LOCAL IDENTITY TRANSFORMATIONS REFLECTED THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF MERCHEAȘA / MIRKVÁSÁR / STREITFORT, TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA
LOCAL IDENTITY TRANSFORMATIONS REFLECTED THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF MERCHEAȘA / MIRKVÁSÁR / STREITFORT, TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA

Summary/Abstract: In the last three decades the Transylvanian villages faced a slow, but constant decline in many aspects. One of the many villages in this situation is Mercheașa (known as Mirkvásár in Hungarian, or Streitfort in German), part of Homorod (Hamruden) Commune, Brașov County, Transylvania. The aging and numerically reduced population of the village, occupied exclusively in agriculture, in parallel with an inefficient local administration, induced the impoverishment of a once flourishing and prosperous village. This long decay is now clearly reflected by the degradation of the buildings, abandoned historical built heritage, desolate landscape, lack of consensus or a minimum order that would reflect any kind of management. Based on an extensive field research and cooperation with a local non-governmental organisation dedicated to sustainability, culture and education, this paper shows how the actions initiated from outside the community have managed to change the mentality of the inhabitants, who are now more open to culture, improvements and even variety. Following a mixed, interdisciplinary methodology, involving both local history and social investigation methods, approached from a geographical perspective, this article answers several questions, including the most important: How did the locals react to these projects? and Does sustainable development depend primarily on community involvement and consensus? The results show an assessment of the current situation, an analysis of the elements that can become a local brand, and the initiated projects by the organisation, the results, and their impact on the villagers’ attitudes towards development. This paper also includes an extensive evaluation of the local landmark, the fortified church, including a bird’s eye (perspective) drawing of the site.

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