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WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT Marghescu Georgeta

Istro-Romanian Cultural Heritage: The Relevance of the Study of Endangered Cultures

MARGHESCU GEORGETA Department of Social-Human Sciences University “Politehnica” of Spl. Independentei 313, Bucharest 6 [email protected]

Abstract: - The Istro-Romanian culture is on the brink of extinction. We are talking about the culture of one of ‟ smallest ethno-linguistic groups living in the peninsula, at the confluence of , Slovenia and . The number of the group members is rapidly diminishing. The urgency of the research concerning Istro- culture is, therefore, obvious. So far the Istro-Romanians were researched especially from historical and linguistic points of views and a systematic study of their culture was never made. This paper comes as a possible answer to both the urgency of the research of this culture and, respectively, the need to create a basis for strategies to maintain the identity of the Istro-Romanians.

Key-Words: - Cultural Identity, Istro-Romanians, Environment, Way of life, Tradition and Modern.

1 Introduction: the Istro-Romanian Kandler, Nerina Feresini – Croatian researchers – Goran Filipi, August Kovacec – Romanian Culture Research Urgency researchers – Ovidiu Densuşian, Alexandru Rosetti, NOWADAYS one hears a lot of discussions about Ion Coteanu, Sextil Puscariu, Silviu Dragomir, Ioan endangered species and we are made conscious that Maiorescu, Lecca Morariu, Traian Cantemir, Petru we should find strategies to save them. But there are Iroaie, Radu Flora, Richard Sarbu. These researches endangered cultures too and it is the duty of cultural were mainly historical-linguistic researches, cultural anthropologists and of researchers of culture in researches playing a secondary role. Among these general to caution and explain the significance and cultural researches, interesting is the research on the consequences of the diminishing of the cultural Susnievita village, realized by Nerina Feresini. diversity, just like ecologists warn us of the risks of the diminishing of the biological diversity. The two aspects are interdependent and it comes as no surprise the establishing, at the border between human ecology and cultural anthropology, of a discipline whose names are the proof of its border character: ecological anthropology, cultural ecology, culture and environment. Whatever the Učka Mountain name, such discipline make possible the study of the perspective of joint culture and environment dynamic. This paper proposes an approach of a seriously endangered culture – the Istro-Romanian culture. We realize this approach from the above mentioned perspective. Figure 1 - Istria and the Istro-Romanians: The Istro-Romanians are one of Europe‟s - Geographical areas with Istro-Romanian smallest ethno-linguistic groups living in the Istria villages peninsula, at the confluence of Croatia, Slovenia and Italy – see Fig. 1. They were studied by Italian Studies concerning the Istro-Romanians had in researchers – Ascoli, Mateo Bartoli Vasilici, Petru mind mainly the historic and linguistic perspective

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and only seldom the cultural perspective. It is The assertion of the fundamental value imperative to gain knowledge of this culture now, orientation of the Istro-Romanian culture – social having in mind that the Istro-Romanian culture and natural environment are comprehended here – knows a process of accelerating extinction. could represent an important contribution to the Consequently, for most scientists the urgency of existing knowledge on the particularities of Istro- the research concerning Istro-Romanian culture is Romanian culture, its dynamic, as well as its obvious. The Istro-Romanian dialect – one of the congruence with value orientation of Aromanian, four Romanians dialects – is present in the Megleno-Romanian and Romanian cultures. UNESCO Red book for endangered languages. It is The second objective consisted in the creation of estimated that, if no change occurs, in about 30 a data base including oral histories, oral testimonies years, there will be no Istro-Romanian archive, historical sources (memorial, literary, speakers. images - including a documentary movie) Thus, having in mind its rapid disappearance, it concerning the Istro-Romanian culture and its is imperative to gain knowledge of this culture environment. now, while Istro-Romanians still exist. This objective comes as an answer to two The project that is mentioned in this paper aims imperatives: to be an answer to the urgency of Istro-Romanian  the need to record and conserve data culture‟s research and both to the development of concerning a seriously endangered culture; strategies concerning the stabilization of Istro-  the necessity of a data basis in view of Romanians communities, maintaining their conceiving cultural identity strategies as well language and, by doing so, of maintaining their cultural and economical politics and projects cultural identity. (cultural tourism for example) which will The first objective of the project concerned concur to preserve and, respectively, help contributions at fundamental research in the fields regain the cultural identity of the Istro- of cultural anthropology and cultural ecology: Romanians. observing and understanding the Istro-Romanian Consequently, the Istro-Romanian culture is at culture in view of investigating the complex relation the brink of extinction and there are at least two between the cultural identity dynamic and the reasons why it should be researched: gaining environmental (natural, economical, social, fundamental knowledge and, respectively, technological) dynamic. identifying strategies to support its survival, to Starting from the hypothesis that the process of maintain the conscience of linguistic identity of construction – and deconstruction – of cultural Istro-Romanians and to help them to regain the identity takes place in close relation with cultural identity conscience. environmental particularities and dynamic, this project will try to explain how and how much change at the level of the environment affect 2 The Istro-Romanians in Question significant changes at the cultural identity level. With the view to touch this purpose the The scientists agreed about the enigmatic feature of research is based on the study of memorial material: Istro-Romanians. They represent the western folkloric narration type, life stories, cultural exception among a south-eastern majority of practices (the old tradition of the zvonciari, for Romanians (Megleno-Romanians , example, worldwide known for their dances), Daco-Romanians) – Figure 2 - and the Catholic commemoration and memory writings, the family exception among an Orthodox majority. They are, memory patrimony and its integration in the public also, the only Romanians without specific dimension. institutions. The analyses and interpretation of the data However, their language and their culture obtained from all these sources allowed us to resisted in the middle of a mass of Slaves, , identify the value orientations of the Istro-Romanian Germans, until nowadays. Who are the Istro- culture. These have been completed with the explicit Romanians? It is a question which inevitably arises research of fundamental value orientations using a and concerns their name, history and culture. questionnaire based on research methods elaborated by Fl. Kluckhohn, Strodbeck, Salzmann in concrete scholar inquiries in the value orientation sphere of interest.

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story is that Istro-Romanians hauling coal over the Ucka Mountain to bring to littoral cities would be threatened by the strong winds called the bura, blowing from mountain. The winds were so strong they could upturn carts of coal of firewood and cries of cire bire could be heard. The Istro-Romanians have called themselves rumeri, according to Ireneo della Croce, a historian from . In his Historia antica moderna, sacra e profana della citta di Trieste published in 1698, mentioned people who, beside the Slavic idiom common for all the Karst area, speak also their own and particular language, which is similar

Figure 2 - A map of the regions inhabited by to Wallachian and contains many different Romanians/ [13] words. He was referring to Istro-Romanians and he précised the term used by them in view to call themselves: rumeri (derivated from romanus, 2.1 The Name through a phenomenon present in Istro-Romanian Unfortunately, there is precarious documentary dialect and known as rothacism: an intervocalic information about the Istro-Romanians. Among becomes an ). these, we must mention one from the 10th century: Today, the Istro-Romanians have lost from their Constantine the Porphyrogenitus, the Byzantine vocabulary the self identification of Romanus or Emperor, mentioned in his De administrando some derivation of it and they called themselves imperio the Romanized population on the Adriatic Vlaf/Vlaşi and their language Vlaşki or po naşu or shores, that he named Poμανοι, since the Greek po jeianschi. speaker Byzantines were named Poμαινοι. Finally, we must emphasize that the name Istro- Constantin VII recorded that Poμανοι called Romanians have been given by the scientists. This themselves Romans. name reflects both the linguistic affiliation at the Another document, from the 12th, mention a larger body of the and the leader in Istria which name – Radul – could be a geographical distribution of the population in the Romanian one. Istrian Peninsula. According to some historians, there are all the Thus, Istro-Romanians called themselves by reasons to believe that those were the future endonyme Rumâni/Rumâri/Rumeri/Vlaf/Vlaşi, Western Romanians appeared in the medieval called by exonym Ciribiri/Cici by , historical sources; they would afterwards appear Slovenians, Italians, and had been named Istro- under the name of Vlachs on the same zones Romanians by linguists. beginning even with the 11th century [24]. There are relevant documents according to which, without any doubt, the Vlachs had Romanian 2.2 The Language nationality. The first clear attestation dates back to Istro-Romanian is a dialect of the Romanian 1321: in the Serbian chronicles, there is a mention language. Among all the – Daco- of a country of the Vlachs in the region inhabited Romanian, Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian, Istro- today by Istro-Romanians. Vlachs – also named th Romanian – this last is the closest linguistically to – were regarded by the 16 century the Daco-Romanian. It seems that Istro-Romanian Croatian writers like Simon Koziçiç, Ivan Pergosiç, split from the widely spoken Daco-Romanian later Iacob Nikaglia - as being the same ethnical group than the other Romanian dialects did. with the Romanians from the Trajanic and Mainly, three are the problems that linguists refer regarded Dacia as Morovlasca Zemlja [7]. usually to: Istro-Romanian is a dialect of a They are known by the local inhabitants as Cici language? Which are its particularities or Ciribiri and, in Old Italian documents, they comparatively with others Romanian dialects? And, appeared as Rumeri. There is a legend that talks of finally, there is an only dialect or there are more how the Ciribiri got their name: transformed from Istro-Romanians dialects? the phrase cire bire - which means hold it well – the

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Although the linguists‟ majority‟s considers They are an old Romanian population, after some Istro-Romanian as a dialect of Romanian language, historians from the time of Dacia; others think that there are some that consider it as a language. More they might be descendents of Roman legionnaires, than that some others refer to Istro-Romanian while other historians consider that they are more language in relation to the extinct Dalmatian one, than a millennium old but given the fact that there is no linguistic Mainly, there are two theories concerning the evidence, this point of view is not accepted. Istro-Romanians historical origin and their relation Among the peculiarities of Istro-Romanian with the Romanians block. dialect the most frequently mentioned are: According to the first theory, the Istro- - : the intervocalic n becomes r (for Romanians had not their origin in the areas that example, vineri becomes vireri, bine becomes inhabited today: their native country would be bire, lumina becomes lumira). The rhotacism is somewhere towards the East: used as argument in sustaining the unity - Some historians consider that they originated between Daco-Romanian and Istro-Romanian. on the left bank of the , towards To illustrate we can mention Bernard Comrie and and they emigrated of the University of Southern California, who into Istria between 600 and 1000 years ago; as found similarities between Istro-Romanian and consequence, the Istro-Romanian dialect the 16th century texts of a regional variation of derived from Daco-Latin having originated in Daco-Romanian present in Maramures county. Banat, Crisana, Apuseni Mountains. Among The same opinion is shared by Martin Harris the sustainers of this theory are . Densusian, and Nigel Vincent. Al. Rosetti, I. Coteanu, I. Popovici. According - Italian and Slavic influences are present in Ovid Densusianu, Istro-Romanians are not vocabulary and in grammar; in fact, Istro- native to Istria: “The primary issue is that the Romanians are bilingual and even trilingual. Istro-Romanian dialect could not have Some linguists, like Iosif Popovici for example, originally developed where it is found today” appreciate that there are several types of Istro- [6]. Namely, according Iosif Popovici, Istro- Romanian dialects, not a single unitary dialect. The Romanians were natives of Tara Motilor and reason consists in the difference between the they came into Istria sometime during the northern and southern area speaking Istro- Middle Age [20]. Romanian. Speakers are divided into two - Other historians had situated their origin on the geographically isolated groups: the first group right bank of the Danube, towards the river includes habitants of Zejane, a village north of Morava, the Central or even Bulgaria. Cicarija Mountains, while the second group includes More recently, it was promoted the idea of a habitants of Susnjevica, Kostrcan, Nova Vas, multigenesis of the Istro-Romanians: they Jesenovik, in the south. Consequently, some resulted by the contribution of Romanian linguists classified Istro-Romanian in two dialects: elements coming from all members of the the dialect called locally ţejanski, and spoken in Romanian block, from the North and the South Ţejane, and the dialect called locally vlaski, and of the Danube after the 14th [24]. spoken in villages and hamlets on the southern side The second theory - with S. Puscariu, I.Capidan, of the Učka Gora. S.Dragomir as its main partisans - sustains that In contrast with this point of view, most Istro-Romanian originated south of the Danube. It is linguists consider Istro-Romanian as a unitary argued by the continuity between the romanity dialect and explain the differences between its existing in Istria during the Roman Imperial period speakers by the separation of two groups by a and the medieval. “These ones were not totally natural border between them – the Monte Magiore – dislocated or exterminated by the Slave mass settled and by the major historical impact of Italians there beginning with the 7th century, although it southwards. considerably diminished them” [24]. This theory was sustained mainly by the Italian and Romanian historiography. It is the case of Sextil 2.3 The History Puscariu: “...It is more natural to admit that the According to most scholars, Daco-Romanians, Romanians are nowadays the last survivors of the Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians and Istro- Roman population that had lived in the Northern Romanians constitute an ethnical union. What half of the Balkan Peninsula and in the Romanized differentiates the historians concerns the ground and regions on the left of the Danube... Whether the the source of such unity. Eastern would last having a Latin

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character, more Romanic languages would be Either Istro-Romanians came from the North and developed. The invaders, and especially the Slavs the South of the Danube after the 14th centuries, or thin out. What as Romanic people has been they are component of the Romanian block resulted preserved are we, the Romanians... Conditioned by from the Roman population that have lived in the the geographical contact, by the similar social status Northern half of the Balkan Peninsula and in and by the lack of a complicated political Romanized regions on the left of the Danube, their organization, with prosperous commercial and ethnical union with the Daco-Romanians, Megleno- cultural centres, the cohesion between different pre- Romanians and Aromanians is quite evident. Romanian groups was so strong that the Romanian language could develop in the pre-Romanian epoch 2.4 The Institutions on the same great evolution lines” [22]. The scarcity of a proper institutional system is The above mentioned theories are integrated in a specific for Romanians from the South of Danube. synthetic point of view according which although But, in the Istro-Romanians case it can easily speak Romanians speakers in Istria can be found early as about the absence of the institutions which could in 12th century, present-day Istro-Romanians are contribute to their identity‟s preservation. probably descendants of Romanic people who settled in Istria in the 14th century.

Figure 3 - Istro-Romanians: On this map villages where Istro-Romanian was spoken or is spoken are marked as follows: spoken in the past - underlined with dash-line, spoken early 1900 (see Vlahoberg, Romania) - underlined with full line (see Costicane), spoken today – circled (see Jeiani). (apud Sextil Puşcariu, 1926 [21] )

Isolated and situated at the Western extremity of The absence of a proper institutional system and the Romanian block, outside of a personal national of the national activity associated with the state, Istro-Romanians knew a continuous continuous emigration determinate a diminishing emigration. This later has had as a consequence the process of Istro-Romanian communities and of creation of a Diaspora dispersed on the European their own cultural identity. As we can see in the continent and outside of it. Figure, there was a dramatic diminishing of the

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localities inhabited by Istro-Romanian speakers, interior. This pattern was followed also by Istro- especially in the last two centuries. Romanians that retired more and more deeply in the There were, although, some endeavours to mountain. We found them in the inland region Istria establish a proper educational system, especially to around and on the hills of Monte Maggiore, in an the end of 19th century. In 1888 and in 1900, the area that comprises hills and valleys. This isolation Diet of Istria discussed the demands to organize a was the price for preserve, until nowadays, their school teaching in the Romanian language. Despite language, traditions, cultural identity. the support of the Italians deputies, the demands Istria received a constant attention from travel were rejected. Only two decades later a school in writers and ethnographers. Some of them named Istro-Romanian will be established by Andrei Istria a certain laboratory of peoples, and even Glavina. races. The Istrian example is often mentioned: a At the end of the 19th century, Teodor Burada peoples‟ mixture had existed successfully and brought – one of the of naturally, for centuries, even since Roman times Suşnieviţa - to be university educated in Romania. [18]. Multiculturalism in Istria embraces nowadays Becoming aware of the link with the Romanians, Croatian, Slovenian, Italians, Istro-Romanian, Glavina returned to Istria and founded, in Montenegrin, Serbian, and Macedonian. Susnievita, the first Istro-Romanian school: the Situated in the centre of the Istria Peninsula, Traian Emperor School. This school operated north and south of Učka Gora (in Croatian, Monte between 1921 and 1925 in Suşnieviţa village Maggiore in Italian), Istro-Romanians inhabit today (renamed, during the Italian regime of Mussolini, two relatively isolated pockets: Valdarsa, after the Arsa Valley (Valle ’Arsa) In the north of Mount Učka, in an inland karstic region. The school subjects have been taught in the territory, characterized by numerous dolines, called Istro-Romanian dialect and in literary Romanian in Croatian Ćićarija (Ciceria, in Italian), the lone language. At one moment this school had a number village of Żejane (Istro-Romanian Jeiăn/Jeinani) of 443 pupils from the Southern Istro-Romanian with about 140 inhabitants exists. In this village, one villages. The premature death of Andrei Glavina put can find the best preserved Istro-Romanian dialect, an end to the teaching of Istro-Romanian in the used as a mean of communication for the school whose first mayor he was. community. Andrei Glavina wrote, for the first time a work in the dialect Istro-Romanian: Calendaru lu rumeri din Istrie cu figure lucrat parvea votea de Andrei Glavina şi Constantin Diculescu (The Calendar of the Romanians of Istria) in which documented many folkloristic tales of Istro-Romanians were included. It was published in 1905 and represents a pleading for preserving the Istro-Romanian cultural identity. Also, Glavina gathered dialectal texts and set up two vocabularies: a Romanian - Istro-Romanian and an Istro-Romanian - Daco-Romanian one.

3 Culture and Environment of Istro- Figure 4 - Jeinani village Romanians Istro-Romanians destiny is deeply connected to the In the south, on the western slopes of Učka history of Istria Peninsula. Because of its strategic Mountain, there is a cluster of Istro-Romanians importance – the exit to the Mediterranean See from villages and hamlets surrounding the shores of the – Istria was, during its millenarian Lake Ćepić (now drained): Šušnjevica (Istro- existence, the target of numerous invaders that tried Romanian Şuşnieviţe /Susnieviţa) - the larger of to conquer it: , Romans, Lombard, these – , Nova Vas (Istro-Romanian Noselo), Slovenians, Croats, Franks, Venetians, Austrians. Jasenovik (Istro-Romanian Sucodru), Kostrćani Since the Illyrians confrontation with the (Istro-Romanian Costărceăn), Letaj (Istro- Roman‟s Empire expansion, a pattern was Romanian Letai), Brdo (Istro-Romanian Bârdo). established that would be repeated under subsequent The remarkable continuity over the centuries of conquerors: pockets of resistance in the hilly Istro-Romanian culture was due mainly to the

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stability of way of life in an environment favourable ways of life and of environment are at the root of its to live-stock farming and wood coal production. decline. This idea can be sustained if one observes Istro-Romanians traditional occupations were: the process of population‟s decrease: the Istro- breeding and turning to good account of the Romanian population, which was estimated at about animals, farming mainly for their own necessities 8000 in the 19th century, decreased to be 2000 in (there is a rich terminology connected to the crop between the wars, 500 in 1960, 450 in 1994, about activity), forest (for their necessities but also for 300 in 2000. trade: the Istro-Romanians furnished raw materials The main explanation of this process can be for the Venetian fleet‟s shipyards), hunting and found firstly in the migration but the mixed product of the coal by the wood‟s burning and marriages had an important contribution too. commercialization at Trieste, Fiume, . Especially during the last fifty years there was a Consequently, Istro-Romanians – whose initially large migration from inland towards the larger activity was breeding - became gradually well costal Croatian cities - (Italian Fiume), known in Istria as charcoal burners, coalmen, Opatija (Italian Abbazia), (Italian Pola), Pazin vinegar producers and traders [4]. (Italian Pisino) – and also towards Italy, the United The Istro-Romanians – that many years inhabited States (Croatian linguist Zvjezdana Vrzic estimates an area between the and the there are 200-300 Istro-Romanian speakers living - were exposed to powerful in New York City – there are Ciribiri enclaves in pressure: from the other languages from this area, Brooklyn, Astoria, Manhattan –and small groups of who held, in turns, predominant positions – Italian, populations are living in Cleveland, Florida), German, Croatian - as well as the pressures of a , New Zeeland and Australia. natural and economical environment, that is always So that a great number of native speakers of more precarious. Istro-Romanian language scattered around the world The mountain, once covered with forests, after the World War II, in Istria remaining only a pastures, lakes offered a propitious environment for few of them. the raising of sheep and cattle and coal wood Consulting the 1926 map (see above fig. 3), production. Today the forests are almost gone; the realized by the Romanian linguist Sextil Puscariu, lakes dried up or were drained, either because they one can remark that nearly whole Istria peninsula were sources for malaria or when the tunnel across was covered with villages with Istro-Romanian the mountain was built. names – Catun, Bolovani, Carbune, Sucodru, The traditional occupations disappeared. The soil Costarcean, Floricici, Murari, Ciobani, Vlahi – in the area did not allow a profitable agriculture and today, after the exodus of the mid of 20th century, thus poverty spreads. there are only about eight villages on the northern The turn away from old forms of economic side of the mountain – the biggest being Jeinani – activity such as pastoralism, rapidly accelerated the and, on the southern side, a few settlements grouped pace of linguistic and, generally, cultural around the village of Susnieviţa (Valdarsa, in assimilation. Previously socially self-contained Italian). There are many localities with few Istro- pastoral societies have modernized themselves, in Romanian speakers or even, like Brdo/Bârdo, with some cases becoming urban societies. So, over time, one habitant. Istro-Romanians became economically dependent As a result, Istro-Romanian is today a severely and the relations with other peoples intensified. endangered language spoken on the peninsula of In this new context, Istro-Romanian language Istria in north-west Croatia. The majority of the 250 was largely restricted to use in the family. On the or so speakers are middle-aged and elderly; many other side, the increase of access to education and use the language only sporadically, and few administration explains both the high level of are learning it. assimilation of Istro-Romanians and the drastic Istro-Romanian language contains today many decline of the traditional employment of the Istro- Italian and Slavic words - it is an understandable Romanians as and wood coal producers. fact considering the environment in which they As a result, the language became more and more lived for centuries, but, in the same time, the economically irrelevant and it is also increasingly influence of Istro-Romanian on the neighbouring losing ground even within the family circle. Slavs is evident. Usually, they are bilingual: they In absence of formal institutional structures, this speak Croatian and, the older ones speak also stability of way of life in connection with Italian. American Istro-Romanians speak English, environment contributed to the conservation of their American-born children are taught by their Istro-Romanian culture. The changes at the level of parents their maternal Istro-Romanian language –

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which they use to communicate with their relatives modalities of promoting the Istro-Romanian cultural when they come to visit Istria, the land of their identity, its specific values and traditions. ancestors. The recent resolution of the Ministry of Culture The main reason for the decline of Istro- of the Republic of Croatia represents a significant Romanian language is that it economically pace on this way. By this resolution, adopted on unattractive: it appears to offer no advantage in any September 27, 2007, it was declared that the Istro- modern, future-oriented profession. Thus, in the Romanian dialect is one of the most endangered Istro-Romanian village only old people are active cultural treasures on Istrian territory, and will be speakers (usually they are bilingual), those over the listed as a protected cultural treasure of Croatia. age of 40 are potential speakers, and the young men are making their careers with a little knowledge of the mother . Another reason is the absence of the prestige that explains the willingness to abandon the Istro- Romanian identity. It is the case of the young men that often shy away from their identity: to the suggestion that they are Istro-Romanians, they are responding that they are Istrian and nothing else. Nowadays there are two types of Istro- Romanian speech: the northern, in Żejane and the southern in a few villages around Krsan (Crâşan), with a total of 250 speakers, which also the people that moved to larger cities. The most numerous are in Nova Vas (Noselo), Šušnjevica, and Jesenovik, in a smaller number in the villages of Letaj, Brdo, Kostrcani, Zankovici, Miheli, Drazina, Draga, Jelavici. According to the memories of the current speakers, Istro-Romanian used to be spoken also in villages Trkovci, Dolinscina, Perasi, Grobnik, Gradinje. The increasingly small community, lifestyle changes, occupational changes in relation to environmental changes, the lack of schools in the Istro-Romanian dialect, the lack of a cultural elite leaded to a recede and even to the loss of the cultural identity conscience. It is obvious that among these factors the first is the most important. There are more and more villages inhabited by a few Istro-Romanians, many Figures 5 and 6 - The school and the cemetery houses are abandoned or converted in holiday from Brdo, the village with one inhabitant houses by the ones that have emigrated. Such is the case of Brdo, the village with one inhabitant only (in By proclaiming Istro-Romanian as a protected august 2009), where the school and many buildings endangered cultural treasure, the tradition transfer are ruined and assaulted by nature and, to new generations through formal and informal paradoxically, only the cemetery is flourishing (see education and inclusion of Istro-Romanian speech, the figures 5 and 6). as a mother tongue, into the educational programs is

intended. Also, the revitalization of abandoned

segments of this treasure and the protection of it to 4 The Future of the Istro-Romanian avoid the danger of extinction, destruction or Culture commercialization is concerned. In long term, a culture will have no chance of Having in mind these purposes associations like survival if it is not given greater appreciation and if that from Susnievita, Association for cultural its carriers do not identify a form of support. It is preservation and promotion of Istro-Romanian necessary, in consequence, to mobilize different identity, were founded.

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Another remarkable initiative belongs to Doctor It is useful to enlarge the interpretation of the Emil Petre Ratiu. On the 29-th of April 1994, at term cultural heritage, in the sense suggested by Trieste he founded the Istro-Romanian Association Louis Loures: having in mind the unity between Andrei Glavina. The purpose of this association is to culture and the environment, cultural heritage can‟ preserve this society and this dialect. Since 1995 be valorised without trying to analyze and interpret this association published books in the Istro- the value and significance of post-industrial Romanian dialect, starting with Calendaru la rumeri landscapes and to develop new mechanisms to din Istria. Beginning in 1996 they published the first preserve it [14]. journal in Istro-Romanian: Scrisoare catre frat In the case of Istro-Romanians, their cultural Rumeri. Doctor Ratiu participated at the heritage is connected with an environment which organization of a seminary (summer 2007, Trieste, was used excessively in view of wood coal main organizer Edvino Curtis) - which benefited producing. Maybe, the chance of Istro-Romanian from the presence of about 200 persons - Italians, culture to survive has to do with the capacity of the Slovenians, Croats and Romanians - as well as an community to initiate a process of re-development exhibition regarding the history, traditions and of this post-industrial landscape. A great language of Istro-Romanians. opportunity is offered by tourism, given the fact that Such associations and also the two museums of nowadays tourists seem to be greater agents for Istro-Romanian culture - that are in course of appreciation of Istria‟s rich history and culture in organizing in Jeiani and Susnievita – are testimony more measure then the main actors behind the of the Istro-Romanians‟ will to protect and to save history and culture themselves. Istria, with its rich their roots from extinction and might be successful and turbulent past, divided between Croatia, Italy instruments for bolstering Istro-Romanian self- and Slovenia, could become a transboundary peace confidence and for preserving the cultural Istro- garden [25], symbolizing peace between people and . cultures. We can mention, also, that there is a serious In view of that public participation is imperative: movement under way by linguists, lay people and it may encourage awareness of belonging to a scholars from Italy, Croatia, Romania, USA, to community, sharing common culture and creating preserve and document the Istro-Romanian identity. It will improve community consciousness language and culture before its few native speakers and responsibility while fostering a collective sense are gone. The project presented in this paper [15]. belongs to this movement. Another significant example is the endeavour to document the Istro- Romanian traditional ecological knowledge. Some 5 Conclusion research activities, developed in Jeiani, allowed the We can conclude that the constant decline of Istro- recording of about 60 remedies of the local folk Romanians communities and culture can be pharmacopoeia, and mainly derived from plants explained by the existence of a complex of [19]. The results revealed, once more, both that significant aspects: the absence of a proper national Istro-Romanian culture belongs to Romanian block state, the continuous diminishing of population and that it was strongly influenced by the Istrian during the centuries, the “melting” inside the major cultural environment. So, the folk pharmacopeia of populations (Slave, Italian, German), the continuous the Istro-Romanians includes both elements of emigration and the creation of a Diaspora in Europe, neighbouring cultures - Austro-German, Venetian, America, Australia, the bilingual or trilingual and Croatian – and a permanence of the original feature, the scarcity or even absence of a proper Romanian folk pharmacopoeia. The last one is educational system and of a national activity. highlighted by the uncommon traditions to use A team from Social Human Sciences Chair, houseleek against ear pains and homemade vinegar University „Politehnica‟ of Bucharest and from form wild apple and cornelian cherries for diverse Anthropological Institute of Bucharest, initiated a medical purposes [19]. The homemade production project aiming to study and understand the dynamic of vinegar id frequently mentioned in the Romanian of the cultural identity of Istro-Romanians under the folklore [17]. pressure of environmental changes. The The common aim of these endeavours is to methodology of the project includes field preserve Istro-Romanian cultural heritage knowing observation, the research of value orientation of that the values connected with culture and heritage Istro-Romanians using the Kluckhohn-Strodbeck- are highly significant for people‟s and need to Salzmann questionnaire, as well as a of be identified and highlighted. different sources and different records (written,

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pictures, monographic). Information was collected [10] Flora, R., Micul atlas lingvistic al graiurilor using participant observation method and semi- istroromane (MALGI), Editie ingrijita de structured interviews with Istro-Romanian speakers. Bogdan Marinescu, Bucuresti, Editura The project was focused on a fundamental research Academiei, 2003. dealing with the role played by memory in defining [11] Glavina, A., Calindaru lu rumeri din Istria cu the cultural identity of Istro-Romanians in the figure de Andrei Glavina si Constantin dynamic relation to a changing environment and, Diculescu, Stamp Gutenberg, Bucuresti, Ioseph both, the creation of a date base - which includes an Gabl, 1905. oral history archive, historical sources, memoirs, [12] Hurren, .A., A Liguistic Description of Istro- literature and images – concerning the culture and Romanian, Oxford,University of Oxford, 1972. the environment of Istro-Romanians. [13] Istria on the Internet – Endangered Languages, We appreciate that this research activity is useful http://www.istrianet.org.istro-romanian/ for the implementation of new cultural politics as [14] Loures, ., Industrial Heritage: The Past in the well as economical projects, including cultural Future of the City, in WSEAS Transactions on tourism. All of them are necessary in view of Environment and Development, Issue 8, regaining the self-confidence of Istro-Romanians in Volume 4, August 2008, pp. 687-696. their own culture and in preserving Istro-Romanian [15] Louis L., Pat Crawford, Democracy in cultural identity. Progress: Using Public Participation in Post- Industrial Landscape (Re)-Development, in WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Acknowledgement Development, Issue 9, Volume 4, Sept. 2008. The research activity for this paper was supported [16] Marghescu, ., Istro-Romanians: A Study of by UEFISCU Bucharest Romania under a PN-II Cultural Identity and Environmental Dynamic, IDEI grant CNCSIS code 1685. The 2-nd WSEAS International Conference on Cultural Heritage and Tourisme, (CUHT‟09) Rhodos 22-24 iulie 2009. References: [17] Maier, ., Annuarul Institutului de Etnografie [1] Bejan, ., Istro-romanii, Iasi, Editura Fundatiei si Folclor Constantin Brailoiu, 1994, 4. Axis, 1998. [18] Lidija Nikocevic, The intangibility of [2] Bortul, E., Vlahi, Trieste, Battello, Stampatore, multiculturalism, Paper presented at Museums 2002. and Intangible Heritage ICOM General [3] Coteanu, I., Cum dispare o limba (istroromana), Conference, Seoul, Korea, October 2-8, 2004. Bucuresti, Societatea de stiinte istorice si [19] Pieroni, A., Giusti, M. E., Munz, H., Lenzarini, filologice, 1957. ., Turkovic, G., Turkovic, A., Ethnobotanical [4] Curtis, E., La Lingua, la Storia, le Tradizioni knowledge of the Istro-Romanians of Zejane in degli Istroromeni. In: l’Istrorumeno. La Lingua Croatia, in Fitoterapia (74) 2003, 710-719. la Cultura, la Storia. Trieste, Italy: [20] Popovici, I., Dialectele române din Istria, Halle Associazione di Amicizia Italo-Romena 1914. Decebal, 1992. [21] Puşcariu, S., Studii istroromane, vol. I, in [5] Wolfgang D., Istrorumanisch. In: Holtus colaborare cu M. Bartoli, A. Deluvici, A. G.,Radtke E., editors. Rumanistik in der Byhan, Bucuresti, Editura Nationala, 1906. Disksussion, Tubingen, : Gunter Narr [22] Puşcariu, S., Studii istroromane, Bucureşti, Verlag, 1986. Editura Cultura nationale, vol II, 1926. [6] Densuşianu, O., Histoire de la langue roumaine, [23] Salminen, T., UNESCO Red Book Report of I, Paris,Leroux, 1901. Endangered Languages: Europe. Available at: [7] Dragomir, S., Vlahii şi morlacii. Studiu din www.helsinki./tasalmin/Europe_report. html. istoria românismului balcanic, Cluj, 1924. [24] Zbuchea, ., The Istro-Romanians. Notes [8] Feresini, N., Comune Istro-Romena of Valdarse, regarding their historical past, in Analele Trieste, Istituto di Cultura Giuliano, Edizioni Universităţii Bucureşti, Istorie, 2000, pp. 3-16. Italo Svevo, 1996. [25] Wang, ., Burley, ., Peace Parks a Global [9] Filipi, G., About the Istrian-Romanian Forms of Perspective, WSEAS Transactions of the Splira Type, Annals for Istrian and Environment and Development, Issue 1, Mediterranean Studies, Series Historia et Volume 5, January 2009, pp.65-75. Sociologia, 12, 2002, 2.

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