The ‘Casa Junilor’ Museum hosted the thematic presentation ‘Annunciation in the Tradition of the Juni’, organized by the ‘Juni’ Association of Scheii Brasovului and Brasovechi. Professor Priest Vasile Oltean, the director of the First Romanian School Museum was the special guest of the event. This presentation was one of a series of activities of popularization of the characteristic traditions of the Juni of Scheii Brasovului and Brasovechi districts.
• On ‘Coasta Prundului’
In the Annunciation Day, the Juni go to a hill in Brasov called ‘Coasta Prundului’, and blow the trumpet. ‘This archaic instrument, known by the elders as ‘the sacred trumpet’, makes some interesting sounds that only the trumpeter can render, sounds that are somewhat dissonant, on a monotonous yet striking tone, playing a melody passed from a trumpeter to another, from generation to generation. The trumpeter is accompanied only by a handful of young Juni, and very seldom by members of the other groups, who are waiting from them in front of roadside crosses’, stated Mr. Constantin Chicus, Chairman of the Association of the Juni of Scheii Brasovului and Brasovechi.
• The Trumpet procession
The trumpet procession takes place on the Annunciation Day because this is considered the most important day of spring. Long ago, when the Annunciation Day was usually snowy, the trumpeter would still climb all the way up the hill and played the trumpet, for all people in the Schei district to hear. The trumpet makes a distinctive sound, like grunting. The trumpeter is assigned for life, and only after he has grown too old to climb the hill is he allowed to pass this special task to a young man that he has trained for this purpose.
• Myth, ritual and magic
The tradition of the Juni is tightly associated with spring, and especially with the Easter period. Everything focuses around the Resurrection Holiday, starting from Easter Sunday, throughout the Bright Week and ending on Thomas Sunday. The Juni maintain the tradition precisely for each day, moment and place, the traditional pies, the ritual feasts, the specific hora dance, the trumpet and the mace that wards off evil spirits, throwing the mace and adorning the horses.
