Folclor și istorie

Abstract

Based on direct field research, our investigation intends to reflect the reaction and the description made by the anonymous creator, in his oral works, of various historical events, and also reflects the creator’s representations of tumultuous episodes, dramatic attempts, and outstanding life aspects that he lived and faced. In our study we treated fragments of the anonymous creations related to the First World War, which recall moments and circumstances of the slaughter outbreak and some information reflecting the historical reality. We debated then one of the most dramatic episodes linked to the Second World War - the concentration of girls to forced labor to Germany, to replace manpower ruined by men going to war. The focus is on the tragic consequences of the lives of women who lived this episode. Regarding the tumultuous events that stirred the imagination of the people, we analyzed songs depicting the tragedy lived by Aurel Vlaicu, the great Romanian aviation pioneer. Another episode full of drama, which we analyzed in our investigation is related to the floods in 1970. It reflects how were immortalized in popular creation the dramatic consequences of that event which had affected so many people. The investigation part of our research is dedicated to some dramatic aspects of the reality of life, especially the peasants’ life during the communist regime. We paid attention to the abolition of the Greek Catholic Church, with all the consequences on both believers and priests. We analyzed more extensively the suffering and humiliation brought on the peasantry by collectivization of agriculture in mountain areas, when peasants were confiscated their entire fortune. We gave proper space to the use of folklore as a means of propaganda to in support and glorification of communism.