Folk Romania - The land of the fairytales

In the folk language, the month of January is named „gerar” (Romanian: „ger”=frost), after the great frost from this month.

January is characterized by brume, coldness and ice. Though, if the weather is warm in this month, it is said that February will bring cold weather.

The celebrations of this month are:

January 1: The New Year (The Little Christmas), St. Vasile

January 5: The Baptism’s Eve

January 6: The Boboteaza (The Jordan, Jesus’ Baptism)

January 7: Sf. John the Baptizer (Santion)

January 16: St. Peter of the Wolves

January 16-17: The “Atanasii”

January 16-18: The Winter Circovi

January 29-31: The Winter Filipi

January 1: The New Year (The Little Christmas), St. Vasile

In the past, New Year was first celebrated on autumn and then in the spring. It was believed that in the days which constitute the passing from one year to another (the equinoxes, moments which marked the equality of day with the night), the forces of nature could influence the people’s life. The beginning of the new year was also correlated to the beginning of a new vegetation cycle, thus explaining its celebration on March 1.

The year symbolizes the Sun (the solar cult replaced the old fecundity one, dating from Bronze Age). The year is called Old Year before its death at midnight and New Year after it revives.

Dacians also celebrated the New Year on March 1. By an administrative law, the Romans moved it to January 1, because at them, the beginning of the new year marked the appointment of the new consuls.

In the Romanian folklore, the passing from one year to another is marked by a 12 days cycle (December 25 – January 6), occasion for the most exuberant folk rituals.

The 12 days symbolize the 12 months of the year. During this period the year grows up, gets older and finally dies. In the folk tradition, the saints also have the same characteristics: at the beginning of the year, the young saints are celebrated; the mature saints follow and then, at the end of the year, people celebrate the old saints. Not only the year grows older, but the saints also.

The 12 years folk cycle is symmetrical and contains two periods: the one between December 25 and the New Year midnight and the one between the New Year midnight and “Boboteaza” (or baptism, on January 6). The first part of the cycle begins on Christmas day and is an evil period. On these days, the time degrades, the night grows, the spirits of the dead go around on earth and the ancestors are invocated. Remains of ancient orgiastic rituals can be found in some regions. The second period is characterized by divination and casting out of evil spirits rituals. The idea that the spirits of the dead come on earth has its origins in an old belief. According to this, before the beginning of a new year, the natural order of things is annulled and the time and space go back to the initial chaos state. That’s why all the rituals from these 12 days are meant to symbolically restore the world.

Beliefs related to the New Year:

it is said that the one who doesn’t sneeze in this day will be alive the following year;

who doesn’t have money or lend it in this day, will be poor the next year;

it is said that on New Year’s morning only men must enter the house, not women, because they bring bad luck;

on New Year is recommended to drink red wine, in order to renew your blood;

if it’s very cold outside and the snow is shining, the next year will bring many marriages;

only pork meet is eaten in this day. That is because the pig always grouts ahead, thus bringing welfare, while the hen always throws back the earth.

if the weather is warm on New Year’s day, the following summer won’t be very hot;

The “Sorcova”

“Sorcova” is a green branch of apple or pear tree, which is decorated with colored paper, flower and trumpery. On New Year’s morning, children go with the “sorcova” at the other village people and wish them “a happy new year”.

In the past, in the morning of St. Andrew, the mothers went in the garden and broke several branches from every tree, especially from apple, pear tree and rose. They made a bunch of three different branches and they gave one to every member of the family. They were put in a bowl with water, in order to bloom. The member of the family whom branches were bloomed on New Year would be lucky the following year. These flowers were used for decorating the “sorcova”. In time, only a small decorated rod of apple or pear tree has began to be used.

The children go with the “sorcova” until noon. They touch with it every member of the family and tell him wishes of well. Instead, the children receive money (in the past, honeycombs were given).

The “Plugusor” (The Small Plough)

“Plugusorul” is one of the oldest and most beautiful Romanian traditions. It is an old agrarian custom which symbolizes the main occupation of the peasants.

On New Year’s Eve or even on New Year’s day, the group of men, having whips, bells and a plough or a “buhai”, go through the village houses, wishing agricultural wealth. This custom is called the “plugusor” (a small plough). The whips are made of hemp and they are thick, in order to be heard as far as possible.

In the past a real plough was used. It was decorated with fir branches, laces and colored paper. The plough was pulled by two or four ox, also decorated. Recently, a miniature plough has begun to be used, as a symbol.

The “buhai” (an old Romanian word for “ox”) was a wooden jar, which had a very flat goat or sheep skin on its mouth. Through the middle of the skin some horse hairs were passed. They were wetted and pulled with the hand, thus producing a noise resembling to the bellow of an ox. The “plugusor” and “the buhai” are scarcely used together.

When a real plough is used, in the householder’s courtyard a list is done.

The carol singers recite the ploughing carol. They are accompanied by whip snaps, by “buhai” noises and by shouts.

The “plugusor” carol is finished by giving the same gifts as in the case of the carols – nuts, apples, pears, money etc.

The Mask Plays

The most important objects of these plays is the animal head, having a wooden mobile beak and worn by a man accompanied by masked people. The masks are made of wood or goat, sheep or hare skin. The man who wears the animal head hides under a carpet or a table cloth and moves the head by using a rope. He leans on a stick on which the animal head, having two horns decorated with bells and trumpery, is put. The men dance, accompanied by flute or bagpipe. After the New Year has passed, the represented animal was symbolically shot and buried.

The play is called “turca”, “bourita” (ox) or “cerb” (deer). In Walachia, it is called “brezaia” and the represented animal is a goat, a fox, a stork or a crane.

In Moldavia, the goat, the camel or the little deer have smaller and less decorated horns and are accompanied by other animal masks (wolf, fox, bear, horse, rooster, peacock, crane etc.) and by disguised people, accompanied by flute or violin.

The “Vasilca”

Gypsies used to name “Vasilca” the domesticated bears which they carried with them through the villages. They gave the same name to the pigs. This is the origin of the custom: “Vasilca” was a pig head, variously decorated. For this purpose, flowers, laces or green goods were used. On New Year’s Eve or on New Year’s day, they went with “Vasilca”.

In the past, when Gypsies were still slaves, they asked the boyar the head of the pig sacrificed on Christmas. This was decorated and taken to the village houses. The men gave them money.

Today, the pig head is decorated with ear rings, beads, money, artificial flowers, lace, silken kerchiefs and a mirror. The Gypsies transmit to the people the wish that the fat pig would bring them a wealthy new year. Instead, the householder offers them biscuits, wine, pork or money.

January 5: The Baptism’s Eve

People fast in the eve of this day. They don’t eat milk, cheese, eggs or meet. Instead, they meet boiled corn, with honey and nuts (“coliva”), cabbage pies (“varzari”), onion pies, borsch etc. Some people don’t eat at all, thinking that this way they will be healthier and won’t have troubles. The girls fast with the hope that will get married.

On this day, husband and wife are not allowed to have fights. The children must not be beaten. Otherwise they’ll get ill during the year.

Salt, millet, bran and hay are put under the table cloth, in order to bring luck.

The priest goes through the village houses and splatters the people with holy water. The good clothes are also spluttered with holy water, in order not to be damaged by moths.

It is said that the raven eggs crack this night and the little birds get out and try to fly. The sky also opens this night. The man who can see this must make a wish and God will make it come true.

One must not lend money on the Baptism’s Eve.

It is a good day for observing the weather, predicting the future and making spells.

January 6: The Boboteaza (The Jordan, The Jesus’ Baptism

The priests hallow the waters on this day. People take the holy water and splitter their houses and cattle, keeping the rest of the water in bottles.

It is said that devils get out of the waters when the priest throws the cross in the river. They run on the fields, but they can’t be seen by the people. Only the wolves see them and bite them, spilling their guts off.

Who throws himself in water this day, will get rid of all the illnesses.

If the weather is beautiful, the year will be rich in bread and fish.

January 7: Sf. John the Baptizer (Santion)

In the folk tradition, St. John is Jesus’ godfather. He is also the patron of the little children, whom he helps not to die unbaptized.

When the weather gets warm, it is said the St. John has baptized the cold.

The legend goes that St. John was a goat shepherd, who had never seen people. He did his prayers to God by jumping back and forward over a log, saying: “This is for You, God, this is for me, God”. Some people, seeing this, sent him to the church. In there, St. John saw the people carrying their sins in the back, like rolls. Thinking that he must also do the same, St. John took a real roll in the back, but the priest, believing that he made fun of him, threw him out of the church. St. John returned to his log and his prayers. It is said that God likes more his prayers, which are true.

On this day, especially in the mountain regions, the young men go with the „Jordan”. They borrowed from the priest the basil and the holy water used on Boboteaza and go to the village houses, baptizing the people. Each member of the family is being lifted and rotated. This thing is called “iordanire”. Some people symbolically fight the jordaners. It is believed that this way one can get strength, because the jordaners are helped by St. John, who also gives strength to the one who fight them. It is said that he who was jordaner once, must be for three years in the road.

January 16: St. Peter of the Wolves

St. Peter is the patron of the wolves, which are his dogs. In this night, he gathers them and tells them what and how much must eat. The wolves are allowed to attack humans only in the period between St. Andrew (November 30) and Boboteaza (January 6). When the wolves howl, it is said that they ask St. Peter to give their prey.

The legend says that the wolf was made by the devil. Not being able to make it move, the devil gave it to God. God told the wolf to run after the devil and attack him and then offered the wolf to St. Peter.

This day marks the middle of the winter.

St. Peter protects the people who celebrate this day from illnesses and prison. He helps them to have many cows and bees.

January 16-17: The “Atanasii”

This name comes from the combining of St. Antonie the Great’s name with the one of St. Atanasie. The peasant named these saints Anton and Tanase the Pest.

People celebrate this day in order to be healthy (especially the children).

January 16-18: The Winter Circovi

These days are right in the middle of a 6 months season, which begins on St. Dumitru (October 26) and ends on St. George (April 23).

The Circovi are considered to be dangerous gods, named by the peasant “the lightnings”. They bring thunders, lightnings, hail, illnesses, fire and wolves.

January 29-31: The Winter Filipi

Like the Circovi, the Filipi are gods about not many things are known. They are also patrons of the wolves.

The period between the Winter Filipi and the Autumn Filipi is the mating season of the wolves.

The Winter Filipi are especially celebrated by women. The young wife “receives the Filipi” from her mother-in-law.

This day is generally celebrated by the shepherds and by the peasant who own cattle. Although, it is recommended that the Winter Filipi should be celebrated, because the wolves cause great damage to the peasants. From this point of view, the wolf is more feared than the bear, because he kills more than he can eat.

On these days, one must not sew, must not wash his hair and must not lend money. Otherwise there’s the risk that the wolves eat the cattle.