In Dragus commune there is a traditional custom called The Mace, which is a ceremonial celebrating a cross made by straw wisps gathered by the croppers during harvest. In the traditional village, the habit used to be both an agrarian, folkloric and social event. The wreath were made from the most beautiful straws; croppers used to let some of them in the fields, in order to conserve the entire fertile power of the crop-field.
Fertilising Ritual
This agrarian ceremonial symbolise the passage of the wheat spirit from cycle of life top the cycle of death and marks its way to the immortality. The wreath, the straw wisps and the seeds participated all together in the acts meant to fertilise people, crop-fields and animals.
Wreath Procession
A beautiful nubile girl used to bear the wreath from the field to the household in the village, if she were able to comply with three conditions: she had to be virgin, hard working, beautiful and ritually pure.
A numerous procession of local boys and girls use to accompany the virgin. On their way to the village, the wreath and the croppers were abundantly wetted. The village?s priest used to wait the suite with buckets full of water, ready to wet the wreath, to be left then ceremoniously, after the suite went three times around the table.
Wreath Dance
Early in the morning, at noon or at the end of the harvest day, croppers performed the wreath dance, which is the most ancient folkloric fold, conserved only by the elder?s memory. The wreath used to be kept in the house till the next year harvest.
