The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin

7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin

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- tradition and perpetuation

High School George MoroianuSacele, Romania


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When the heavy snows of theharsh Brasovian winters are goneand spring sun shines again, it is

the time for people from Schei,the old district of Brasov, to startcelebrating the renewal.

Yearly, they have a festival, called"Junii", (translated it would be 'TheFeast of the Youth') which stretchesover weeks, having it's climax on the

first Sunday after Easter when sevengroups of men from the Schei willride from the mountains and travelaround Brasov.

They will be carryingwith them mace likebatons, which arescepters and flags, alongwith each group havingtheir own special andunique costumes.


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Although the origins have beenlost, the inhabitants of Scheistill live by the traditional and

very well established rules. The

first Sunday after Easter it is thetime to celebrate the new yearof the Dacians, the ancestors ofthe Romanians.

It is also the celebration ofspring, the renewing of natureand the beginning of new life.The oldest document

recorded in which thisprocession is mentioned isfrom 26 March 1728 but it isassumed that the celebration

already existed in antiquity.


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The men riding the horses arethe "Junii" (young men) ofBrasov from the Scheineighborhood. In all there are

seven groups, which is due to thereligious belief that God madethe world in seven days. Eachgroup comes also from adifferent quarter in the Scheineighborhood.

Junii cross the town fromPrund Square to PiataSfatului Square, salutingthe crowd with traditional"Christ is risen!" to return"between Chetrii"(Solomon's Stones),where there is a bigcelebration.


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The costumes of each teamdiffer through color andbadges. The leader of

ceremonies wears a shirtadorned with 40000 colorfulspangles, weighing 20 lbs.

The first group are the JuniiTineri (the youngerunmarried men), the flagsthat this group carries has the

image of the Saguna collegeon one side and a mountedJune on the other side. Thehats that they wear have athree colored band. (the first

documentary from 1728)


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The second group are the JuniiBatrani (the older youngermarried men), this group

precedes the Junii Tineri whogot married. (the firstdocumentary from 1834)

In the left is a june having a flag and

in the right bailiff of the group

The third group is the JuniiCurcani (the Turkey youths),this group's flag holds theMihai Viteazu's (the first kingwho united the three

Romanian provinces)countenance. They are morerecognizable with the factthat they wear black fur caps

with a turkey feather. (1879)


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Junii Dorobani - flag and bailiff

The fourth group is the JuniiDorobanti (nation of soldiers);this group's flag holds the

image of a mounted June andthe bugler soldier, while theJunii themselves wear gray furcaps. (1924)

The fifth group is the JuniiBrasovecheni (the older Brasoviansor the Junii of the old city), the flag

holds Al. I. Cuza's image (firstmodern Romanian ruler), and theywear black caps with a top. (1922)

Junii Braovecheni and their flag


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The sixth group is the Junii Rosiori (thered young men or the horseman Junii),who wear a picked cap with a red tuft.

(1908)

June Rosior and the flag of the group

And the last group is the Junii Albiori(the young whites or whitish Junii), whowear white fur caps and have the same

flag as the Junii Brasovecheni. (1869)

Junii Albiori - the flag and the bailiff


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The uniqueness of the event comesmainly from the traditionalcostumes that they wear, somemade around the 1730's. The basic

outfit consists of a special pair oftrousers, boots, a long white linenshirt with the sleeves garnishedwith national motifs and a hat.

Each group has their ownvariations on this.


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The horses are also highlydecorated for this celebration,

with the harnesses andsaddles being draped in all

sorts of traditionaldecorations.


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The Romanian flag also plays a big part in the occasion.


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Traditional Romanian songs aresung and dances danced. Youngmen are then placed, one by one,in the middle of the dancers and

throw the scepter in the air,while everyone runs for cover.This custom is considered a kindof initiation ritual, when the

boys are supposed to pass sometests of maturity and bravery.

Whoever throws the scepterhighest in the air wins thecompetition. After the ritualends, if the weather is good, the

Junii and their families will havea barbecue with traditionalmusic and the Romanian

hamburger called "mic".


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The whole feast takes placeover a week. Monday involvesgetting everything ready,

where they gather to theleader, collect painted eggsand have a party. They allmeet on Tuesday at noon and

have a feast in the square,after which they throw thescepter-like mace into the air,

which is followed by eatingand drinking: another partybasically. Wednesday is theclimax to the feast, althoughnowadays it has nosignificance.


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Another tradition is"aruncarea in tol". This iswhere up to ten Junii hold a

blanket and toss a new Juneinto the air, which is meant asan initiation into the group. Inthe beginning it was only theyoung men who were tossed.


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One other ritual, "Junite"(Woman of the Junii), is also astrange one, in which the

women only play a small part in

the ceremony and it onlyhappens on the Monday. TheJunii approach the womenwhere they then receive eggsdyed red from them. After eachof the Junii has received his red

egg, he sprays the woman withperfume.

O F id d S d h J ii


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On Friday and Saturday the Juniiprepare for Sunday, with possiblebehind the scenes partying. Themost important day is Sunday, when,

in the morning, all the groupsprepare their suits and embellish thehorses, they then gather in front ofthe St. Nicholas church in the order:

1. Tineri (the younger unmarried

men)2. Batrani (the older younger marriedmen)3. Curcani (the Turkey youths)4. Dorobanti (soldiers)

5. Brasovecheni (the older Brasoviansor the Junii of the old city)6. Rosiori (the red young men or thehorseman Junii)7. Albiori (the young whites or

whitish Junii)

h h l


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The whole procession isopened by a marchingorchestra, and heads fromthe church to theMuresenilor St, then to theBalcescu St and through theSchei gate and onward tothe Pietrele lui Solomon,where the parade ends. Theday is then full of games andmore partying. The eveningends with all going to CasaSfatului and making a circlearound the house, afterwhich everybody just goeshome.


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Thank you for yourattention!

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The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin