Romanian values
Family represents an important Romanian value. In fact, Romania is a family-focused society. Romanians appreciate the long term relations based on trust, respect and loyalty. These are attributes they learn to appreciate early in their childhood.
Religion plays an important role in the life of the Romanian people. Most of them are members of the Orthodox Church. Their religion was suppressed for more than 20 years under communism (Nicolae Ceausescu’s dictatorship). Even so, the Romanian persons have not forgotten to pray and hope.
Identity
Romanian persons are proud of their country, customs, history, national heritage and heroes. They respect their past. Even if some of them work outside the country, a part of Romania will always be with them.
8.Romanian customs and habits
Ignat – this habit is about sacrificing a pig on the Ignat day, on 20th of December. It is considered that in the night before, the pig dreams the knife that will sacrifice him. Moreover, children at countryside are marked with a cross in their foreheads with blood from the pig to be healthy.
Noaptea Sfantului Andrei (Saint Andrew’s Night)
This is the Romanian Halloween. On 30th of November, there is the night when the ghosts, spirits come to harass us. In order to avoid this, the Romanian people use to put garlic at their doors and windows.
Sanzienele
Romanian people celebrate Sanzienele on June 24th. It is celebrated nature and fecundity. Sanzienele were some young girls who offered special powers to some flowers called sanziene. These flowers protect our house from bad luck and evil. The night before June 24th, the girls who want to get marry have to put sanziene flowers under their pillow. They will dream their future husband.
Capra (The goat)
The Goat dance represents a New Year’s Eve custom. The Goat dance is a full of vitality dance that symbolizes the death and rebirth of the Goat, the symbol of vegetation. This dance is played with many masks.
A woodenhead goat is covered with fur. Moreover, the inferior jaw has to “clatter”. The cornels may come from a real animal or are generally made of wood. They are decorated with ribbons, artificial and natural flowers. The body of the goat is extremely colored. It is made of carpets, furs, embroidered handkerchiefs. The Goat does not come alone. It is accompanied by 6 or 10 persons who dance: the shepherd, the gipsy, devils or doctors. The Goat jumps, turns round, and bends.
The dance of the Goat expresses the best wishes for the New Year.