Rain celebration ritualsRain celebration rituals

In the Romanian space, there In the Romanian space, there were, and still are in some were, and still are in some

areas, two types of rain rituals areas, two types of rain rituals ::

CALOIAN & PAPARUDACALOIAN & PAPARUDA

CALOIANCALOIAN

• ……name that comes from the Slavic name that comes from the Slavic kaljenŭ = kaljenŭ = of clayof clay, due to the material that is made of. , due to the material that is made of.

• The The CaloianCaloian is an archaic fertility ritual is an archaic fertility ritual meant to bring or to stop the rain , the ritual meant to bring or to stop the rain , the ritual is organized in a Wednesday .is organized in a Wednesday .

• In general, this tradition is given a feminine In general, this tradition is given a feminine name – name – Mother CaloianaMother Caloiana, , ScaloianaScaloiana. But in . But in some areas it was used the pair – some areas it was used the pair – CaloianCaloian and and CaloianaCaloiana, , Mother RainMother Rain and and Father SunFather Sun..

The Caloian sing:The Caloian sing:

• "Caloian, Caloian"Caloian, CaloianGo up to heavens and demandGo up to heavens and demandThe sky to open the gatesThe sky to open the gatesTo let pour the rainsTo let pour the rainsTo help grow the grainsTo help grow the grainsnightsnightsand daysand daysto help grow the grains."to help grow the grains."

CALOIANCALOIAN

• The process of the ceremonial is one of a funeral The process of the ceremonial is one of a funeral ritual, followed by an initiating ritual. ritual, followed by an initiating ritual.

• Girls were gathering in a group to create a wood or Girls were gathering in a group to create a wood or a clay doll, which was later on buried so that after a a clay doll, which was later on buried so that after a couple of days would be exhumed and destroyed or couple of days would be exhumed and destroyed or thrown in the water. thrown in the water.

• A burial feast took place after the burial of the A burial feast took place after the burial of the CaloianCaloian, and after it was exhumed, this meaning its , and after it was exhumed, this meaning its resurrection, another festivity, this time a joyful resurrection, another festivity, this time a joyful one, would be organized.one, would be organized.

• The The CaloianCaloian was buried in a secret and sacred was buried in a secret and sacred place – at the crossroads, near a river or a fountain. place – at the crossroads, near a river or a fountain.

• In Dobrogea, the clay dolls were covered with In Dobrogea, the clay dolls were covered with pieces of red egg-shell and they were broken in pieces of red egg-shell and they were broken in order to mimic the sacred violence of the passing order to mimic the sacred violence of the passing rituals. rituals.

• If there was drought, If there was drought, Father SunFather Sun would be “killed”, would be “killed”, and if there was too much rain, and if there was too much rain, Mother RainMother Rain would would be “killed”.be “killed”.

PAPARUDAPAPARUDA• Being also known as “Mutoaşcă”, Being also known as “Mutoaşcă”,

„Păpăruie”, „Dodoloaie”, depending on the „Păpăruie”, „Dodoloaie”, depending on the geographical area, geographical area, PaparudaPaparuda was organized was organized on a Thursday– on a Thursday– Paparuda’s ThursdayPaparuda’s Thursday..

• This tradition was first mentioned by This tradition was first mentioned by Dimitrie Cantemir in “Dimitrie Cantemir in “Descriptio Moldavie”Descriptio Moldavie”,,(17 century,) with the note that it was more (17 century,) with the note that it was more frequently encountered in the southern part frequently encountered in the southern part of the country. of the country. PaparudaPaparuda is a symbolic is a symbolic creature that is born and dies every year, in creature that is born and dies every year, in spring, on a river bank. spring, on a river bank.

• The role of The role of PaparudaPaparuda was played by a pure was played by a pure girl . The girl was walking from house to girl . The girl was walking from house to house, only covered in leaves, followed by a house, only covered in leaves, followed by a group of girls. At each house she was group of girls. At each house she was performing a ritual dance with hand clapping performing a ritual dance with hand clapping while she was invoking rain using a special while she was invoking rain using a special chant. People were showering her with water chant. People were showering her with water buckets and were offering her gifts that buckets and were offering her gifts that represented wealth: eggs, wheat, milk etc. represented wealth: eggs, wheat, milk etc. Besides provoking rain, Besides provoking rain, PaparudaPaparuda’s ritual ’s ritual chant was meant to wish wealth as well, thus chant was meant to wish wealth as well, thus recalling the New Year’s wishing. After the recalling the New Year’s wishing. After the girl would have visited all the houses in the girl would have visited all the houses in the village, she would go to a running-water and village, she would go to a running-water and throw her leaves-dress. throw her leaves-dress.

• "Paparuda ruda,"Paparuda ruda,Come to drench us Come to drench us allallMake rain pourMake rain pourFall over our landsFall over our landsin buckets, in buckets, buckets."buckets."

• PaparudaPaparuda’s dance, the hand clapping ’s dance, the hand clapping and the water showering have as a and the water showering have as a basic principle the law of similitude.. basic principle the law of similitude.. The rhythm sustained by the girl The rhythm sustained by the girl mimics the cadence of the rain, and mimics the cadence of the rain, and the water that is thrown over her, the the water that is thrown over her, the rain that falls from the sky .rain that falls from the sky .

• In present, the children knit coronets, In present, the children knit coronets, adorning them with ribbons. Then they adorning them with ribbons. Then they dance, going from house to house. dance, going from house to house. The hostess throws water and milk The hostess throws water and milk after them. The children and the after them. The children and the young people have to receive a coin or young people have to receive a coin or wheat, corn, flour or bean.wheat, corn, flour or bean.