MASKING

4.3

Bringing Forth / Setting Apart Part 2

For his fieldwork in 2001, George Paul Meiu recorded masked rituals in the village of Comǎna de Jos, Southeastern Transylvania, Romania. The footage served as the basis of his first book “Vin feciorii cu turca”.

The video below shows the ritual of “burduhoaze”. Take a look at the footage and write down your observations or record them on your phone.


Now read the accompanying background information about the history of the ritual in the text box below.

Write Down Your Thoughts

  • Did anything you observed in the video match the background information you read? Was there anything that surprised or stood out to you?
  • Why do you think the “burduhoaze” act rudely and create chaos during the ritual, and why is it important that no one takes offense?
  • What is the meaning of the “setting apart” moment when the spirits must return to the skies, and why might the ritual be important for the community?

Author: George-Paul Meiu

Reference

Meiu, G-P. (2004). Vin feciorii cu turca! Schimbări semiologice în obiceiurile cetei de feciori din Comăna. Brașov: Arania.

Bringing Forth / Setting Apart Part 1
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Modernity as unmasking
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