Monday, December 5, 2011

HANDMADE - Romanian Traditions









































Marking the start of the festive season, 
Bucharest's Museum of The Romanian Peasant  hosts its St Nicholas Fair.

On the night of December 5th, boots are cleaned and carefully polished to be put by the door or on the windowsill to wait for St. Nicholas' (Sfantul Nicolae) visit. He is generous , putting a little present in each boot—usually nuts, tangerines, sweets and small items, like new socks. In some areas a walnut branch or thin twigs with gold, silver, or bronze gilded walnuts are left as a warning that behavior needs to improve. 
On the sixth of December, gifts are given to friends, children, and those in need. 
It is one of the most important Romanian holidays.
More than 800,000 Romanians celebrate their name day on St. Nicholas day, December 6th. 815,453 persons are named Nicholas or devivations of the name, 530,089 men and 285,364 women, reports the Ministry of Administration.
Over 1000 churches are dedicated to St. Nicholas in Romania, at least 23 are in Bucharest.'
St. Nicholas Center







at

56 comments:

  1. CatalinDecember 5, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    Pariez că nu știi povestea celei care a realizat covoarele din ultima fotografie...

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  2. MariannDecember 5, 2011 at 5:01 PM

    Many beautiful items but the mask is my favorite.

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  3. RIZALENIODecember 5, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Wow! So creatively beautiful and colorful. I love those sculptures a lot. These arts just made me dream and happy.

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  4. IngeDecember 5, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    Very nice and colourful. :-)

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  5. SmilingSallyDecember 5, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    Happy Blue Monday to you!

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  6. EJDecember 5, 2011 at 6:58 PM

    Captivating blue.

    Come see the Blue at my page when you get a chance. Have a good week.

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  7. MarianneDecember 5, 2011 at 7:32 PM

    Beautiful pictures!

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  8. Susan AndersonDecember 5, 2011 at 8:21 PM

    Wonderful!
    =)

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  9. Tina´s PicStoryDecember 5, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    thanks for joining highlight sunday with this interesting part of romanian culture!

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  10. KarinaDecember 5, 2011 at 9:39 PM

    ce superb!

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  11. KarinaDecember 5, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    am un prieten pictor, mihai olteanu, te rog sa pui si linkul lui in blog la tine. nu publica...s-a inscris in blog la tine

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  12. Windsmoke.December 5, 2011 at 11:25 PM

    Bonza photos, once again i can't pick a favourite one this time round. I reckon these series photos have gotta be your best work yet, well done :-).

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  13. UnknownDecember 5, 2011 at 11:34 PM

    Pariez că faci mai multă publicitate României decât frunza udrei!
    Fotografiile sunt colosale!Mulţumesc!

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  14. LuklukDecember 6, 2011 at 12:29 AM

    Super reportaj! Felicitari...

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  15. Angela Häring-ChristenDecember 6, 2011 at 1:05 AM

    Wonderful hand works. The mask are a work of genius. But I only can see it because your photos are great :-)
    Greetings, Angela

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  16. T...December 6, 2011 at 2:09 AM

    beautiful artwork and what a wonderful tradition to keep alive..

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  17. Lisa GordonDecember 6, 2011 at 2:14 AM

    What wonderful photographs these are!
    Such beautiful vibrant colors.
    I love the mask. It must have taken a lot of work to make this.

    Thank you so much for sharing today at The Creative Exchange.

    Have a wonderful evening.

    lisa.

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  18. CloudiaDecember 6, 2011 at 3:03 AM

    such human art!



    Aloha from Waikiki

    Comfort Spiral

    > < } } ( ° >

    ><}}(°>

    < ° ) } } > <

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  19. TeachinfourthDecember 6, 2011 at 5:28 AM

    That top mask image is really nice...

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  20. A Sunny Yellow WindowDecember 6, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    Lovely photographs! Drooling over the rugs and the painted jugs :) And you've got a beautiful photoblog here..

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  21. PatDecember 6, 2011 at 6:11 AM

    Wonderful series of photos! There are so many beautiful examples of folk art here!

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  22. KalaDecember 6, 2011 at 6:55 AM

    Wonderful colors and light in these photos.

    Happy Macro Monday!

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  23. AnonymousDecember 6, 2011 at 8:06 AM

    I really like the framed paintings and the potteries! Very good photo series!

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  24. 黄清华 Wong Ching WahDecember 6, 2011 at 10:43 AM

    Very interesting to know about these traditions of Romania ...

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  25. kareninkenaiDecember 6, 2011 at 10:49 AM

    beautiful traditions and very lovely compositions. thank you. {visiting from i heart macro}

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  26. Traveling HawkDecember 6, 2011 at 11:45 AM

    o serie etnografica excelenta, Daliana! imi plac sculpturile mici reprezentand ciobani

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  27. ADRIANDecember 6, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    You may not live in the worlds richest country but I think these images make Romania a very wealthy place.

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  28. DUTADecember 6, 2011 at 6:57 PM

    Toate pozele sunt superbe. Favorita mea este ultima, cu casa si presurile atarnate pe cerdac.

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  29. Leah H.December 6, 2011 at 6:57 PM

    interesting traditions..

    Visiting for BM! Hope you can visit mine too..

    http://www.heavenly-dreams.com/toy-story-toddler-bed/

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  30. Light TriggerDecember 6, 2011 at 7:43 PM

    romanian art is really impressive, so colorful and full of life!

    Light Trigger: OUR ENTRY

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  31. BitchDecember 6, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    Great traditional work of art!
    Here in Greece the name Nicolas is very often and today they celebrate their name day as in Romania..

    Greetings Daliana
    Monika

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  32. DarylDecember 6, 2011 at 9:52 PM

    I am loving all these ... your perspective is awesome

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  33. Betty ManousosDecember 6, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    what fantastic artwork!
    lovely items, love each one of them.

    thanks so much for sharing some of the beautiful romanian tradition with us.

    xx

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  34. Ika Verunica December 6, 2011 at 11:20 PM

    Oooo..koliko ljepote ovdje ima!!!!
    Predivno!!!!

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  35. genieDecember 7, 2011 at 1:44 AM

    This is one of the most interesting and beautiful I have ever seen. I loved and studied each and every shot. The museum must be a fabulous place to visit. Seeing the native crafts and handwork was such a treat. This is a fabulous post. Thanks so much for sharing your history and artworks with all of us. genie

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  36. pattyDecember 7, 2011 at 1:49 AM

    lovely art, beautifully photographed~

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  37. Fram ActualDecember 7, 2011 at 4:40 AM

    Your St. Nicholas Fair photographs are excellent, entertaining and educational, Wind, and the exhibits themselves are beautiful and heart-warming.

    I like the work with religious connotations the best, but find the designs on the pottery pieces and tea accessories touch my imagination and sense of wonder.

    Thank you, for bringing more of Romania to me through your art.

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  38. UnknownDecember 7, 2011 at 9:44 AM

    Frumoase sunt aceste opere de artă.

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  39. BibliotecaruDecember 7, 2011 at 11:57 AM

    Lumea asta înseamnă România profundă. Nu ştiu de ce avem nevoie de atâta "împrumut" de la alţii veniţi de "5 minute" în istorie pentru a ne recunoaşte propria valoare la fel de veche ca şi a Chinei.

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  40. Tudor EneaDecember 7, 2011 at 12:00 PM

    Deosebite! Cu adevarat opere de arta!
    Salutari cu bine!

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  41. geaninaDecember 7, 2011 at 2:00 PM

    superbe imagini! asta e romania de care uneori mi se face dor:) zi faina...

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  42. Joop ZandDecember 7, 2011 at 2:31 PM

    Thanks fot these lovely pictures....i like them.

    greetings, Joop

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  43. AnikaDecember 7, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    Pretty details...love the way you compose your photographs!

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  44. AnonymousDecember 7, 2011 at 5:53 PM

    Este fantastică această artă și este redată fantastic în fotografiile tale !
    Felicitări!

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  45. Max PeterDecember 7, 2011 at 7:41 PM

    Îmi place ciobănaşul cu oi...
    Anul acesta n-am mai ajuns la târgul de la Muzeul Ţăranului, din păcate. Îmi place să admir icoanele naive.

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  46. CARMENDecember 7, 2011 at 8:25 PM

    imagini coplesitor de frumoase! spui "mestesugarii români" si vezi talent, traditie, culori. Superb fiecare amanunt!
    Happy WW! pupici Daliana draga :-*
    PS: ne-ai obisnuit sa ascultam o melodie în final ;) am cautat-o...

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  47. Leah H.December 7, 2011 at 10:13 PM

    very interesting..thank's for sharing..

    Visiting for MYM! Hope you can visit mine too..

    http://www.cassandrasminicorner.com/2011/12/yellow-octupos-kids-cart.html

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  48. Kim StevensDecember 7, 2011 at 10:20 PM

    I so enjoyed this walk through your beautiful photos, and the Romanian culture! Thank you!

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  49. puzzleDecember 7, 2011 at 10:32 PM

    Adevarate opere de arta! :)

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  50. nothingprofoundDecember 9, 2011 at 7:52 PM

    Love these photos, and the unique culture they represent. Hope all is well.

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  51. UnknownDecember 10, 2011 at 4:01 AM

    very colorful and artistic

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  52. Robert ManzDecember 11, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    a rich tradition indeed ! beautiful images. robert

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  53. J_on_tourDecember 11, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    Impressive colourful display of both your work & your fellow craftsmen. I want to be one of those three wise men ... but at the moment I feel like I'm behind that mask in the first image.

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  54. Siddhartha JoshiDecember 13, 2011 at 8:17 AM

    Nice collection! And despite the crudeness, the seventh picture is so real...great!

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  55. ANRAFERADecember 13, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    A nice tradition, this one of "Saint Nicholas", that so happy they do the needy ones and children.
    Precious photographies, floods of color and life.
    Thank you very much Wind for these traditions approaching.
    Cordial regards.
    Ramon

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  56. Jackson ChroniclesDecember 17, 2011 at 11:32 AM

    The older traditional nativbe Swiss speak of similar St. Nicholas Day traditions..getting an orange or a few nuts as gifts. I think it might have been a lump of coal if you were bad.

    Traditions cultivated are like the earth can yield a strong harvest that carry you through the lean times. Times when warm embers were placed in a bed-warmer because the bedroom was unheated and the pot under the bed froze if you urinated at night.

    The cooler the climate the more vibrant and warm are the festival colors?

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