IDENTITY AND FESTIVE PRACTICES CONNECTED TO THE ROMANIAN DIASPORA

This article is part of a broader study that aims to analyze the concepts of identity and celebration in relation to the Romanian diaspora, in the context of globalization and migration. Multiculturalism and interculturality make it evident that analyzing the concept of identity as a relevant aspect of social, cultural, and daily life is important. This necessity stems from the emergence of minority ethnic communities, commonly known as diasporas, which relate to identity in a particular way, constantly oscillating between two cultures: that of the country of origin and that of the host country. There are various forms of identity: cultural, national, historical, public, ethnic, elective, positive/negative, social, and professional. One of the identities addressed in this study is social identity, which involves an individual's belonging to a particular social group and awareness of that belonging. Another defining form for any individual is national identity, in the construction of which social memory plays an important role. Each person, as well as any social or community group, claims its own identity, the mother tongue, religious affiliation, tradition, and values playing a determining role. Language, or communication, is the primary factor in establishing cultural identity. Another type of identity directly related to migration is the identity of choice, complemented by a revealing identity specific to emigrants, Romanian exiles, and stateless displaced persons who were challenged by living conditions in their country of origin before the 1989 Revolution. Although each experiences the separation from their homeland differently, all share the condition of strangeness. The article also illustrates the concept of celebration by presenting the calendar of Romanian customs and festivals as preserved in some communities of the Romanian diaspora. The decision to study these traditions is motivated by the richness of folklore that Romanians have brought beyond the borders of the country. These elements, embodied in the Romanian celebrations, resemble links in a chain where customs, practices, rituals, and beliefs intertwine harmoniously, explaining each other's spirit and matter. They present a unitary character, despite minor differences that manifest themselves depending on the regions from which the Romanians of the diaspora come. Traditional festivals remain alive even if some of their associated customs are not preserved but transformed: some partially, others radically, or reconfigured according to older patterns and reinvested with new functions or symbols. In conclusion, the folk element lies at the origin of every people, defining them existentially and identically. For this reason, when individuals move to other horizons, it cannot be left behind, because it is deeply rooted in Romanian being, wherever they are.