 Romania remains one of the few european countries in which the old Christmas traditions are still very much alive, especially in the remote little villages from the northern Bukovina. During the two weeks of winter holidays the snowy streets of this moldavian villages are bursting with strange mythological creatures and traditional music. From this rich panoply of traditions there are two which distinguish themselves by originality and inner meaning: the Bear Dance( Ursul) and Goat Dance (Capra).
The Bear Dance is one of the strangest winter tradition one can see. It consists of a group of young men who are dancing in a cercle, wearing heavy outfits made of bear coat. They also have their faces painted with coal and everyone of them is carring a heavy wooden stick, painted flamboyantly. This sticks are used for striking the scarred audience and I can tell you from my own experience that they don't fake those strikes.
The Goat Dance, belived to had been existed in these villages more than 2000 years ago, is one of the most popular Romanian Christmas customs. Being a Thracian tradition at its origins, the Goat Dance its also a group custom, consisting in three or more young men whom are also flamboyantly costumed. One of them, the leader, is beating an old folk drum, keaping an enchanting rithm, half singing and half saying rhymed well wishings and enchantations for everybody present. The other members of the group are dressed in such a manner as to imitate goats. They wear coloured coats and all kind of folk drawings. They are dancing in a crouched position with their entire body covered by a long cloak, the only thing visible from outside of it being a wooden carved goat head, adornned with all kind of Romanian folk symbols.
Both of these old customs are rich in profound meanings, an ancient heritaje from the pre-Christian times. They are welcomed by everybody during Christmas as a symbol of goodluck and abundance. Beside this, they are true anthropologycal treasures, unique in Europe and in many ways they resemble the old African traditions.Labels: bear dance, bukovina, christmas, christmas tradition, custom, folklore, goat dance, romania, romanian christmas customs |
