From Țara Silvaniei Of people and legends u r a l O n a i t s a b e S

: o t o h p Stories from Țara Silvaniei

Fine people, interesting happenings, forgotten customs, stories – new and old, well-known places or hidden lands, heroes of legend, past and present, all come together to bring to life a fairytale land that eagerly awaits to be discovered and shown to the world. "From Țara Silvaniei: Of people and legends" is a collection of images and tales carefully gathered by the youth that care for the lands they were raised in, where their grandparents' arms are opened wide in greeting them and the food is so delicious, made following old recipes of the land. 1 "Sălajul Interactiv II – Discovering new tales" project, implemented with the support of Tenaris Silcotub, by The Association of Intercommunity Development Sălaj Plus, together with the County Museum of History and Art Zalău and the Sălaj County's Schools Inspectorate, intended, and succeeded, to determine the young explorers to discover and portray, in their own manner, the wonderful places they are from to visitors Asociația de Dezvoltare Intercomunitară Sălaj Plus that come here, and to (re)build bridges that Piața 1 Decembrie 1918, Nr. 11, Zalău, Sălaj Telefon: 0260 632 875 E-mail: [email protected] connect them to the elders, that cannot wait www.salajplus.ro to share and pass on their gathered wisdom, untold stories and long forgotten knowledge. Lady's Bedstraws Wreath - by Fodoca Cezar All of our efforts and caring thoughts are "Alesandru Papiu Ilarian" Technical College, Zalău Cover illustration: Once upon a time: Șimleu - by Șireag Alexandra, "Simion Bărnuțiu" National College, Șimleu Silvaniei here, for you dear reader, in "From Țara Silvaniei: Of people and legends". Iuliu Maniu - A Destiny for

In these troublesome times, it is difficult to find a destiny for Romania. The one that founded on our identity or take a look back, failing to realize the 30th of October 1918, in Vienna, the National that a nation that doesn't know its history and Council of the from Transylvania, and recognizes its national values, is like an orphan became the president of the Directing Council of child, which never knew its parents. Transylvania. He has played to the very end his The forgetting mechanism, in which the important role for the union between Transylvania Romanian nation is trapped into, makes the heart and the Old Kingdom of Romania. Through a very and thought spin and spin, not moving forward, wise fusion, accomplished in 1926, considering and from the senseless spiraling, together with the nation's best interest, between the Romanian our past, our future becomes void. The modern National Party and The Peasant's Party of Ion man is always running in the same circle: the one Mihalache, from the Old Kingdom, he set up a of the present time. Our duty, as citizens, is to remarkable force in Great Romania that aimed to continuously promote the national values; inspire and put into practice a parliamentary patriotism doesn't mean just the love for the land democracy, based on Christian ethics, social you were born in, but also the love for the past, justice, and defending the national interests. With without which there is no love for the country. great sacrifices and confronting all risks, he stood against those who were against the national A representative figure for our country and for interests. Thus, he was imprisoned in the 2 Sălaj is Iuliu Maniu. "…They cannot intimidate me, dungeons of Sighet, where he eventually died on 3 I will not stray from my path, I will not change my the 5th of February 1953, being laid to rest in an decisions, I do what I believe to be the nest for our unnamed grave in the Pauper Cemetery. country and nation, and this is my doing." This quote is probably the best definition of the man Iuliu Maniu was, and still is, an inspiration for that was Iuliu Maniu. A man dedicated to us, to this natio