Gateways to Romania
odd: label: Introduction
content: Romania consists of several distinct geographical regions, all of which have historically been more gateways than barriers to different cultures and peoples. To the west lie the hills and flatlands of Crişana and Banat, regions that open onto the immense Hungarian plain even farther west. To the north are the hills and mountains of Maramureş and Bucovina, regions that have long been considered the cradle of Romanian folklore and traditional art. In the center is Transylvania, with its distinctive multicultural heritage influenced by Romanians, Hungarians, and Germans. To the south of the Carpathians are Oltenia and Muntenia, often grouped together under the name Wallachia, with their vast agricultural zones washed by the Danube. And situated between the Danube and the Black Sea is Dobrogea, where ancient fishing villages have given way to bustling tourist resorts.

At the time of the 1999 Festival, Romania's population was just under 23 million. While Romanians formed the majority population, major ethnic minorities included Hungarians (7 percent) and Roma or Gypsies (2 percent), as well as Germans, Ukrainians, Jews, Turks, Serbs, and other peoples. Diaspora communities were scattered throughout the world, especially in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe.

Modern Romanian culture is the product of centuries of interaction between local populations and successive waves of immigration to the region. Music, dance, folk art, and religious traditions share many commonalities with those of Hungarians, Slavs, Turks, and other Balkan peoples, even if the Romanian language is a Romance language like French, Italian, or Spanish. Pre-Christian festivals associated with the changing of the seasons were combined with saints' days and other religious feasts after the coming of Christianity. Many of these traditions are preserved among the country's large rural population.

A people with a rich Latin heritage influenced by myriad other cultural traditions, the Romanians inhabit a land of diverse landscapes, where local customs, rituals, and ways of life have adapted to distinct physical environments: the woodlands of Transylvania and Maramureş, the plains of the west, the lowlands along the Danube river, and the urban cityscapes of Bucharest, Iaşi, and Cluj, ancient settlements that are nodal points in Romania's expanding array of private businesses, tourist outlets, and expatriate communities. The folk culture of the peasant had long been seen as the embodiment of Romanian identity, but at the close of the millennium, Romanian culture was more than ever a dynamic combination of both tradition and modernity - both vividly on display to Festival visitors in Washington.

Colin Quigley was Curator and Robert Dunlap Miclean was Program Coordinator. A Curatorial Committee included Corneliu Bucur, Nicolae Constantinescu, Mihai Dăncuş, Zamfir Dejeu, Irina Nicolau, Ioan Opriş, and Georgeta Roşu; Charles King was Curatorial Advisor.

The Romania program was produced with the Romanian Cultural Foundation and organized with the cooperation of the Office of the President of Romania, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, and the U.S. Embassy in Romania, and with support from the Government of Romania. Major sponsors were Coca-Cola and CONNEX. Contributors included the Romanian Development Bank, Chase Manhattan Bank and the Timken Foundation. Donors included Nestor Nestor & Kingston Petersen, Cold Chain Impex S.R.L., Zero International Inc., and General Electric. Major in-kind support was provided by Tarom Airlines, Bates Centrade Saatchi & Saatchi Romania, and Romtrans.
label: Presenters
content: Eva Borbely, Nicolae Constantinescu, Mihail Dăncuş, Zamfir Dejeu, Carmen Firan, Irina Horea, Ioana Ieronim, Cipriana Petre, Luminiţa Petrescu, Georgeta Roşu, Nicolae Voiculeţ
label: Participants
content: Music and Dance Traditions

FOLK ENSEMBLE  -- FOLK ENSEMBLEAlexandru Şandorică Ciurcui, violinist, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaMaria Ciurcui, dancer, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaRomulus Ciurcui, violinist, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaAlexandru Gheti, braci (viola) player, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaIuliu Gheti, contrabassist, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaDumitru Moldovan, dancer, vocals, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaVasile Soporan, dancer, vocals, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, RomaniaFlorineta Ilincuţa Trif, dancer, Soporu de Câmpie or Frata, Cluj, Romania

COSÂNZEANA, FOLK ENSEMBLE  -- COSÂNZEANA, FOLK ENSEMBLEEmilia-Cornelia Boloţ, vocals, dancer, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaAdrian Ioan Bruzan, vocals, dancer, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaAlina-Valeria Bruzan, vocals, dancer, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaEugen-Ioan Bruzan, leader, dancer, vocals, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaValeria Bruzan, vocals, dancer, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaCamelia-Gabriela Bura, dancer, vocals, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaDafin Georgescu, vocals, dancer, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaSorin-Ioan Georgescu, vocals, dancer, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaDorel Josin Sibişan, braci (viola) player, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaValentin-Florin Ioan Stăncioi, contrabassist, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaIoan (Neleţu) Urs I, violinist, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, RomaniaIoan Urs II, violinist, Orăştioara de Jos, Hunedoara, Romania

VĂLĂRETUL, FOLK ENSEMBLE  -- VĂLĂRETUL, FOLK ENSEMBLESorinel Bălan, clarinetist, Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaBenone Gherman, trumpet player, Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaIon Gherman, trumpet player, Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaCostel Miron, dancer (harap), Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaAndrei-Ştefan Novac, dancer (New Year, pony), Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaValeriu Novac, leader, dancer (bear tamer), Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaIonel-Romeo Obreja, dancer (old woman), Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaMaricel Petreanu, drummer, Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaConstantin Plăcintă, dancer (bear), Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaEugen Silav, dancer (old man), Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaDănuţu Stângaciu, baritone horn player, Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaIon Stoican, bassist, Voineşti, Vaslui, RomaniaConstantin Zota, dancer (goat, pony), Voineşti, Vaslui, Romania

CĂLUŞUL, FOLK ENSEMBLE  -- CĂLUŞUL, FOLK ENSEMBLEIlie Constantin, ţambal (hammered dulcimer) player, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaMarin Florea, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaGeorge Slavi Ionescu, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaVasile Pirciu, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaValerică Pîrcălăboiu, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaMarin Scarlat, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaFlorea Turuianu, leader, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaNarcis-Daniel Turuianu, dancer, Optaşi, Olt, RomaniaRadu Ţiţirigă, violinist, Optaşi, Olt, Romania

VOIEVOZII, FOLK ENSEMBLE  -- VOIEVOZII, FOLK ENSEMBLEIoan Buftea, dancer, flute, whistle player, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaMaria Buftea, dancer, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaIon Coman, dancer, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaIrina Coman, dancer, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaIoan Deac, dancer, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaIon Ghereben, drummer, zongora (guitar) player, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaIoan Mariş, dancer, vocals, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaIrina Mariş, dancer, vocals, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaPetru Orza, violinist, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaDoina Simon, dancer, vocals, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, RomaniaVasile Simon, drummer, dancer, Bogdan-Vodă, Maramureş, Romania

ŢARA OAŞULUI, FOLK ENSEMBLE  -- ŢARA OAŞULUI, FOLK ENSEMBLENicolae Dorlea, zongora (guitar) player, vocals, Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaCristina Irina Finta, dancer, ţapuritoare (vocals), Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaMaria Goje, dancer, ţapuritoare (vocals), Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaNicolae Honea, cetera (violin) player, Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaIrina Oroş, dancer, ţapuritoare (vocals), Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaIacob Pop, leader, dancer, vocals, Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaGrigore Tat, cetera (violin) player, vocals, Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaIoan Tătar, dancer, vocals, zongora (guitar) player, Bixad, Maramureş, RomaniaGheorghe Tope, dancer, vocals, trâmbiţa (alphorn) player, Bixad, Maramureş, Romania

TRIO PANDELESCU, URBAN FOLK GROUP  -- TRIO PANDELESCU, URBAN FOLK GROUPLeonard Botea, double bass player, Bucharest, RomaniaJan Mocanu, accordionist, vocals, Bucharest, RomaniaDumitru Pandelescu, ţambal (hammered dulcimer) player, Bucharest, Romania

NIGHTLOSERS, URBAN ETHNOPOP GROUP  -- NIGHTLOSERS, URBAN ETHNOPOP GROUPOctavian Andreescu, bass guitarist, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaSorin Cîmpean, drummer, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaGeza Grunzo, keyboard player, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaHanno Hoefer, guitar, harmonica player, vocals, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaJimi Laco, guitar player, violinist, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaEugen Pandrea, frunza (leaf) player, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaAladar Pusztai, ţambal (hammered dulcimer) player, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDumitru Fărcaş, taragot (special clarinet) player, Cluj, RomaniaGrigore Leşe, doinitor (vocals), Cluj, RomaniaDorel Rohian, accordionist, Cluj, RomaniaAnuţa Tite, doinitoare (vocals), Maramureş, RomaniaNicolae Voiculeţ, panpipe player, Prahova, Romania

Craft Traditions

Ceramics

Florin Colibaba, potter, Rădăuţi, Suceava, Romania

Neculai Diaconu, clay figurine maker, Codlea, Braşov, Romania

Gheorghe Iorga, potter, Horezu, Vâlcea, Romania

Maria Iorga, potter, Horezu, Vâlcea, Romania

Augustin Pall, potter, Corund, Harghita, Romania

Mihai Truşcă, potter, Balş, Olt, Romania

Weaving

Rodica Maria Ispas, weaver, Buzău, Romania

Margareta Nagy, corn-husk artisan, Chendu Mare, Mureş, Romania

Cristina Delciza Nicolau, weaver, eggs and beads, Buzău, Romania

Adela Petre, weaver, spinner, Buzău, Romania

Alice Torella Kosza Szegedi, reed dolls and mask artisan, Câmpeniţa, Mureş, Romania

Woodcarving

Pavel Caba, Nereju, Vrâncea, Romania

Ion Costache, Merişani, Prahova, Romania

Dan Gherasimescu, Valea Dorului, Argeş, Romania

Viţa Lepădatu, Băbeni, Vâlcea, Romania

Icon Painting

Marioara Ciupitu, Cârţişoara Abbey, Sibiu, Romania

Angela Niculai, Tulcea, Romania

Filofteia Papacioc, Cârţişoara Abbey, Sibiu, Romania

Mihaela-Lidia Zamfirescu, Bucharest, Romania

Ornament and Mask Making

Ion Albu, masks and dolls, Roman, Romania

Mircea Lac, ornaments, woodcuts, Deva, Romania

Sabina Costinela Medrea, ornaments, Deva, Romania

Lucia Todoran, ornaments, beaded textiles, Bistriţa, Romania

Egg Decorating

Oltica Cârstiuc, Vatra Moldoviţei, Suceava, Romania

Filofteia Drajmici, Vatra Moldoviţei, Suceava, Romania

Foodways Traditions

Moşica Bercovici, Bucharest, Romania

Rodica Bulboacă, Suceava, Romania

Iulia Goran, Bucharest

Church Builders

Teodor Bârsan, Maramureş, Romania

Ioan Chindriş, Maramureş, Romania

Ion Chindriş, Maramureş, Romania

loan Fodoruţ, Maramureş, Romania

Dumitru Hotico, Maramureş, Romania

Gavrilă Hotico I, Maramureş, Romania

Gavrilă Hotico II, Maramureş, Romania

Gavrilă Hotico III, Maramureş, Romania

Petru Ioan Pop, Maramureş, Romania
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1999 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1999, Series 3
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials