In Apaţa, Brasov County, Fărşang is celebrated previous to the last day before Lent and it is organized so that the young local people and tourists can take part in this Hungarian celebration in other villages, too. In Apata, the young people focus more on the organization of the parade which consists in two couples riding horses: one couple is made up of a bride and groom who are about to get married and the other one of a man and women already married. Whereas in Ormenis there are several people riding horses, here the two couples stand out through their costumes and the adorned horses. At the same time, the youth wearing long sheepskin coats and masks make the procession more special.
The host of Fărşang
A host of Fărşang is chosen each year, who welcomes the young people to organize their procession. Everything is carefully prepared starting from the dolls dressed in the Hungarian folk costume hanging in the corner of the house, the doughnuts and the slivovitz served to the house guests and the people from the parade, to the covered wagon where the young men having finished their military service stand along with the single young men from the village with a basket and a cane in their hands to collect money and products for the organization of the ball, and, last but not the least, the allegorical cart drawn by adorned horses.
Horses dressed with hats and trousers
The horse-drawn cart was the biggest attraction of the event because of the special attention paid by the young people to its preparation. The two horses have been dressed as a girl and a boy, one wearing trousers and the other a skirt, a hat on their heads and floral scarves, ribbons and flowers around their necks.
"We are glad that so many young people got involved in the organization of this event. "Fărşang" is a traditional custom of the Hungarian community from Tara Barsei. Its origins date back to over two hundred years. It is a celebration of masks showing another reality where everything normal and natural disappears being replaced by far-fetched and grotesque things," said the Mayor of Apata Commune.
Chasing winter away
During daytime, when the groups of masked people are wondering through the village`s streets, disharmony appears and all the rules are broken before Lent and resignation period. The procession of masked young people goes through the village collecting eggs and money as a reward for chasing away winter and bad spirits. The "bears", which are masked people wearing sheepskin coats, play a great role here. They are dragged in chains and wear large bells on their waist and jump up and down while marching through the village`s narrow streets, making a huge noise.
