TRADITIONAL CLOTHING AND HABITS FROM VALEA JIULUI
2022
CREATING A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
09. 2020 – 31. 08. 2023
2020- 1- RO01- KA229 – 080103
The structure of Romanian traditional clothing has remained unchanged throughout history and can be traced back to the earliest times. The basic garnment for both men and women is a shirt or chemise, which is made from hemp, linen or woollen fabric. This was tied round the waist using a fabric belt, narrow for women and wider for men. The cut of this basic chemise is similar for men and women. In the past, those worn by women usually reached to the ankles while men's shirts were shorter and worn over trousers or leggings made from strips of fabric. Women always wear an apron over the chemise. This was initially a single piece of cloth wrapped round the lower part of their bodies and secured by a belt at the waist, as it is still seen in the east and south east of Romania. In Transylvania and the south west of Romania this became two separate aprons, one worn at the back and one at the front.
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1. Traditional Clothing
The main feature of these women's Romanian folk costumes is the black vests with brightly colored trimmings that stand out against their white blouses.� �Men's and women's traditional dressing has a lot of variation in Romania. These young men wear all-white costumes with embroidered vests and black hats and boots. The young men's pants are narrow, and their tops are tunic-style shirts.
2. Measurement of the sheep milk
Each year, immediately after Easter, the sheep go out into the mountains, marking the beginning of grazing in common. Old rules since the world, carefully guarded from generation to generation, are respected with holiness whenever the owners of flocks, whether smaller or larger, meet at the sheepfold for the measurement of sheep, an old habit since the world.
The sheep, tins and "dyed" with a spot of color to certify their master's ownership, ascend into the mountain a day or two before the measurement. Meanwhile, housewives prepare home-made dishes from which not only they and shepherds, but also all lovers of traditions invited to the sheepfold, will take on to the mountain.
The traditional ritual is simple: in a festive atmosphere, the amount of milk from a sheep is measured, thus setting up the shepherd, the sheepdog and the cheese. Each herd owner takes an equal quantity of cheese according to the milk measured from his own sheep, now being seen the care they had to improve their race.
II. TRADITIONS
MEASUREMENT OF THE SHEEP MILK
MEASUREMENT OF THE SHEEP MILK
MEASUREMENT OF THE SHEEP MILK
MEASUREMENT OF THE SHEEP MILK
“Momârlanii”, the native population from Valea Jiului/Jiu Valley, are keeping even today a lot of traditions from our ancestors, the Dacians, though they are Christian, as they celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ. One of this traditions is placed on Christmas Eve and has the name of “Pițărăi”. They are the first heralds of God’s Birth.��In the community of “momârlani”, the “Pițărăi” start the carolling at all the houses from the village. The carolers have a full “arsenal”, whistles, flags with bells, multicoloured shawl/scarf, tassels and crowns with flowers hanged on “prăjine” (spears) which are a few metres long, horses and carts.
“Pițărăii” go in the morning to the church, where they receive the priest’s blessing and then they start carolling at all the houses and make wishes about the great celebration of Christians, The Birth of God. On the road, they offer the passers –by , which they run into “țuică” (plum brandy) from the flack and apples to join the festivity.
Accompanied by whistles, they start a traditional dance where they say old shoutings, learnt from grandparents and their great-grandparents which know them from their eldest.
For a good year, the householders are hiding in the attic or in the stalls seeds in a kerchief, and if the “Pițărăi“ find them, that means that the host will have luck and wealth.
II.1“Piţărăi” on Christmas Eve
�“PIŢĂRĂI” ON CHRISTMAS EVE�
II.II Craii
Children and sons from the village of the “momârlani” are also preparing for Christmas to announce the Birth of the Lord in the Christmas’ Eve. They meet at rehearsals and learn ancient carols, typical to the Jiu Valley. The most famous is the "Craii" band, present especially in the western part of the Jiu Valley. It is a youth group, which must necessarily be an odd number. Each member embodies a character from the birthday of the Lord, especially the band playing the confrontation between Herod and the Three Eastern Crays /Three Wisemen, as well as the pursuit of the star by the shepherds. These „Crai” are dressed in beautiful traditional folk costumes, shepherds wear fur coats and usually wear large bells and scary masks that frighten the evil spirits. On the evening of Christmas’ Eve, they go from the house to the chariot to bring the news of the Nativity. It is said that each house must be caroled, less one group of carolers, in order to be blessed by God.
II.III Nedeea
“Nedeea” is a specific festivity of “momârlani” from the Jiu Valley. From the first day of Easter, for a week, every community of “momârlani” are gathering on the hills that were closer to their home, where they participate to the traditional plain party, known in the area by the name of “Nedee”.
Every day is a party, where “momârlani” from almost all of the Jiu Valley participate . The climax of all this is the so-called feast, a plentiful meal, from which no one is coming closer until the priest is blessing it.
NEDEEA�
NEDEEA�
NEDEEA
NEDEEA�
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