Discovering Romanian Medieval Culture

1. Discovering Romanian Medieval Culture Although we do not have many documents to certify the authentic life of the early centuries of Romanian history, the original customs and traditions have been transmitted orally and they are seen today not as a reminiscence of the primitivism, in what concerns rituals and spells, but as a proof of a different human way of perceiving and understanding the world. In our research we have studied the works of one of the greatest scholars, Dimitrie Cantermir.

2. The Life of Dimitrie Cantemir • Dimitrie Cantemir (October 26, 1673 – August 21, 1723) was twice Prince of Moldavia (in March-April 1693 and in 1710–1711). He was also a prolific man of letters – philosopher, historian, composer, musicologist, linguist, ethnographer, and geographer. • His education began at home, where he learned Greek and Latin and acquired a profound knowledge of the classics. Between 1687 and 1710 he lived in forced exile in Istanbul, where he learned Turkish and studied the history of the Ottoman Empire. • In 1693, he succeeded his father as Prince of Moldavia – in name only, as the Ottomans appointed Constantin Duca, favoured by Wallachian Prince and his bid for the throne was successful only in 1710, after two rules by his brother.

3. The cultural contribution to universal history • In 1714 Cantemir became a member of the Royal Academy of Berlin. Cantemir was known as one of the greatest linguists of his time, speaking and writing eleven languages, and being well versed in Oriental scholarship. His oeuvre is voluminous, diverse, and original; although some of his scientific writings contain unconfirmed theories and inaccuracies, his expertise, sagacity, and groundbreaking researches are widely acknowledged. The best known of his works is The History of the Growth and Decay of the Ottoman Empire. It remained the seminal work on the Ottoman Empire up to the middle of the 19th century . • In 1714, at the request of the Royal Academy in Berlin, Cantemir wrote the first geographical, ethnographical and economic description of Moldavia, Descriptio Moldaviae. Printed in 1737 in the Netherlands, it has been used by all cartographers of the time as an inspiration for their own maps of Moldavia.

4. Romanian folklore • A feature of Romanian culture is the special relationship between folklore and the learned culture, determined by two factors. The rural character of the Romanian communities resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. • The dances are lively and are practiced throughout Romania by a large number of professional and amateur groups, thus keeping the tradition alive; Hora is one of the most famous group dances but men's folk dances such as căluşari are extremely complex and have been declared by UNESCO to be "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity". • Romanians have had, from immemorial times, a myriad of customs, tales and poems about love, faith, kings, princesses, and witches.

5. Romanian traditional music • Music and dance represent a lively part of the Romanian folklore and there are a great variety of musical genres and dances. Party music is very lively and shows both Balkan and Hungarian influences. Sentimental music, however, is the most valued, and Romanians consider their doina (a sad song either about one's home or about love, composed like an epic ballad) unique in the world. Maria Tănase is considered to be one of the greatest Romanian folk singers. • Despite her agitated life of excesses, her voice was one of the most expressive voices of all folk singers. She was capable of transmitting strong emotions to the listeners be it a joyful party song or a traditional sad doina she was singing.

6. Curses- an element of culture The curse is a genre of Romanian literature and it contains magical formulas which served once as an auxiliary for the primitive medicine. The curses are still a part of the folklore and they are also a part of the Romanian culture. The curses were transmitted in time as a tradition, but few people can use them nowadays and obtain a result. Many people think that the curses are only superstitions, but sometimes the results can be seen.

7. Rituals These magical rituals are used to improve the medical state of a person or to invoke the rain, the fertility of the ground and of domestic animals (cows and sheep), but there are also bad curses which have negative consequences. The terms of the curses are archaic and they express the maintenance of the traditions and many of them symbolize things that suggest the relation between nature and human beings .

8. Maria Tanase-Curse He who loves and leaves God send them a sentence The swirling of the slitherThe bearing of the beetle The whizzing wind coil The dust of the soil.Cause the ant be it an ant With big body and small head, Tiny waist and squirms the sandIt can yet fulfill what said. Only us, baptized men,somehow, Simply cannot keep a vow.

9. Enchantment Moon, moon, Weremoon, You are proud and beautiful, You are the night’s empress. You have a horse, But you don’t have a bridle. Here’s my belt Release your horse And go after my foretold husband. Be he from this village, From the other village, From the third village, Or from the ninth village, Don’t give him peace And tempering So he can’t sleep And rest Until he isn’t coming to me.