Traditions and customs

Traditions CHRISTMAS

Romanian carol - With the start of Lent Christmas carols Christians gather and repeat. The Romanian, carol represent a bridge between generations, preserved, though more faithfully than any other nation. Carolers are messengers of God come with peace, urges hope, wish health and happiness and proclaim salvation. This explains the special honor which are greeted by householders.
In Bucovina, Christmas is the feast is kept, perhaps more than elsewhere, without major deviations from tradition. Around Christmas, is recovered or refunded through the village borrowed things because it believes that it is better to have borrowed things during the holidays.
Christmas is a wonderful opportunity for beautifying interiors peasants, housewives putting now under the eaves various herbs (ochisele, creative minds, basil, marjoram), plants that remain exposed for a long time there next year.
Christmas traditions are prepared well in advance, with Advent (November 15th), they begin to constitute bands of carolers carols and learn to be spoken during major holidays.
In Bucovina, caroling is not only a tradition but by the organization, has become a real institution, with laws and rules. Children and young people are met in time, in groups of 6 people for future troop composition, selection being made on the basis of their social, personal affinities, moral qualities and degrees of kinship. All the time is chosen and the troop leader - called foreman, journeyman or Turkish - you have to be a good organizer, to have authority over young people to have a good conduct ireproşabilăşi to be a good dancer.
Perhaps the most important moment in the development of the feast of Christmas is Christmas Eve, when preparing a special meal called "eve mass," and start carols.
Preparing meals Eve began in the early morning, when housewives bake coils' Round the Sun and Moon "and a coil special called" Creciun "beautifully decorated, woven in a figure eight coil that remain until spring to be used in practices beginning of the agricultural year. All were now prepared twelve dishes post (wheat crushed and cooked prunes cooked beans boiled, stuffed with cereal, chopped mushrooms with garlic, broth sponges, baked beans and "exhausted" etc.) and fish dishes . The dishes were placed on the table in the "big house" after this would settle the most beautiful tablecloth. Sometimes under the table was put hay over the table was going strămătură a red thread tied the crosses and corners of the table sat the knobs of garlic. In the middle of the table sat a round seat and around it ordered twelve plates that held twelve feluride food. In the evening, after crossing the priest icon, the whole family primers and sat at this table.
Colindatul was kept very accurately in most communities Bucovina. The tradition is open to children who, around noon, in small groups, start caroling, going on line, on all the houses. In the past, small singers, before leaving to preach the birth of Jesus, gathered in groups in order to ask forgiveness from each other.
Christmas carols uttered are considered the oldest literary forms, us being attested since the Middle Ages. By nightfall, the villages are animated by groups of lads carols crossing streets, from one end to another village, throughout the night. Young people today îmbracăşi traditional winter costume with peasant coats or coats, and hats adorned with geraniums and myrtle. Head troop has hat adorned with colored ribbons, as a distinctive sign.

Traditions NEW YEAR

The winter holidays bring with them the miracle of the Nativity, the end and the beginning of the year. Main quality of this holiday is joy and hope with which one encounters transition from the old to the new year, the beginning of a new stage of life, and the beginning of a new growing season of the villagers. It is time to welcome with joy the coming of the New Year of the encounter with songs and games, gifts and wishes expressed by traditions and customs known as: carols, Goat, Bear, Pluguşorul, Sorcova.
Romanian folklore grouped habits in four cycles consistent four seasons: habits of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the latter being particularly extensive, throughout the folkloristic, full of meanings and symbols for our culture popular . According to tradition, after sagging century, fllăcăii in town that will clothe costumes Caiutii, a goat, looking reconciled musicians (fiddlers) that will accompany the parade masked, held initially crowd gathered in the village center on the last day of the year, then transfer to the homes of householders, marriageable girls and relatives, taking with them and urăturilede auspicious. Pluguşorul or ugly tone is given to children, the last day of the year, around noon, I start to walk in the house, saying urături and in exchange coils, fruit or money after the possibilities hosts. Urătura most often rostităeste plugusorul, closely linked to fertility myth. Children each evening to retire to their homes procession plow being amplified bands of masked formed Căiuţi, bears, goats, jianu band, bucket etc.
Although no one knows the full meaning of these meanings and symbols, the whole process rite of these traditions are carried respecting tradition handed down from "father to son" masks a real masters embodying various mythological figures, costumes, excel, learning dance (the game) Why execute him divisions and all props are prepared in advance, requiring much atenttat and respect, all to these customs and habits.

The game CAIUTI

Caiutii are encountered in almost all the villages in Bucovina, known as good dancers, Căiuţi of Zamostea, Dolheşti, Zvoriştea, Fantanele, which impresses with its splendor and elegance. CAIUTI game has a special value for the villagers, one of the most beautiful games.
Young Căiuţi forming groups are very good dancers, showing the game dynamic and vital force of youth. CAIUTI dance inspires courage and joyfulness, the bravery of those who were ready to defend the country's borders. The tricolor is always on CAIUTI costumes. Those who dress suit Căiuţi are provided with horse heads made of wood and dressed in white linen and other decorative elements coming (mirrors, tinsel, ribbons). Horse head is fixed to a wooden base, usually a hole in the middle pan covered with a white linen kilt over which is applied decorative elements. Caiutii are grouped in bands led by a captain. Play these young people, who interprets Caiutii dance takes place face to face, in line and in a circle, under the command of Captain, reminding us like a cavalry attack.

the bear

Preparing bear costume for the masquerade New Year is the time, with great thoroughness, head bear is made of a metal support so as to render as real as the head of the animal, over which extends a lambskin , subsequently adorned with beads şireaguri. Young people wear this suit from neck down wearing a long sheepskin coat turned inside or sheepskin in hand take a stick (bat) having at one end of a short chain that catch a red fringe. Note that each component of the village commune meets traditional features participating in carrying out such parades by bands own CAIUTI, bears, goats etc. The groups of bears are made up of groups of 3 to 6 characters, led by a Gypsy, his costume is made of a material in which red is the predominant color.
Young people most Vanja he dons the mask, have the opportunity to display their strength and skill, character encountered a bear, lifting and bear the bats and wore on their shoulders, find their way through the crowd to the holding of parades Concealed place on the last day of the year in the village, going in special places, the scene carrying out these traditions, to the accompaniment drum and shouts produced by Gypsy.
The game bears is printed after an ancient ritual, which mimics death then resurrection bears, rotating them in circles and raising the stick (bat), making allusion to overcome if this winter by hibernating animal and the coming of spring, symbol of the regeneration of vegetation. Bears game is as spectacular as that of CAIUTI very appreciated.

the goat

Occupy a special place and the goat, between games with masks. The costume is made of a head that portrays as real as head goat carved in wood, the lower jaw is movable, during the dance it is driven being pulled by a string, producing sounds a clămpăniri paced whistle or yelling interpretated by shepherd such as Ta, ta, ta, Brown, TA .. correspond with reality as much as two horns încadratde head is adorned with mirrors and ribbons, then fastened a stick resting ground. Body characters who interprets the role of goat is now covered with bark, over which various ribbons are sewn, although until recently, goat suit was covered with reeds. Goat dance is jumpy, fidgety intrepretând way of being of these animals, everything runs on rhythm and songs agreement a whistler. Like the game of bears and the goat are encountered several phases including illness, death and resurrection.
Researchers assume that sacred ceremonies goat dance comes from the archaic holy death and rebirth deity. The goat is known as the final number, subordinating the bands of Căiuţi and bears.
People in Bucovina are famous for traditions, especially those related to the New Year. All villages, groups of lads are preparing for urături and households expected to experience "Bear", "The Goat", "Bunghierii" "Caiutii", "Malanca" "Jienii". "Similarly, they", as everyone says, are preparing their props in time. Especially masks that speak most about imagination and humor Romanian villager. Some artisans have specialized in making costumes, with time they become true jewels of folk art. Games played during the winter holidays are different villages in northern Moldova. At Zamostea, as in Zvoriştea or Vîrful Cîmpului, CAIUTI game is the most popular traditional dance procession. The game is led by a trainer called committed, which directs the crackling whip dance. Witty and background music, beating of drums and brass tacks complete the beautiful show. If this kind of event brings to mind the archaic practice of chasing evil magic, "Pluguşorul" Another custom is closely linked to fertility myth.
Beautiful words, prosperity and abundance in the know say Şcheia crafted divisions, Cajvana, Bosanci, Mihoveni, Drăguşeni or Mălini

Traditions EASTER

The biggest holiday of the Christians, the Resurrection, is the occasion for Romanian, to live holy moments of joy, but also to celebrate the community.
The răspândităşi most famous tradition of egg painting is in Bucovina. First, here is slander raw eggs, then cooked and today is închistresc eggs emptied of content. The instrument they "write" eggs is called Chis (a sharp tip sheet brass pommel secured in a flat stick). The traditional technique says he penned move the egg, not the tool. Now also uses the pen where ink încodeierii eggs.
Day of Resurrection, also known as Easter begins, in terms of liturgy, the night before; midnight, when they say that the tomb was opened and risen Christ. Even if the Romanians participating in small number in the Liturgy of the holy night, they come to Mass Resurrection to take light. Then they go to their homes, returning in the morning, at church, in places where consecrated bread and offerings. In Bucovina it is customary that on the night of the Resurrection, to leave the lights on all over the house and in the yard, to be enlightened household in honor of the light that Christ brought into the world by His resurrection From now common greeting is replaced with "Christ is risen", to which the answer "True risen," hello kept to Ascension. It is a form of confession of the Resurrection and the Christian faith.

Easter Eggs
Tuesday in Holy Week, especially on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in Bucovina all households are painted red Easter eggs. Habit of using colored eggs in spring practices renovate time, when celebrating, formerly the New Year, take the cosmogonic myth of primordial egg, which you find in some legends Bucovina.
In Bucovina Easter eggs are called by the generic term "cranberry" and were at first colored only red ( "Roset") that later spread and practice of painting in yellow ( "gălbinete"), green ( "Verdet"), blue ( "cornflowers") and black ( "negrete"). Another time, the colors were obtained only from plants that were put to soak Palm Sunday. Today this custom is largely lost, women using acrylic colors for dyeing Easter eggs all.
The most beautiful Easter eggs, which are now famous Bukovina are închistrite eggs, painted eggs called improperly. The technique is commonly used to preserve color and background consists in tracing the egg drawings, using melted beeswax, and sinking in successive baths of color (yellow, red and black).
The most common reasons used to închistrirea eggs are cross Easter flower Easter path shepherd or path strayed belt and cloth bags bucket, Christmas tree, oak leaf, bees, fish, horns ram crook shepherd, star shepherd ring shepherd's whistle Shepherd "forty clinişori" reel ridge rooster, frog, plow village street, rake, hoe etc.