the junii of the scheii brasovului part i revised

8/14/2019 The Junii of the Scheii Brasovului Part I Revised

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A brief presentation of the Sarbatoarea Junii Scheii Brasovului (translated by some as The pageant of the Brasovs Junii)

Revised Part I, by L. Baloianu

GENERALIt is a pageant specific to Brasov (a city in Transylvania Romania) performed by the

Romanians of the old Scheii Brasovului quarter

The name Junii has rather the meaning of the Juniors

This is a tradition of the Romanians of Scheii Brasovului (Tara Barsei county also name

Burzenland by Saxons) with old roots in the Getae-Dacian rituals

This pageant (procession) was attested no later than 1728, but its content makes the

researchers to consider it is related to the Getae Dacians of the Romanias ancient times

The Saxon chronicler Julius Teutsch wrote:

"Junii must be seen like a trace of pagan era, an old springtime fest that celebrates

the nature revival, the sun overcoming the cold of winter, the beginning of a newlife... and, the fest must be considered a religious cult that existed before

Christianity that being confirmed also, by the fact that it takes place only on the

top of hills, that was a custom known from Dacians" [1]

The most recent and perhaps the best presentation of this Junii ritual and its content had

been made by Vasile Oltean in his works Junii din cheii Braovului, Junii Braovenii troiele lor din cheii Braovului [6]

There are just few attested documents about this customs that includes Ancient and

Middle Ages elements [6]

It should be mentioned here the folklore study by Ion Mulea (1931) and Al.Surdu

George Bariiu, in 1839 and 1840 press Gazeta de Transilvania, an II (1839 and1840), p.53) wrote articles where he presented similarities between Junii custom

and Cluari ritual In 1853 Romanian press Telegraful Romn de la Sibiu presented this

procession as well as the customs of Junii to put Fir-trees to the gates of the

Church and of the Junii leaders

About other customs involving fir-trees that remind us of Arminden customstalked Orban Balaszo It could be noted that, among so many Brasovs etymologies proposals,

there is also a derivation from the word Brad (fir-tree) from its archaicform *bradzu [4]

Ieronim Bariiu, Serbarea sf. Pasci la Braiovu wrote about their custom ofwaiting the Sun rise on the mountains (and eventually shooting against dark

demons that would prevent Sun rise)


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o It seems similar with Herodotus testimony about Getae Dacians who were

shooting arrows toward the sky during storms

It seems similar with Herodotus testimony about Getae Dacians who wereshooting arrows toward the sky during storms

The priest Vasile Voinas conference at Sibiu had been published in a theologian press

preserved in archive where he analyzed and presented considerations for the Dacianorigin of the settlement from Pietrele lui Solomon (Solomon Stones) and Juniis ancient

ethnogenesis He found ancient origins of Junii Brasovului, he found ancient Getae-

Dacians and Romans origins

1.1 The ritual name Junii (translated junior, young man)It derives from the Juni (meaning young as in Latin juvenis) seen as a group who is

accomplishing each year a rejuvenating ceremonial fest. It is performed only in Brasov

area

Today, this ritual combines pagan (before Christanity) customs with Christiancustoms for representing the old myth of the death and ritually revival of the time

of the calendar [3]

Nowadays, this procession is performed each year, in the first Sunday next to

Easter. Even though it is in a more modern fashion, Junis pageant hasmythological, ritual, ceremonial, initiation and magical elements.

1.1.1 An archaic and similar form a Junii custom could be recognized among tribesthe tribes of Ahei / Caucoensi Arcadians, Thracians from Crete, Asia Minor, andPeloponnesian Thracians), Romansh.

Generally speaking, it can be recognized among Indo-Europeans where people are

split in group by the criteria of age and where are initiation and rejuvenating(aging) ritual

1.1.2 In the areas with seasonal pastoral transhumance of the ara Brsei (Barseiland) and Sibiu county, young men were named Juni and their master was named vtaf.

They were also named "feciori" juniors

1.1.3 Their internal organizational names

Their leader is named vataf (also named Jude, "ghiru" or "primar") Leaders helpers used to be in various numbers and with different names, it

depends on the area

o

In the area of Drgu had: the big leader ("vtaf mare") and smallleader("vtaf mic")o In the area of chei, Bucium, Copcel i Ohaba the vataf was named

Armas (big leader ("armas mare") and small leader ("armas mic")

Note: Armas corresponds to the PIE AL meaning law, Jupiter priests with Umbrians. This PIE root gave through a rotacism

specific to Umbrian and Romanian, Armindeni, Armas

In other places vatafs name was "crmar


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Other helpers of the Junii Other additional helpers were elected for temporary or permanent situations.

Names "sutaul" (In Schei, sutas= translated the bill of hundred) same","chelarul", "colcerul", "butoierul" or "cmraul" in other places

o Their functions a) collecting money or taking care of the food b) in1894, in Schei, sutasul to supervise the juniors, the controllers c)

take care of the flag d) call people to the fests

1.2 In many respects, Junii of the Brasov ritual is secret Any dialogues with the participants of the today pageant are just about the

esthetic and temporal presentation of the custom without finding out from themthe core meaning of the custom.

This custom originating from ancient time had been enriched and also had lostelements during such a long period of time Yet, one can recognize elements of

springtime, religious and heroically meanings

There were also customs used to take place, but those had been lost. These mightbe reconstituted with the help of the elders testimonies

1.3 The presence of Sun-cult elements in in the ritual of the Brasovs Juni Elders still remembers another custom-element forgotten (a Sun-cult element) that

reminds of the Saxon Chronicler classification as a Getae-Dacian custom, symbolof their immortality belief

Romanian people of Brasov, used to go and spend the night before the Rusalisday [5] on to the near mountain Postvarul

o The master of the community ( vtaf ) with the help of some man knockedfrom gate to gate using a specific hammer (that was in a shape of a snake)

existent to each. At the call of the master, people were going on themountain and were waiting the sun raise. At the moment where sun wasappearing people were starting to shoot / throwing objects toward the sun

but against the potential bad daemons "vrcolacii" that would try to stole

the sun

o See also here the Getae-Dacian Sun-cult and see also the similarityZalmoxian cult and Pythagorean Sun-cult

The sun-cult had been preserved in the Maramures Traditional Gate and in theMoldovas emblem, too

o It is known that Getae-Dacians believed that balauri (gigantic snake) were

eating the life-giver Sun. They commemorated the Sun and the Sun-cultespecially in the springtime. That might explain its presence in the ritual of the

Brasovs Juni

1.4 Customs that are still stake placeo Burying the master (vataf)

o The dance "ceaua" (the dogs dance) a burlesque danceo The presence of a masked priest


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1.2 Age groupso Al. Surdu pointed out that there were age groups mostly among Proto-Indo-

European (PIE) men comprising children group, juniors / young group and

married men group

o Romanian group of Juni included men between 17 and 46 years old

o

Greeks named this group "efebie", men between 18 ani and 20 y.o. (infact, the age for the military service at Athena

o Scandinavians named this period of the man life Wikingertum or

Beserkertum (Beserkertum was an older term equated with "ulfhepner"meaning the one bearing a bear-skin or wolf-skin)

The Junia (the period of time of the junior stage) was preceded by an initiationperiod where young were prepared to become Juni (Juniors)

1.3 Initiationo They used to choose an isolated place separated from children and women, at

usually in the forests, special houses (named "andreion" by the Greeks) or even incaves.

o Brasovs Juni house was named gazd" meaning hosto Such a place for Juni was Piatrele lui Solomon Solomons Stones Solomon

place is a forest opening surrounded by 5 immense stones and a cave attributed to

the Mysteries Solomon (it may be related to the Solomonars mythologicalfigures)

o Some are relating today the Solomon with Solomonari (mitological Romanian

characters considered Zalmoxis / Salmoxiss priests by some)

o Note the initial name of Solomonars was Zgremities (that went through

PIE language changes)

o Preparation for the young man to become Juni (Juniors) included tests like : to

resist against: lack of sleep, lack of food, lack of water, torture and games like

running and climbing

1.4 Groups of JuniInitially the Brasov Juni included only the age group of the initiated young man

Today, there are 7 groups. Their names and the fact that these groups are less structuredthan they were before, confirms that some groups had been added later on, because of the

Romanians need to fight for their historical freedom and rights

There werent so many and various names and vestments before modern times

Even though these 7 groups have common elements with groups (Romanian cete) ofyoung men from Ardeal (Transylvania) and sometimes women are allowed in the context

of dances (i.e. hora) the Brasovs Junii have the following particularities

o Each group includes, besides the belonging Juni, the erjele (charge = sub-officer in Austrian army), the master vtaf / armaul mare, armaul mic, sutaul,stegarul and surlaul


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Vtafulo Heis the leader, the most important and respected person of the group.o Vataf is elected by the vote of the Juni and is wearing a red band (leader sign),

and three-colored strip at the hat and buzduganul cel mare The big Scepter

(the baton borne by vataf as an emblem of authority)

o

The name vtaf, had been met also with other groups (named cete in Ardeal) InMiddle Ages it was a title given to a leaderArmasii

o Armas, as it was proved by Ion Mulea (p.294) couldnt be but the deputy of thevtaf (The internal laws of the Juni from 1894 confirms it)

o In Middle Ages it was a king deputy in Muntenia and Moldova

o They carry buzdugane but smaller than the one of the Vataf

o The color of their band is yellow (Big Armas), and blue (Small Armas) so

that with the red of the Vataf they would form Romanians flag: the Red-

Yellow-Blue that was not allowed back then whenRomanians were notfree in their country

It is useful to remind the proto-Indo-European languageapproaches since it could be from the same language family of

Arminden and might be related to the name (A)romanian PIE Root ario- (English meaning: master, lord) gall. PN.

Ariomnus Old Indian aryaman n. `hospitality and PIE Root ad-2 (to establish, put in order) References: WE. I 12, Devoto Mel.Pedersen 224

Material that established this PIE is the Umbrian arsie (*adio-

`venerable, august, divine, sacred, pure, holy) arsie (*adio-

Umbrian `venerable, august, divine, sacred, pure, holy; of a

divinity, and of things in any way belonging to one) arsmor

(*admon-`a form of religious observance, religious usage,

ceremony, rite) arsmatiam (*admatio-`relating to religious rites or

ceremonies, ritual)Armune (epithet of Jupiter from to *ad- `settle,order'; air.Ad`law', ) (Pl. ada `ceremonious customs', from it)

adas (proper)

1.5 Today we see the group of Young Juni (Young Juniors, Junii tineri)o They represent the oldest group of Junii (Ceata Feciorilor) the ones that gave

the name and the custom of Juni.

o Their presence is mandatory in all rituals that take place during an year in thecommunity of the Scheii

The epithet young had been added to designate the different between the not marriedand the married ones.

o The married ones had to leave the group .

1.5.1 Vestment:o In the past, the Young Junii were wearing simple traditional Romanian vestments:

a white long shirt, until below the knee, no collar, long and large sleeves; specific


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cioareci (white tight trousers tight to the feet) boots and / or sandals; hat with

round brim

o The most closer costume to the one of the Junii is the one in Orastie Mountains

1.6 Nowadays, the whole ritual takes place over a week.o

Monday involves getting everything ready, where they gather to the leader,collect painted eggs and have a party.

o One other ritual, "Junite" (Woman of the Junii), is also a strange one,in which the women only play a small part in the ceremony and it onlyhappens on the Monday.

o The Junii approach the women where they then receive eggs dyed red

from them. After each of the Junii has received his red egg, he sprays thewoman with perfume.

o They all meet on Tuesday at noon and have a feast in the square, after which they

throw the scepter-like mace into the air

o Wednesday is the climax to the feast, although nowadays it has no significance.

o

Thursday everybody goes to the leader, where they perform the "IngropareaVatafului" (Burying the vataf)o 1) This ritual has been preserved from the Dacians. The tradition involves

tying the leader onto a ladder and then carrying him around while a priest

gives the funeral rituals.

o 2) Another tradition is "aruncarea in tol". This is where up to ten Juniihold a blanket and toss a new June into the air, which is meant as an

initiation into the group.

o 3) In the beginning it was only the young men who were tossed.

o On Friday and Saturday the Junii prepare for Sunday, with possible behind the

scenes partying.

o The most important day is Sunday, when, in the morning, all the groups prepare

their suits and embellish the horses, they then gather in front of the St. Nicholas

church in the order:

1. Tineri (the younger unmarried men)

2. Batrani (the older younger married men)

3. Curcani (the Turkey youths)4. Dorobanti (soldiers)

5. Brasovecheni (the older Brasovians or the Junii of the old city)

6. Rosiori (the red young men or the horseman Junii)7. Albiori (the young whites or whitish Junii)

2. Today,Today, the whole procession is opened by a marching orchestra, and heads from the

church to the Muresenilor Street, then to the Balcescu Street and through the Schei gate

and onward to the Pietrele lui Solomon (Solomon stones, today believed as a place of the

Solomonari) where the procession ends.


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The day is then full of games and more partying. The evening ends with all going to old

City Hall Sfatului and making a circle around the house, after which everybody just goeshome.

Vasile Oltean, whose books are the basis for this presentation, asserts there are at least 50

specific Dacic ritual with Brasov Juni and the Juni Pageant is just one of customs thatincludes Dacians rituals

References

[1] Braovs chei - Origins by Vasile Oltean (from the book Junii Braoveni i troielelor din cheii Braovului by Vasile Oltean)

[2] In Romanian chei means 1) defileu (gorge) 2) crucea-alelor (with horses, meaningsacrum) as withDicionar de arhaisme i regionalisme, Gh. Bulgri GhConstantinescu-Dobridor, Editura Saeculum Vizual, Bucureti, 2002See also LE (anatomy.) 1. (popular) rrunchi, (reg.) auc. (Regiunea ~) 2. middle

[3] Ion Mulea, Obiceiul Junilor Braoveni. Studiu de folclor, n: Lucrrile Institutului deGeografie al Universitii din Cluj nr. 4 (1930).

[4] The Getae-Dacian language is attested just through Dacian names, plant names and

toponimes But, even the attested Dacian words are being named autochthonous with

the Romanians dictionary

o The word brad (fir-tree) (*bradzu) is considered Dacian word by the linguists

Hasdeu, I.I. Russu, I Olteanu, confer also Albanian Bradh / Bredh

[5] Just a personal note: After a period of 50 days after the Easter, there is the Romanian

Fest of the Rusalii (Latin Rosalia might have given the name to Rasnov)

[6] Junii braoveni i troiele lor din cheii Braovului by Vasile Oltean Editura Semne,2000 ISBN 9736540820, 9789736540820

the junii of the scheii brasovului part i revised

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