington. During the festival, folkloric groups, popular artisans, She also remembers with pleasure the Virginia Linul does not just create, people of culture and chefs collaboration with the French but she wears the national costumes participated and impressed the designer Philippe Guilet: “ The every day. “ I wear the national Americans with the Romanian encounter with designer Philippe costume in every event I participate traditional foods. Among the Guilet changed my life. Actually, his and, of course, especially on participants in this event, it was me collection «100%.ro» has changed holidays. In my everyday life, I wear and my sister, representing Ţara the mentality of the people about the elements from the national costume, Năsăudului with our creations. After Romanian popular traditions. This a vest, or the Romanian traditional this experience, I realized that the designer has pointed out the beauty blouse or clothes with handmade trade has reached the level of art and of the Romanian people like nobody embroidery inspired from the what we do is more than just a else did. He was the one who showed national costume. I do this because I simple trade and not anyone can do the entire world the craftsmanship of consider that the national costume is it. At the same time, I have become the Romanian folkloric art. He part of our identity. Moreover, I aware of the importance of succeeded into initiating a new think that we, the grandparents and processing and transmitting the fashion with influences from the parents, are bound to transmit to the secrets of the trades to the future Romanian national costume. If the young people the ancient customs generations. Afterwards, a series of Romanian designers did not dare to and traditions in order for them to cultural events, fairs, international approach this style until then, he know that the Christian holidays exhibitions began and I was invited succeeded into opening new must be celebrated in a Romanian to present the national costume and horizons, to influence and encourage way, together with the family, with the traditions from our area. Every the approach of this style, which our ancient customs and the national time, with each presentation, I felt currently appears to be in fashion. costume .” the pride to be Romanian, the pride Thanks to him, my value as popular

35 Rural Romania – No. 20

Old Man Pupăză, the wood wizard from Maramureș

from it. Whenever I go into the forest to cut a log, I cross myself before it and I promise to transform it, to bring it to life. I am faithful to the wood. It has never betrayed me. I talk through wood about life and death to each person who wants to listen .”

Nowadays, his art is carried forward by his son in law, but his grandson, who is a span long, is also involved. He spends all the time in the workshop of his grandfather, stumbling at every step of the men he carefully studies. But not only the son in law is his artistic successor. “ I taught about twenty young men how to use the chisel. I think that all that I have done will not die with me, because these are not things to be thrown away. What is of brand vanishes quickly. What is made with our soul will last. You will see in a few years that I am telling the truth. My apprentices continue my work. My motto in life I carved on the gate: «Whatever I intended to do in my life, I have done it in turn». These are not just words. I am proud that my apprentices carve gates and build churches .”

After filling the entire area of Maramureș with his crosses places at crossroads in order to protect the neighbouring establishments from evil and to provide the travellers with a welcomed halt in which to take off their cloche and to cross themselves in order for their trip to be blessed, the Old Man The wood carver Pătru Godja, called tongues: clean plum horinca (brandy) Pupăză also became an export artisan. Pupăză, from Stejarului Valley, is a true with which the popular artisan treats He has many clients from abroad. They legend of Maramureș. He is the great everyone who has a gentle look. On the are part of two categories. On the one artisan of the wayside crosses, gates stick, the Old Man Pupăză carved a few hand, the Romanians who work in all from Maramureș, spindles with words of wisdom: “ Those who drink too corners of the world in order to provide tugurlau, the symbol of eternal love and much should not drink at all. ” bread on the table of their children and marriage, the Old Man Pupăză had who want to have there, where God wandered the world accompanied by his The art of “taming” the wood is known guided their footsteps, a souvenir from magical stick. His wood stick is not in his family for generations, and the home, and, on the other hand, the magical just because it is carved by him, old man Pupăză intends to pass it foreigners, who, paradoxically, seem to but because it contains a magical potion forward to the young people. “ I learnt cherish the authentic peasant art from capable of warming the Christians on a from my father how to cut the wood our country more than we, the day with bad weather and of untying the with the axe and how to protect myself Romanians, do.

36 Within the last years, he has worked a lot in the Western Europe. For example, in Spain he took a few gates with motifs from Maramureș, which he carved at home and installed in an outdoor museum, where 12 houses from Maramureș are erected, looking exactly like those from Izei Valley. The artisans from Stejarului Valley stayed in such houses while they worked near Madrid. “I worked a lot, but it was worth it! ”, said Pătru Godja. He also had orders from France. The artisan considers that the foreigners think clearer and appreciate better the folkloric art from Maramureș. “ The foreigners come, buy and take to their countries gates and houses from us. But we are still plunged in deep thought. We regard the past as something useless and this is not good at all! ”

But, Pătru Godja called Pupăză has travelled all the way to America, in a community of Romanians from Detroit. The artisan from Maramureș also found an etymological explanation for the name of the American city. “ One day, a Romanian fellow went there and said: «Aici îi di trăit» (Here is the life). And that is why that town was called Detroit .”

In America he was also enticed to stay for good, but he refused, making his wife happy, who was waiting for him back home. “ They asked me to stay there. But, I answered with my own style: «I stay with only one condition: to never become old or die in America.» he feels betrayed by the authorities. “ I optimistic: “ If you ask me, I say that While I was in America, there were think about the Romanian state, but he our popular art and the national people who told my wife that Pupăză does not think of us, the popular costume will never die. I look into the would not return home. But I came, artisans. It should consider us a great villages, especially in Maramureș. because there is no place like home .” deal, to cherish us as we deserve. I will People have started to wear again not trade my country and the cioareci (peasant’s trousers tight on the But, here, I was not appreciated the Romanian village for anything, but the legs), sheepskin vests, cloche hats, same. Just like the Holy Bible says that state does not think the same about us .” shirts sewed just like the ancient ones, no one is a prophet in his own country. which they wear all day long, but, He has a very small pension from when Despite the fact that he feels that he is especially at church, making you proud he worked a quarter time at the Popular more respected abroad than in his own to watch them! ” Art School from Sighetu Marmaţiei, so country, the Old Man Pupăză is still

37 Rural Romania – No. 20

Experiences

My farm: Touristic farm – a modern concept of rural tourism in Capu Câmpului Commune from Suceava County

The land of monasteries, legends and recreational places from Bucovina. Not waitress. They started with the stud brave deeds, Bucovina does not cease to only the special accommodation farm from passion for these animals. amaze and charm us. It is a place conditions or touristic attractions of the Afterwards, the touristic sheepfold, the blessed by God, where time seemed to area provide it with this statute, but farm, the restaurant with 100 seats and have stopped in a time of beauty and especially the spiritual kindness and the terrace followed. The word of dishes patriarchal serenity. Here, life – hospitality of the hosts. By combining “just like mother used to make” spread although harsh, with long and snow- the traditions with the modern facilities fast, and because customers were buried winters and short and rainy which increase the degree of comfort, coming from far away to eat here, they summers – slowly and quietly elapses, this pension is the ideal destination for also established the pension, which has following the normal course between both relaxation and for becoming four double rooms. seasons. Between Stânișoarei familiar with the simple life in the Mountains and Obcinele Bucovinene, countryside. Currently, in the pension of Boca on the right side of Moldova, in Capu spouses, accommodation unit and Câmpului Commune from Suceava, The spouses Stela and Ioan Boca have touristic farm, located on five hectares, there is a halt, at the foot of the forest, always worked the land. Ioan is a seven employees work, being willing to where, once arrived there, the tourist silviculturist. They started this share their knowledge and lessons wants to return again and again, like in enterprise with the thought of offering learnt from their successors to the an expected return home. This is how to others their skills and love for nature tourists. the pension is simply called: “Acasă în and traditions. Although they could Bucovina” (At Home, in Bucovina). have lived in the city, they preferred to What increases the attractiveness of this raise their children among animals and tourist destination is the concept of Established in 2012, the Pension “Acasă to offer them a healthy lifestyle. The touristic farm, according to which the în Bucovina” is, without any doubt, one business they developed by themselves, guests are invited to assist the chores of the most luring resting and and Stella was at first both director and made in an authentic peasant farm.

38 Under the delighted and curious eyes of harness contest and a traction contest based on which we prepare the food the tourists, pot cheese, soft cow cheese, took place here between the beautiful are traditional, from our great- whey squeezed out from the cheese, semi-heavy horses of the farms from the grandparents. Our guests are our balmos, ram stew and other dishes are area. friends. They are people who, with prepared based on old recipes. The pails tears in their eyes, live moments from filled with fat milk await at the In summer, the green recreational area their childhood: cow milking, horse sheepfold built with thick wood beams. and the fish pond provide colour to the combing, hay collection and many The cheese from which drops of whey location. In winter, the centre of more. These chores, in the middle of the drain awaits to be placed on the rack to attention moves in the restaurant, nature, awaken special feelings ”, said dry, and, afterwards, the shepherd will where, on the stove, the famous scrijele Stela Boca. place it in wood casks for the next (sliced potatoes) are slowly baking. winter. Also here, the housewife places The concept of touristic farm or the small kettle onto the fire, makes a The tourists are not just simple sheepfold has an increasing balmos and urges the guests to eat it watchers. They can be at the same time applicability in the field of rural tourism with sour milk from the clay pots like “occasional farmers” or guests in our country. In most of the cases, it those which only at our grandparents’ participating in the specific chores, and also represents a successful joining of house could be found. they can compete in attractive organic agriculture with zootechnics. competitions: chicken catching, cow For this purpose, in 1971, World Wide The dishes are prepared based on milking, fishing, wood cutting by using Opportunities on Organic Farms, the traditional recipes, and the “raw the two-handed crosscut saw. The first greatest and best known organisation materials” come from their own farm. winner of such cow milking competition which promotes the tourisms in organic The animals are taken care of and fed was a young girl from Africa. farms, was established. From 2008, and the stables are cleaned under the WWOOF Romania (www.wwoof.ro) has eyes of the tourists, who are sometimes You almost never have the feeling that been operating in Romania, facilitating astounded. you are at a pension, in the normal the access to organic farms from sense of the word, but rather at the Romania to those interested in this type The main attraction of the farm is a place of some hard working people, who of tourism. For now, the concept was small stud farm, where we find tens of share with you not only their food, but not sufficiently embraced by the horses of Lipizzan breed and six ponies. also their skills of preparing them. It is farmers from our country, but, in time, The stud farm is part of the Association like you are at some relatives’ or friends’ it will probably develop, considering the of Private Lipizzan Breeders from house. fact that it provides benefits for both Romania. The tourists can take horse tourists, who live unique experiences, riding lessons in the farm riding hall, “For us, this farm is not just a business. and farmers, who increase the and those who are initiated, can ride the It is the joy of sharing happiness. At attractiveness of their business and horses around the neighbourhood or in our place, the life is clean and simple. income. carriage. A demonstrative horse The food is healthy, and the recipes

39 Rural Romania – No. 20

My business: Local initiative at Cocorăștii Mislii, Prahova County: Traditional costume shop, ten jobs in the community

Gabriel Neacșu is the manager of the documents attesting the locality from village from generation to generation, Community Centre from Cocorăștii Vlad Dracul, in 1441, to Radu Paisie, in but also by transmitting the traditional Mislii Commune, Prahova County, and 1538, to Mircea Ciobanul, in 1550, and trades (weaving, hand sewing, one of the founders of “Visul Verde” to Radu Mihnea, in 1616 .” embroidering, spinning) from elderly to local cultural association established in young people. 2007 by a group of passionate Two folkloric ensembles, “Stejărelul” volunteers who wanted to carry out and “Mărţișorul” carry out their activity “In every home there is a traditional small social and cultural projects in the in the community centres, having 80 blouse sewed by grandmothers or locality. adult and scholastic members. The grand-grandmothers. This type of ensembles participate in national and activity rendered evident the talent of The locality has two community centres European events and they are the the young girl who sew. You will not in Cocorăștii Mislii Village and Goruna ambassadors of not only the traditional see two identical traditional blouses. Village, a modern show room with 300 dances and songs, but also of the Each girl sew her blouse and that style seats and modern equipment, a library costume from Cocorăștii Mislii. represented her ”, said Gabriel Neacșu. and a village museum in Goruna Village. “ We have a cult for traditions, “Visul Verde” Local Association intends The association developed within the for the past”, said Gabriel Neacșu. to keep and promote the national project a business plan for the “This is also emphasized by fitting up costume by encouraging the young establishment of a workshop to make the Village Museum, where there are people to exercise the handicraft national costumes, but also the exhibited a multitude of old objects, transmitted by the women from the traditionally decorated personal and

40 household elements. The initiators of the business thought that success will come because there is a stable outlet market: the folkloric ensembles will always need traditional clothes. “ An ensemble, if it does not have an authentic national costume, is not considered an ensemble ”, said Cristi Colezea, folkloric dance instructor in the locality. “ We address the folkloric ensembles, community centres, schools ”, explained Gabriel Neacșu.

The initiative started to develop within a partnership with PACT Foundation and the County Culture Centre, Prahova County. “ It was a new and challenging experience, an entrepreneurship exercise. We had to learn a lot, the social and cultural entrepreneurship is not easy ”, said Gabriel Neacsu.

The social business was initiated in 2014. The association bought a weaving loom, linen and thread, two sewing machines, one flat iron and one ironing table and opened a small workshop hosted in the Community Centre from the commune. Several women from the village attended requalification classes, and they discovered the joy and pride of sewing. They are young housewives, who have never worked before, the obtained qualification increasing their chances of integration of the labour market.

Ten women from Cocorăștii Mislii are hired in the workshop. They were trained to use old sewing and tailoring templates and techniques, but also to transpose them on modern products. They hands are making traditional blouses, bags, girdles and household objects decorated with traditional of the achievements from the the County Cultural Centre, Prahova motifs, like towels. The women sew traditional sewing workshop ”, said County. Suzana Marin, the geometrical shapes, flowers and leaves Gabriel Neacșu. In order to support the representative of the institution, said in black and red, the colours specific to entire community, the profit obtained that by opening this workshop, “ the Muntenia region. Other ten persons are by the workshop is reinvested in the tradition of weaving traditional in the process of training. development of the business and in blouses is not only kept, but also sponsorships and donations from transmitted, which is praiseworthy for „The young persons are becoming various local initiatives of social and the inhabitants of that commune .” interested in these trades, and the cultural development of the locality. members of the community are proud The initiative was also appreciated by

41 Rural Romania – No. 20

My community: The power of volunteering at Stejărișu Revival of a village

For eight years, Stejărișu Village Stejărișu Village proved to be willing to costs being covered by the results of the seems to be different. The local change, to take action, to work, and the work. community took attitude against first initiated project was the its own condition, and, with a bit restoration of the school, the building At Stejărișu, the women also got actively of help from outside, it succeeded being in an advanced state of decay and involved in the revival of the village; into changing its destiny. threatening the safety of the children. instead of staying at home, they prefer Not less than 30 men from the village to learn the trade in order to support Until 2007, in Stejărișu Village from expressed their wish to volunteer for the themselves without state aid. For the Sibiu County, 95% of the villagers were renovation of the school and community of women, workshops were unemployed. Only two teachers, one dependencies. They wanted to opened in order for them to learn to postman and one store seller had stable contribute to the improvement of the obtain dairy products, to make jams jobs with all the documents in order. conditions offered to their own children and syrups, to become tailors and The rest of the people had no job and during school years. experts in gardening and flower they suffered from the lack of vocational arrangements. “Until now, 140 persons training. The social aid from the state In this project, the villagers from have participated in our programmes was the main form of income of the Stejărișu learnt a trade by practice. and acquired experience ”, said Barbara villagers from Stejărișu to which a land “The volunteering specialists from Schofnagel. lot is also added. Most of the population Austria and Germany conducted the consisted in Romany people, and their vocational training, which Mirror, mirror...? education level was extremely low. materialized into onsite practice. The Despair onset at Stejărișu . necessary theory was also taught, and For the tourist who comes for the first the villagers were choosing by time at Stejărișu , the walks on the A handful of trade is a handful of themselves the field in which they streets are full of pleasant surprises. It gold wanted to work; we trained masons, seems that the old fashioned houses carpenters, painters, plumbers, washed out their old patina and they In 2005, Barbara Schofnagel electricians and tile workers ”, now have a picturesque and fresh definitively moved to Romania and explained Barbara Schofnagel. aspect. The secret? The facades of the wanted to help the community from buildings, especially of the historical Stejărișu Village. “ I changed my Mr Radu Lazar from Sobis Solutions, a buildings, were restored by keeping the domicile for good from Austria to company which took over the project of original style and colours. The villagers Romania and I decided to develop a the Austrian foundation, confirms: “ The volunteered to work at them, especially project by which to take an entire idea of change was welcomed by the in order to provide the village with a village out of the poverty. Relying on villagers, all the more so the new aspect. With this occasion, they my experience, I could not accept the participation was benevolent, not learnt a trade. Many of them idea that Romany people do not want mandatory .” subsequently found a job in this field. to work and that nothing good can be completed with them. I wanted to This type of vocational training has The rural tourism from Stejărișu is prove to the world that the been maintained until now. The based on the pure Romanian hospitality development of an entire village is villagers continue to specialize in in Transylvanian Saxon decors, on possible ”, said Barbara Schofnagel, the various fields – carpentry, smith’s work, menus specific to the area and on president of Austria Pro Romania masonry – in artisan workshops. The touristic sites filled with history, like the Foundation. greatest reward for those involved in the Tower of Bacon (Turnul Slăninei) or the workshops is the fact that they are fortified Church. In the summer of 2007, we talked with financially supported by the Austrian the villagers: the community from foundation only partially, the rest of the “Superb vacation homes were fitted up

42 with own bathroom and kitchen in the of May, we will buy common elder species of plants are cultivated and former location of the German school. flowers and berries. All villagers subsequently processed for sale, being In a guest house there are 20 participate by picking common elder transformed in teas and balsamic accommodation seats in single, double flowers, strawberries, raspberry, vinegar. The medicinal plant garden is and even triple rooms, and there is also blueberries, pears, apples, plums, wild the project of an experienced a camping place in the courtyard of the roses, which they subsequently sell to horticulturist from Austria and of the fortified church. Various touristic us in exchange of a price. They are villagers who worked in it as volunteers. activities are also provided, from cart processed in the factory, being driving to bike rental and chiropractic transformed in syrup, jam, brandy, „The idea of the medicinal plant garden massage. Of course, the local cuisine is liquor. At least 100 families make from Stejărișu occurred from the need among the secrets which inevitably money from selling at the factory their of valorising the potential of the area attract the tourists at Stejărișu ”, said own vegetables and picked berries ”. and with the involvement of Wolfgang Barbara Schofnagel. Hosiner, specialist in the field of Due to the quality of the culinary medicinal and aromatic plants. We „The menus are simple, Romanian, but products obtained in Stejărișu Village, pick and process these plants and a also Transylvanian Saxon traditional, two editions of Transylvanian Brunch part of them we use in our own farms which can be prepared by any Festival, organized by Microregiunea and a part of them we sell to the housewife – kurbelsuppe, stew, Hartibaciu LAG, have already taken tourists who come at Stejărișu ”, goulash, home baked berry pies, place here. This event is intended to explained Radu Lazar. common elder juice” , said Radu Lazar. promote the most beautiful villages from Transylvania, with special natural In 2015, Stejărișu Village can barely be Recipe for local success: vegetable decors and specific quality dishes. recognized as being the village from and fruit processing factory eight years ago. More than 50% of the You get well at Stejărișu villagers now have a job thanks to the Of all the projects carries out at vocational qualification in volunteering Stejărișu , the most successful one is The fortified church from Stejărișu programmes. The community has represented by the factory which Village plays the role of downtown of revived together with the renovated processes local vegetables and berries. the locality; besides the Transylvanian facades of the buildings, with the Jam, syrup, brandy and other products Brunch Festival, which is organised in rebirth of the vegetable gardens and subsequently sold on the specialty its courtyard, a garden with medicinal with the satisfaction of deciding the markets are obtained in the factory. “ As plants was arranged here. Over 30 destiny with their own forces.

43 Rural Romania – No. 20

Updated Leader

„Colinele Iașilor” LAG supports the development of the village

in the ceramics industry and tile manufacturing, varied fauna and flora, avifaunal area, secular floristic reservations, arboretum parks.

In February, 2013, “Colinele Iasilor” LAG signed with the Management Authority for NRDP the contract of financing the local development strategy. In March, 2015, the degree of contracting the non-repayable funds assigned for the implementation of the strategy has reached 90%.

The attention was on the agricultural sector where the young population has an increased interest in the financing opportunities from NRDP, especially with regard to Measure 411.112 – “Establishment of the young farmers”, by which 21 projects were submitted, 16 “Colinele Iașilor” Local Action Group from Bârnova Commune, Hlincea of which have already been contracted. Association (“Colinele Iașilor” LAG) is a Monastery from Ciurea Commune, On the territory of “Colinele Iasilor” LAG public-private partnership established Hadambu Monastery from Mironeasa are currently implemented the following according to LEADER Axis of the Commune, Wood Church from Ipatele projects: National Rural Development Commune), nature monuments - five projects under Measure 411.121 – Programme (NRDP). “Colinele Iașilor” (Repedea Hill from Bârnova „Modernisation of agricultural LAG reunites 42 partners, of which 10 Commune), archaeological sites and holdings”; representatives of the public reservations from the Neolithic, metal - six projects under Measure 411.141 – administration, 19 private partners and and medieval period, continuity of „Support of semi-subsistence farms”; 13 partners representing the civil society. popular customs known in EU countries - six projects under Measure 413.312 – The territory of “Colinele Iașilor” Local through the contribution of the „Support for creation and development Action Group consists in 12 communes Ethnographic Museum of Moldova from of small enterprises”; from Iasi County (Bârnova, Ciurea, Iasi, especially interesting being those -four projects under Measure 413.313 - Dagâţa, Grajduri, Ipatele, Mironeasa, specific to the New Year (the bear, the „Encouragement of tourist activities”; Mogoșești, Scânteia, Scheia, Tansa, goat, the ostrich, the stag, the ox etc.). - nine projects under Measure 413.322 Tibana, Ţibănești) and a commune from -„Renovation, development of villages, Neamţ County (Pancești). Also, the territory also distinguishes improvement of the basic services for the through the variety of the relief from rural economy and population and The territory represented by “Colinele “Colinele Iasilor” LAG, which is valorisation of rural inheritance”. Iasilor” Local Action Group is a characteristic to Moldavian Plateau, In total, there were 47 contracted completely rural space, which is among being the second area favourable for projects. the elements of attraction for the agriculture. It is characterized by areas Romanian and foreign tourists (edifices, of high plateaus, structural plateaus and Examples of projects financed architectural monuments and local plains, temperate-continental climate under LAG, which are currently identity elements). These are: citadels with warm summers, various types of implemented and castles (Ianculeș Mansion from soil, with black earth which ensures a Bârnova Commune, P.P. Carp Mansion good fertility with positive impact on the 1.„Establishment of the young farmer from Ţibănești Commune), churches productive level for some of the cultures, Olteanu Marian as chief of holding” and monasteries (Bârnova Monastery but also soils with specific texture used An example of project financed under

44 Measure 411.112 – “Establishment of the and received financing. The general permanent information of the tourists young farmers” has as beneficiary a scope of the project is the establishment when they arrive in the area and by young man aged 28 from Bârnova of an individual enterprises, whose scope promotion activities, which to stimulate Commune. Olteanu Marian had on the is to provide funeral services, especially the flow of the tourists, the increase of date of submitting the project 13.98 ha to the villagers of Ciurea Commune and their number, their staying period, but vineyard, and through the project, he also to other persons from other also of the notoriety of the area. The intended to increase the economic size of localities. tourist offer of the area shall include the farm by increasing the cultivated packages for the promotion of the tourist area. The project is currently executed, and objectives and also for the promotion of with the procured support, the local traditions. With the help of the received financing, beneficiary shall buy a specialized the beneficiary bought a 48 HP tractor motor-vehicle for funeral transportation, The local authorities are interested in for agricultural works and for the and also other equipment necessary for valorising the touristic potential of the transportation of production. He the activity. area and in its controlled and balanced considers the increase of the production development by creating a network of of merchandise dedicated to marketing, 3.„Rehabilitation of the old City Hall of useful services and touristic promotion the increase of the work output and, Ciurea Commune and changing the materials. implicitly, the increase of income. He scope in order to establish a local tourist will sell his production on the agri-food information and promotion centre in Through the launched measures and markets, agricultural fairs and stores for Ciurea Village, Ciurea Commune, Iasi contracted projects, it is considered to agri-food products from Iasi County, but County” increase the competitiveness of the also at pensions, restaurants and Based on the project submitted by agricultural sector, to improve the accommodation units. Ciurea Commune under Measure quality of life and to diversify the 413.313 – “Encouragement of tourist economic activities from the rural area 2.„Supporting you through your hardest activities”, it is desired to rehabilitate the of “Colinele Iasilor” LAG territory. moments” former city-hall in order to establish a Gorongea Ana-Irina from Ciurea Local Tourist Information and Contact data: Commune is another beneficiary who Promotion Centre. The proposed Manager: Basu Iulian found out about the benefits of LEADER homogeneous areas consists in Ciurea Address, Ciurea Village, Ciurea programme and decided to access non- Commune, Tansa Commune and Commune, Iasi County repayable funds through “Colinele Pancești Commune. Tel./Fax: 0232/296018 Iasilor” LAG. Thus, she submitted a E-mail: project under Measure 413.312 – The current project proposes the [email protected] “Support for the establishment of small valorisation of tourist potential of the Website: www.colineleiasilor.ro enterprises in non-agricultural sectors” area by establishing tourist routes,

45 Rural Romania – No. 20

Funds accessed through “Bucegi – Leaota” LAG - a “breath of fresh air” for the members

“Bucegi – Leaota” Local Action Group through “Bucegi – Leaota” LAG 20 out, only a few of them being Association consists in 44 projects have been financed. Their completed. representatives of the public sector, total non-repayable eligible value is of private sector and civil society from EUR 2,242,868, representing 98.64% “The implementation of Buciumeni Commune, Pietroșiţa of the total eligible public costs from «Construction of recreational and Commune, Runcu Commune, the local development strategy of amusement centre» project in Moroeni Commune, Bezdead “Bucegi – Leaota” LAG. Moroeni Commune was successfully Commune, Moţăieni Commune and completed because of a good the city of Fieni (Dâmboviţa County), The beneficiaries of most of the collaboration between Bucegi – having as the main strategic scope the financed projects were the local public Leaota Local Action Group and the sustainable development and the authorities and they were focused on Agency for Financing Rural increase of attractiveness on Bucegi – road modernization, purchase of Investments. I believe that this Leaota territory, by valorisation of the snow removal equipment or project is just a stage in the common natural, cultural, material and equipment for volunteer services in effort of valorising the touristic anthropic potential specific to the case of emergency situations, fitting potential of the mountain area of area. up community centres and Dâmboviţa County and it is the proof recreational and sports centres. that, when there is desire and During these three years of operation Among the other financed projects determination, nothing is since signing the financing contract there was a pension, a wood briquette impossible ”. (Maria Bucur, director of with the Agency for Financing Rural factory and a recreational centre. S.C. SIPOT LAND S.R.L., the Investments, in January 2012, Most of the projects are still carried beneficiary of the project which had a

46 non-repayable eligible value of EUR 196,113.13). In this project, the following were executed: pedestrian alleys and roads, paintball court, horse riding court, playground for children. The tourists who reach the area can carry out the following activities: horse and pony riding, horse sledge or cart drives, equitation, paintball. This project supplements other facilities currently available in the commune (sports courts, pool etc.).

“The association with «Bucegi - Leaota» Local Action Group is an opportunity for the villagers of Bezdead Commune. I wish that together with them to transform the commune by efficiently using the local resources and accessing European funds. From 2013 until 2014, it was the only modality to access European funds for Bezdead Commune. With the expertise acquired during the first period of LAG operation, we hope to continue the collaboration in order to try to solve as many of the problems of the villagers.

I want more private initiative, but I am sad to observe that many of the young people with skills and desire to do something are working abroad. I consider that through LAG, we can achieve a part of our objectives. Each commune has its particular aspects, but the main problem shall remain for a long period the infrastructure, because anyone can visit any corner convinced from the beginning that it am glad to ascertain that, together of the country, if he/she has optimal will be the engine of the development with the advance in the road conditions .” (Teodora of the rural area from now on. The implementation of the contracted Anghelescu, Mayor of Bezdead opportunities offered by the National projects, the aspect of the commune Commune). Bezdead Commune has Rural Development Programme, changes. I wish and hope for «Bucegi benefited of three non-repayable under Axis 4 LEADER, constituted - Leaota» LAG to also operate during financings under “Bucegi – Leaota” the «breath of oxygen», which our 2014 – 2020 programming period, LAG: for the modernization of a small community needed without other so that the process of development of road (non-repayable eligible value financing sources. our area to continue .” (Ion Dicu, EUR 97,989), for the execution of a Mayor of Bârnova Commune) public recreational and sports centre It was hard in the beginning, the lack (non-repayable eligible value: EUR of experience of the parties involved Bârnova Commune has benefited of 97,875) and for the procurement of a in the process of accessing the three non-repayable financings: EUR snow removal equipment (non- European funds making a difference. 97,383 for the establishment of a repayable eligible value: EUR With patience and perseverance, recreational centre, EUR 45,000 for 44,000). learning together, we have overcome the procurement of an excavator for all difficulties, succeeding into the Volunteer Service for Emergency “Being one of the founding members making important steps towards the Cases and EUR 123,375 for laying of the association, which improvement of the living conditions asphalt on communal roads. subsequently became «Bucegi - for the inhabitants of Bârnova Leaota» Local Action Group, I was Commune and not only for them. I

47 Rural Romania – No. 20

MARD News

Guidelines of the Applicant – public consultation for the first financing measures of 2014-2020 NRDP The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural in these forms of financing. The funds in order to establish and Development proposes for public proposals may be also sent at the email modernize the farms. There are consultation the Guidelines of the address: [email protected]. considered average farms, but also the Applicant for sub-measures 4.1 – associations of average and small farms. Investments in agricultural holdings „All these requests shall be analysed by Sub-measure 6.1 refers to the support and 6.1 – Support for the establishment the specialty departments of the Agency for the establishment of young farmers of young farmers. In this way, the for Financing Rural Investments in as sole managers of the agricultural possible applicants are invited to study order to verify the opportunity of holdings. the documentation made available on including in the final version the the internet at www.madr.ro and Guidelines of the Applicant”, said the Drafting the Guidelines by the Agency www.afir.info and to formulate Minister of Agriculture and Rural for Financing the Rural Investments in modification proposals and Development, Daniel Constantin. collaboration with the Ministry of observations regarding the conditions Agriculture and Rural Development was and criteria for accessing the European Under Sub-measure 4.1, the based on the consultations with the funds granted under 2014 – 2020 investments for the increase of Working Groups for Agriculture from National Rural Development competitiveness in agricultural holdings NRDP Monitoring Committee. Programme for the activities provided shall be supported with non-repayable

Permanent agriculture, the main subject matter of the Summer School in Bulgaria

In August, 2015, the Summer School the European Permaculture Faculty, permaculture – which is increasingly shall take place in Bulgaria, having the this educational project includes two growing in the field of agriculture, theme “Permanent Agriculture”. courses taught by the world famous architecture and organic economy. The Organised by the University of National lecturer Robyn Francis. Those Sumer School from Bulgaria is a unique and World Economy from Sofia in interested will have the opportunity to occasion for those interested in this partnership with the Economic thoroughly study the significances of a subject, in the area of Eastern Europe. Department of Natural Resources and relatively new sustainability concept –

48 APIA has made almost completely the payments for 2014 Campaign From the beginning of the year and per area) payment, having as vegetal sector – 2014 Campaign until now, the Agency of Payments financing source the European account for 443 million Lei. Also and Intervention for Agriculture Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) considering the amounts paid from (APIA) has made total payments to and also the payments afferent to the October until November, 2014, it beneficiaries in amount of 3.5 billion National Transitory Aids (the former results that APIA has paid 94% of the Lei, based on the applications PNDC) in the vegetal sector. total allocation afferent to the direct submitted by farmers during 2014 payments per area, respectively SAPS Campaign. The amounts included the The total amounts paid until now for and ANT in the vegetal sector for final SAPS (unique payment scheme the National Transition Aids in the 2014.

Participative self-evaluation of NRDN activity The Support Unit of the National evaluation of the network, and also a 10-15 persons selected from the Rural Development Network role of collaboration and partial Regional Offices according to the organises, from April until May, 2015, responsibility in supporting the principle of representativeness for all eight sessions of evaluation under activities of network evaluation by the the main types of organisations Empowerment Evaluation (EE) Management Authority. member of NRDN. The interested method. organisations may fill in the The sessions, one for each region, Registration Form which can be This method is trying to give to all the shall take place at the eight found on NRDN website, Contact actors a management role and full headquarters of the Regional Offices section, which they shall send to responsibility in the internal of NRDN, with the participation of NRDN Regional Office.

The 52nd edition of the International Showroom for Agriculture The 52nd edition of the International enjoyed the participation of French participated. Organised with this Showroom for Agriculture (ISA) took officials leaded by the president of the occasion, the International Forum place at Paris from February 20th until state, Mr. Francois Hollande. Over with the theme “Agriculture and February 21st. The event, also 1,000 international exhibitors, climatic changes” enjoyed the attended by Daniel Dumitru Botanoiu, agricultural producers, agricultural participation of the representatives of state secretary of the Ministry of equipment, machine, fodder, forage, the relevant ministries and agencies Agriculture and Rural Development, food and beverage producers from over 85 countries.

Young farmers will receive subventions increased with 25% The new payment schemes for hectares. Also, the new legislation application of payment per area; farmers, within 2015 – 2020 period, clearly defines the notion of “active otherwise, it shall not be considered shall be regulated as of March, this farmer”. These modifications active farmer and it shall not receive year. In accordance with the practically eliminate from the subventions”, said the Minister of modifications of the Emergency financing scheme many entities, like, Agriculture, Daniel Constantin. Ordinance adopted on March 4th, for example, the airports which own 2015, the regulations adopted at pastures, the railway transport The new normative deed supports the European level are transposed into services, the water supply system, the young people of less than 40 years the national legislation as a result of real-estate services etc. old, who own more than 60 hectares the reform of the Common and who are going to receive, for a Agricultural Policy. “They are considered active farmers period of five years, in 2015-2020, a only if, during the period immediately payment supplemented with 25% as As of 2015, the redistributive payment subsequent to the submittal of the compared to those who have more shall be implemented, this payment application, they prove that than 40 years old. representing an incentive payment, the agricultural activity they carry out whose scope is to amalgamate the is important as regards both the share According to the new legislation, as of agricultural lands. Thus, the farmers of the direct payments from the 2018, no payment application shall be who have 5 and 30 hectares will income obtained by that company submitted, because subventions and receive an incentive payment greater and the share of the income of direct payments can no longer be with approximately 40 Euro/ha than agricultural activities from the total received, if the cadastral documents the farmers who will have one and 5 annual income. This must be proven are not drafted. hectares or who will exceed 30 by the person submitting the sole

49 Rural Romania – No. 20

Introduction of the National Rural Development Network members

COUNTY DIRECTORATE FOR CULTURE FROM GALATI

The County Directorate for Culture is a decentralized interest filled with history. During this journey which a service of the Ministry of Culture with legal character. group of 150 persons of all ages participated in, visits to the Among the main tasks of this Directorate at the level of cellars of the General Ieremia Grigorescu from Ivești were Galati County, is the protection of movable, immovable and made, seeing barrels of up to 7000 litres and the intangible protection, which is a priority. administrative building, both dating as of the beginning of the 20th century, the legendary churches of Nicorești, Thus, the Directorate has carried out numerous projects for “Domeniile Nicorești” Press House, where the famous wine the promotion of the cultural objectives from the county, of Nicorești, Băbească and Fetească was tasted, being well among which we remind those which had a great impact on known as of the Middle Ages. The last stop was made at the students, young people and adults, offering them the Buciumeni, a place filled with legends and historical opportunity of discovering and becoming aware of the vestiges. Here passes the defence wall of Atanaric, the feeling of commune appurtenance to the values of the historical monument which crosses Galati County along 90 country, region, city or rural area. km. Also here, Smaranda Braescu was born, who was the first female parachute jumper with certificate from In 2011, during the European Patrimony Days (EPD), the Romania. Buciumeni Monastery, located in the forest of Directorate has carried out the project called “Cultural Buciumeni, an oasis of interior peace and meditation, Wood Heritage” in which the students visited historical completes this wonderful touristic route known from monuments: the “Assumption of the Virgin” Wood Church Antiquity. from Cretești Commune, the only wood building construed in 1776, being functional in Galati County, and the Wood In 2014, declares the “Year of Brancoveanu”, the Mill, built in the 19th century, from Brăhășești Commune, Directorate has coordinated another event meant to inform not functional since 1951. the public who loves the culture, “Renaissance Patrimony in Romania”, in which NGOs and cultural institutions have The following year, the Directorate collaborated with the participated. The people from Galati had the opportunity culture institutions from Galati for the European Patrimony to listen to the music composed by Dimitrie Cantemir and Days. In the project “Traditional trades – their contribution Anton Pann in a true show of medieval music sang by to the preservation of the cultural patrimony” carried out “Anton Pann” Group from Bucharest. The ambient was at the Village Museum – Traditional Farm, from completed by the exhibition of old postcards made available Gârboavele Forest, the students saw how a basket made out by collectors, representing the Romanian national of branches is woven, how a clay pot is made and how the costumes and churches from Galati built in the 17th – 18th wool is spanned. They also watched a film about the trade century. of coopers, paying attention to the explanations of the specialists from “Dunarea de Jos” Cultural Centre, who Contact taught them about the valuable things that our ancestors tel. 0236 411 208 did. 0744 35 66 55

In 2013, the Directorate carried out an ample project called fax 0236 478 474 “The Road of vine and wine”, the touristic route of national www.galati.djc.ro

50 A YOUNG NGO, BUT WITH A VALUABLE “BAGGAGE ”

In 2009, “Tinerii și Viitorul” Association was established at Galati.

We can say that 2009 was a year in which the perception of the word “volunteering” changed. From the first activities, “Tinerii și Viitorul” Association benefited by the support of the local, regional, national and even international partners, with over 150 volunteers, who contributed to the good communication between the members of the society and the projects of the association.

The best and most objective feedback of our activity can be given by the members and beneficiaries who participated in various activities meant to sensitize the increase the degree of involvement and awareness related to certain issues. The culture, education, ecological and awareness activities are the top priorities in our “family”. We learnt that society needs these aforementioned “wheels” that make the society survive the current changes.

I have learnt from the best that the Patrimony and Culture are the visiting card of a community, a visiting card that must be carefully edited, preserved and updated. Therefore, we fight to save the national and international values and to bring them to the attention of the young generation in order to discover more values which honour our society.

Who does not have an NGO should register in one, even in ours! Let us contribute to the consolidation and development of the community. Any contribution is welcomed and will help us give future examples that it is possible to have people with initiative and power to meet the decisions taken. An active civil society will give rise to debates that can be constructive for the development of a network of reformation and consolidation actions, a network well furbished. The final Beneficiary shall be thrilled about the provided arguments.

Together we will succeed to be young and necessary for the future. So, you who are reading, if you reached this article, do not think over and…act! The change is in you, you will surely succeed to be proud of what you have done through your own powers!

„Tinerii și Viitorul” Team

Contact Galati, 203 Traian Street Telephone numbers: 0740 418 177 | 0722 821 473 I 0754 247 214 | 0745 224 150 |0756 802 651| Fax|0336 819 796 Email [email protected]

51 52 We invite you to participate in the Elaboration of the Magazine

Do you want to share from your rural development experiences for a possible publication in the magazine?

Photos and images Participation • The images must illustrate an experience. Guide

These indications are for orientation, for • The images will be sent as separate electronic files (high resolu - the homogenization of the contributions. tion >300 dpi and > 850 KB). The authors understand that the editorial staff may amend the received text, for better comprehension. • All the files containing images will be sent in.JPEG format.

• Author : He/she must be identified by • We are asking you to include a short title for each sent photo surname, first name and current occupa - tion. /image, as well as the photographer’s /author’s name.

• Introduction : A short introduction must be included to reveal the relevance of the presented topic. Letters to the Editorial Staff

• Article length: 400 – 800 words • The letters must be related to a rural development theme and not exceed 200 • Correct information : Present only words. information that you are 100% sure of and that you can support. Mention the source • The editors may intervene on the text, in of the information when you present data order to adjust it to the necessary style, coming from other institutions or organi - length, clarity and accuracy and does not zations. guarantee that all the letters will be pub- • Style : Speaking of a magazine article, it lished. is desirable for the text not to resemble a • When space is insufficient, the letters report. That is why, the following are indicated: which are not published in the magazine » Simple expression. can be published on the website of NRDN. » Relevant data to support the main idea of the article, and not all the details of the project. » Avoidance of the excess of acronyms. » The full denomination, followed by the acronym, must be inserted when it We invite you to send us your experiences, appears in the text for the first time. » Avoidance of comments and external photos, letters and articles at the e-mail references which may be controversial or misunderstood. address: [email protected] OPEN TO THE FUTURE

Roots of an European country

CONTACT: National Head Oce of the Network Support Unit (NSU) 39-41, Nicolae Filipescu St., 6th oor, 2nd District, Bucharest, postal code 020961 Tel.: 031 690 0214, Facsimile: 031 690 0215 E-mail: [email protected] , Internet: www.rndr.ro

is publication was created by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania, within the project entitled “Establishment and Support of the National Rural Development Network”. Project co-€nanced by FEADR by Measure 511 within the 2007 – 2013 National Rural Development Programme.

March 2015 e content of this material does not necessarily represent the ocial position of the European Union. It is distributed free of charge.