The Mask Procession from Scheii Brasovului
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The Ethnography Museum of Brasov in collaboration with Cultural Centre Reduta, the Service for the Preservation and Promotion of the Traditional Culture, the Association of the People from Schei and Euro Toques Romania, organized a live event featuring masqueraders from Scheii Brasovului on the Shrove Tuesday. A brief exhibition called "The Shrove Tuesday in South-Eastern Transylvania" was organized on this occasion in honour of this holiday.
About the exhibition theme
"The Shrove Tuesday is a complex ceremony marking the rebirth of the agricultural year and at the same time an important threshold symbolizing the passage from the pre-Lenten period to the Lent period before Easter. This holiday is celebrated both by the rural Romanian, Hungarian, Saxon communities and by the town collectivities, such as the community Scheii Brasovului. The day of Shrove Tuesday is represented differently depending on the ethnic group and region, all ending with parties, music and dance," said Mrs. Ligia Fulga, PhD, Manager of the Ethnographic Museum Brasov.
The end of the old year
In South-Eastern Transylvania ancient rituals are practiced such as the Wheel on Fire from Sinca Noua, the Mask procession from Scheii Brasovului, the Saxon Fasching festival and the Hungarian Farsang from Apata. All these festive events are about disorder, masquerade, verbal offences, excess, meaning that order and harmony can no longer be restored this year. The masks, the puppet pairs, their burning are symbolic acts suggesting the end of the old year.
The host of the Mask Procession
Tourists had the chance to take part in the Mask Procession marching from Piata Unirii (the Unification Square), through the Gate Schei and reaching its end point at the Urban Civilization Museum Brasov from Piata Sfatului (the Council Square) which hosted the Mask Procession. The organizers prepared a video projection entitled the "Mask Procession of Schei" and the masqueraders were served "croapăne" and "rozol". In the evening the Mask Ball was organized and the second day the varnishing of the exhibition "The Shrove Tuesday in South-Eastern Transylvania" took place at the Ethnography Museum Brasov. The guests attending this event were also served "croapăne", mountain pies, "scoverzi", "pancove", "Hanklich", offered by Euro Toques Romania, Brasov Branch.
