Obiceiuri de nuntă în Valea Almăjului, jud. Caraș-Severin
Wedding customs in Almăj Valley, Caraş-Severin County

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study is to discuss several aspects regarding the customs, practices and wedding rituals characteristic of Almăj Valley, Caraş-Severin County. In the past, this important event in human life was preceded by specific, required practices for each family in the area, which were strictly observed and transmitted from one generation to another. In the tradition of Almăj, parties for celebrating this occasion were held over three days: Sunday – organised by the bride’s family, Monday – by the groom’s, and Tuesday – by both families. In this regard, we will analyse the most representative manifestations of these customs, such as marriage brokerage, adornment and wearing the bota bag, preparations for the wedding (and also eating habits), the successive stages in the wedding days, the decoration of the flag, the wedding reception parties at the groom’s, the bride’s and the godparents’ house, the dinners, the gifts for the two young people, the bride’s trousseau, specific dances, along with some excerpts from the texts involved in the custom. Despite the fact that in the last century the manifestations of wedding customs have known considerable diversity, at present, most of them have faded or are practised partially, weddings in Almăj taking over various practices characteristic of other areas or modern cultures.

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