7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
1/18
- tradition and perpetuation
High School George MoroianuSacele, Romania
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
2/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
3/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
4/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
5/18
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)
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
6/18
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)
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
7/18
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
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
8/18
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
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
9/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
10/18
The horses are also highlydecorated for this celebration,
with the harnesses andsaddles being draped in all
sorts of traditionaldecorations.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
11/18
The Romanian flag also plays a big part in the occasion.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
12/18
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".
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
13/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
14/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
15/18
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
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
16/18
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
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
17/18
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.
7/27/2019 The Junii Feast - tradition and perpetuatin
18/18
Thank you for yourattention!