Prejmer hosted recently ?Fasching-The Pancake Caravan?, an event organized by the County Centre for Conservation and Promotion of Traditional Culture Brasov, Prejmer town hall, ?Euro-Rural? Association for Durable Rural Development and the evangelic church?s Parish of Prejmer. The inhabitants conserve the memory of an ancient German costume, celebrated on Shrovetide, as marked by the evangelic church calendar.
According to the mayor Toderica Constantin Serban, many of the Saxon inhabitants? costumes were continued by Romanians after their leaving. ?The German cultural inheritance, so reach in Tara Barsei?s villages, is an irresistible attraction to rediscover the Transylvanian rural area?.
The Kitchen Cart
The Fasching has a very ancient origin; it marks the passage from winter to spring, symbolizing the chasing up of the dark?s spirits and the triumph of light. The village?s streets are crossed by ,,The Pancakes Caravan?, a procession of carts and masked riders.
The masked people sing and dance, accompanied by trumpets and harmonicas. A traditional kitchen is set up in one of the carts; the youths cook pancakes they offer the people, as an invitation to the fancy ball.
Masks Parades
The fancy Ball evening is a real feast, a moment of joy and cheer for local people, guests and tourists with raffles, contests, dances and masks parades. This Caravan?s edition included a visit to the Citadel, the exhibition ?The Mask ? traditional and contemporaneous symbol?, a selling display of traditional products; the local boarding houses organized a, exclusive pancake exhibition.