,,Wheel on fire" at Sinca Noua
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Cultural Centre Reduta, through the Traditional Culture Department, has organized the traditional custom "Wheel on fire" or "Calling out people in the village", by the care of young people from Sinca Noua, with the support of the Town Hall and of the Local Council of village Sinca Noua. Wheel on fire is a traditional custom organized in between winter and spring, ending "Câşlegile" (period of time between two Orthodox fasting periods) and now Lent begins. Young people gather in the centre of the village, they start walking in a suite accompanied by a folk music bands; three young men lead the way on horseback and reach the host where they make a halt, they get plum brandy and cakes and start a hell of a traditional dance.
Calling out people in the village
Calling out people in the village is considered by researchers a "Court". At dusk, young people gather on the top of the hills, they divide in two groups who "are calling out over the village", telling the people in the village the names of the girls who are not married, teasing the girls and boys who are still single. After a short dialogue between the two groups, young people set the straws they used to cover the wheels on fire and push them downhill. This is the main element of the ritual and symbolizes time renewal and purification, as well as soul cleaning.
The wheel as a solar symbol
The wheel as a solar symbol signifies the cyclic evolution of time, and fire is the purifying element. All young men are wearing traditional popular costumes and are involved in this custom. The girls are just accompanying them to the host where the boys are preparing the wheels. Young people start, the wheels on their shoulders, and are taking them to the hills, where they set them on fire and then throw them away downhill while still burning. After the ritual ends, young men meet young girls in the Community Centre where the folk ensemble is having a show.
Forest covenant
Another custom that will be organized in Sinca Noua is the "Forest covenant", a custom which was revived following an ethnographic research. It is also known as "Forest incantation", specific to Tara Fagarasului, in mountainous villages: Sinca, Sercaita, Lisa, Dragus, Vistea, Ucea.
Ioan Tunsoiu and Felicia Irimia, from Sinca Noua, declared that each village from Tara Fagarasului is distinct by the flower men mandatorily wear on their cap for each holiday. In Sinca Noua, the flower called "Vrasta" is made of goose feathers, peacock feathers, coloured flowers and tricolour. In the summertime, because it is hot, the cap is replaced by the hat which must have "Vrasta".
Dorin Duşa
