Folkloric dances and Romanian costumes from Transylvania

The total population of these small counties – Covasna, Harghita and Mureș – is of about one million people, of which Romanians are some 300.000. But they lost one hundred thousand people in the last decade, mainly by migration to Western Europe or to larger cities inside the country. There are villages with up to 99% ethnic Romanians in the south of Covasna and north of Harghita, even more numerous in Mureș. But they suffer from aging population in a similar way to the Hungarian villages. An ancient lifestyle that survived communism is fading fast in the global capitalism.

The area has great tourist potential, with its vast forests, Carpathian mountains slopes, mineral waters and spa treatments. It also has a reach treasure of traditions, songs, fairy tales, handmade costumes, pastoral holidays and cuisine. While both Romanians and Hungarians have plenty of traditional creations to show for, the latter had a more conscious strategy of promoting it in what they branded recently as „Szekely land”. With significant support from the nationalist government of Viktor Orban, Hungarian events attract thousands of participants especially from Hungary, which is massively funding media outlets, football and hockey teams, educational programs, investments and buying of land.

While the patriotic position of Orban’s government is known worldwide, opposing migration and not shying away from revisionist claims over Transylvania, his counterparts in Bucharest took a completely opposite stance. Successive Romanian governments in the last three decades after communism have taken a decisive multiculturalist line in sync with the views of the most liberal politicians in Brussels. Therefore, they almost deliberately abandoned Romanian ethnic sensibilities to favour the local policies required by the ethnic Hungarian party (UDMR) which was a key coalition partner for both left and right wing governments.

This situation created a sense of frustration for the Romanian minority in the region, that united in an NGO called the Civic Forum of Romanians in Covasna, Harghita & Mureș. The forum, lead by Dragoș Burghelia, is organizing an annual event in the capital Bucharest. It is a spiritual and artistic manifestation, that also aims at signaling the existence of these isolated communities. Another association involved in organizing the event is Calea Neamului, lead by Mihai Târnoveanu.

The main part of the event was a short march through the center of Bucharest showcasing the beautiful costumes worn by school children and older generations. Large sheep fur mantles worn by shepherds who dress like the Dacians two thousand years ago, were guaranteed to impress. On the stage in University Square various schools and villages took their turn in presenting their songs and dances.

While this event could be viewed as a time capsule of images from the past, it can also be interpreted as a signal from the future. Because the fate of this small community in the center of the country can be a warning to the country and the continent at large. These communities have lived in the same place for thousands of years, and gradually became a minority in a wave that settled there over a millennium ago. But now the entire continent is under an unprecedented invasion from Asia and Africa in a program endorsed by governments and corporations. Bucharest, which is one of the last capitals of Europe where the native population is still the majority, is undergoing an accelerated process of being colonised with migrant workers from other continents.

The event did not have the public it deserved, because it was completely not advertised by the mainstream media. So the people who enjoyed it were bystanders who just happened to cross the city center at that time, including more foreign tourists, African delivery riders, Ukrainian and Arab immigrants. The situation couldn’t be more ironic when other Romanians come to the capital to signal their alienation only to find the city itself in the process of demographic change.

The participants preferred to keep a positive note by emphasizing what this Transylvanian region has to offer and by inviting the locals of Bucharest to return their visit at the main holydays. But the unspoken grievances of that community are numerous and were underlined by the Civic Forum lead by Dragoș Burghelia at other occasions. The list is quite long. They underline the lack of progress for infrastructure to cross the Carpathian mountains by highway or by fast trains from the surrounding regions of Wallachia and Moldova. Also, the region doesn’t benefit from investments to maintain its historic heritage, like statues and military cemeteries. And more stringent, the places for today’s cultural life, theaters and museums.

A key chapter is the continued policy of forced assimilation by Hungarian local authorities who encourage segregation by schools with no possibility of learning Romanian. This was a policy for centuries in the Hungarian kingdom and the dual monarchy of Austria Hungary, but is shockingly continuing nowadays. Romanians used to have a second class citizen status, not being allowed in higher schools or public positions especially since the act of 1437, that only recognized Catholic and Protestant confessions, but no the Orthodox. Things have changed for the better since then, but now more subtle methods are used. Especially targeted for assimilation to Hungarian language are the Greek Catholic Romanians in the region and in the neighbouring Moldova.