Transatlantic Rites of the New Beginnings

The next episode of our newest online series "Geographies of Tradition", which looks at mirroring Romanian and American traditional celebrations, centers upon ceremonies heralding the coming of spring on both sides of the Atlantic. In many cultures, the vernal equinox, celebrated on March 20, signals nature’s renewal and symbolic rebirth, giving people a reason to rejoice through different spring festivals, rituals, and rites. Join us for a vivid story of how these new beginnings are welcome in Romania and the United States, and where the customs and beliefs overlap.

Text by Ciprian Voicilă, sociologist at the National Museum of Romanian Peasant; additional text by Geanina Simion.

Translated into English by Andreea Scridon. Presented by Andreea Scridon and Sebastian Paic, museographer at the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania. Videography by Dragoș Popa. 

With the kind support of the National Museum of Romanian Peasant in Bucharest and the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania in Cluj-Napoca. 

Don’t miss the premiere on our Facebook, IGTV and YouTube on March 30 at 2 p.m. New York & Toronto time / 11 a.m. Los Angeles & Vancouver time / 9 p.m. Bucharest time. Watch also on our website and other social media accounts anytime later.