„Fuga lolelor” din Agnita – transfer de funcționalitate și de semnificații
Transfer of Functionality and Meanings within the Celebration of the Escape of the Lole (fuga lolelor) from Agnita

Summary/Abstract: The Escape of the Lole (Urzelnlauf) represented a traditional Saxon holiday related to the custom of handing the guild chest over to the new guild master. The event known today in the town of Agnita by the name fuga lolelor – a manifestation in the form of a parade of the Lole and guild representatives who are (mostly) Romanians, Saxons and Hungarians, on the main street of the town, followed by speeches delivered in front of the Town Hall and by traditional Saxon and Romanian dances, as well as the intonation of the Transylvanian Hymn (Siebenbürgenlied) – is really classified under the heading of Culture and Heritage, within the events of Sibiu County. Our study aims firstly to understand the extent to which the Escape of the Lole is still a manifestation of ethnic and regional identity for the Saxon community, the community of the Agnita inhabitants, and how it has become an important means of promoting the local identity and the development of ethno-tourism; and secondly, to identify what encourages Saxons, Romanians or Hungarians to participate in or organize the event. The study uses bibliographic sources regarding the history of the Escape of the Lole, alongside a series of field researches conducted during 2019 in Agnita and the Hârtibaci Valley area.

• Details
• Contents