The "Raising of the Maypole" in Feldioara
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The May Day Festival or the Raising of the Maypole" was celebrated in commune Feldioara, county of Brasov, at the same time with the celebration of the Pentecost. The young people in the village are divided in parties, in two big categories: in the first one there are the boys at the age of recruitment named "zablai", and in the second one there are the lads, young people who already served in the army and who are now to get married. In the Pentecost Friday, the parties choose the maypoles, young birches in the woods; they cut them down and bring them into the village. The lads choose the birch for the girl they like, but an old person, who knows the woods accompanies them to show them the trees which can be cut, without damaging the woods.
The parade of carts with maypoles
In the Pentecost morning, the first pair of maypoles is erected at the gate of the church and then each cart with lads and maypoles goes to the houses where girls have been chosen. In the street, during the parade, people sing, and the carts decorated with greenery and ribbons give colour to the village ever since the morning. The lad makes a hole into the ground with a big spike with rifle head, fixed with a sledge hammer, and then sets the pair of birches into the ground, in front of the house of the girl he has chosen. He also hangs birch branches over the gate, which will be kept there until the harvesting.
Maypoles protect people from bad things
The Maypoles and the branches which have not turned green yet are meant to protect the members of that family, but also their household and fields against bad things. At the same time, the green branches invoke fertility as well. Once the "raising" is finished, the lads go home wash and rest themselves, and then they return to the house with maypoles to get their pay. They are offered food and drinks. This custom has been modified, some moments and significations were lost, but it was also enriched. On this occasion, a parade of the folk costume is organized in Feldioara, and the brass band of the village has another occasion to animate the village. The Raisong of the Maypoles is a good opportunity for that and also on the occasion of the "maial".
History and present
"Bringing these customs and old traditions back to the foreground is a good occasion to promote the tourist potential of the area and for the sons of the village to meet again. The event was a great success and young people worked hard and got informed on the organization modality. They succeeded to do so. Another event attracting the tourists is the Festival "The Teutonic Knights return to Citadel Feldioara" or the Medieval Festival, which is organized in the first Saturday and Sunday from September. Thus, connecting history with present, summer brings back the knights and the atmosphere of the medieval fair in the setting surrounded by the ruins of the citadel," said Mr. Sorin Taus, the Mayor of commune Feldioara.
