This document provides an overview of several aspects of Romanian folk culture, including various folk dances, songs, crafts, costumes, and cuisine. Some key topics covered include the doina folk song, Horezu pottery craftsmanship, traditional dances performed by young men to mark important rituals and celebrate adulthood, decorative folk costumes that have been passed down through generations, and iconic dishes in Romanian cuisine like mamaliga corn porridge and sarmale stuffed cabbage rolls. The document also discusses traditional crafts involving woodworking, egg decorating, textile production through spinning, weaving and sewing.

1. • Romanian men’s folk
danceDoina
• Doina (melancholy Romanian
folk song)
• Horezu
• Romanian dancing
• Mărțișor (March amulets)
• Carols
• National costume
• Traditional cuisine

2. CĂLUŞUL
This is a Romanian folk dance,
specific to the south of Romania or to
Moldovia, during Whitsuntide. According to
the ritual, men go through the villages to
cure the sick.
It is considered that people, cattle
and crops are protected from evil by this
magic dance.

3. DOINA
This is a melancholy lyrical song,
improvised and spontaneous. It is an
essential element of Romanian folklore.
Until 1900 it was the only music genre
present in many regions of the country.
It can express a variety of
feelings: longing, sadness, love, regret,
homesickness.

4. MANUFACTURE TECHNIQUES OF HOREZU
POTTERY
One of the most beautiful and refined
Romanian ceramics is produced at Horezu, in
Vâlcea County. Traditional elements transform
the pottery here in art and civilisation objects.
Handmade on the wheel, producing the ceramics
is a special craft, known only by the potters
community.
Every craftsman has a
certain style but all of them follow
the order of the procedures, which
are also traditional. Ancient
patterns such as the wave, the
spiral, the star, the snake, the fish,
and especially the cock- the
emblem of Horezu pottery, are
made with great art and make this
craft unique.

5. ROMANIAN FOLK DANCE
PERFORMED BY YOUNG MEN
This is the first in the traditional
dancing cycle, its purpose being that of
initiation. It is common to the central,
western and north-western part of
Romania.
This dance represents a traditional
way of celebrating the manhood of
the young men in the community
and the social status.

6. MĂRȚIȘORUL (March amulet) is a small
piece of jewellery tied to a white and red
knitted string, which appears in our tradition
as well as in that of some neighbouring
countries. Girls and women wear them in
March as a symbol of spring.

7. TICUŞ ROMANIAN FOLK DANCE
PERFORMED BY YOUNG MEN
It is specific to a village close to
Braşov, in Ţara Făgăraşului, and it is danced
by men aged 5 to 70. What is different
about it is that the dancers are not only
Romanian, but also Hungarian or Roma,
which contributes to social and intercultural
dialogue.
Dancing helps men to establish
their status in the community, in order to
get married.

8. COLINDATUL ÎN CEATĂ
BĂRBĂTEASCĂ
All over Romania and in The
Republic of Moldova, this ritual also
represents a Christian message,
announcing the winter holidays.
It is not only a beautiful ritual,
but also a way of preserving national
identity, a sign of solidarity between
communities, including multi-ethnical
groups.

9. Romanian folk costume
It represents a long lasting living
document which has transmitted to younger
generations the message of an authentic
artistic creation for many centuries.
It is of artistic, social and historic importance.
Starting from materials produced by
people themselves, it has evolved into true
art when it comes to decorating fabrics and
embroidery.

10. Traditional Romanian cuisine
It is diverse, being made up of a
variety of culinary customs and traditions. It
has also been influenced by German,
Serbian, Italian, Turkish, Hungarian and
other cultures.
It is characterized by diversity and
refinement; many Romanian dishes are
highly appreciated by foreigners, too.

11. It comprises both regular
dishes and special holiday ones. Sweets,
pies and jams have an important place
in it.
A popular Romanian food is
‘mămăliga’, a corn mush, which also
appears in other cuisines under the
name ’polenta’.

12. Mititei or mici (grilled
minced meat balls) are a
Romanian type of food, popular
at picnics or open-air festivals.
Pleșcoi sausages are
mutton sausages, spiced with
chilli and garlic. Their name
comes from a place in Buzău
County, where they are
traditionally produced.

13. Sarmalele (force-
meat rolls in cabbage or vine
leaves) represent another
specific dish, made of pork,
beef, mutton, poultry or even
fish, mixed with rice and other
ingredients. They are usually
served with ‘mămăliga’ and
cream.

14. Crafts
Dogăritul (cooperage) –
the craft of making dishes out of
wood staves: casks for drinks,
barrels for keeping food, like cheese
or pickled cabbage, buckets. They
are handmade.

15. Decorating eggs
This is a very important
Easter traditon which takes place
during Holy Week, on Holy Thursday
or Saturday.
Eggs are decorated in three
or four colours, also taking into
consideration the colour symbols:
red (sun, fire, love), black (eternity,
stability), yellow ( light, richness of
crops, youth, hospitability), green
(the force of nature, hope,
freshness), blue (health, the sky),
violet (self-control, patience, trust,
justice).

16. Spinning, weaving and sewing
The necessary tools were the
distaff and the wooden spindle, made of
soft willow wood.
Handmade fabrics are special
due to their originality and rich
decoration. The decorative techniques are
highly artistic and there are a lot of local
variants.

17. The sewing dot
originated in the sewing craft.
Repeating it in straight, vertical
or oblique lines makes the
motif. Various and harmonious
joining of motifs leads to the
final aspect of the product.