The weighing of the sheep, a centuries-old tradition in Valea Jiului

20.04.2010

The ancient tradition of “weighing the sheep” is highly prized in the commune of Baru, an extremely beautiful settlement from Ţara Haţegului where other ages-old customs, like the căluşari dance, still live. The weighing begins in mid-May, when herders milk their sheep and measure the produced quantity. In a festive atmosphere, they establish the procedures for herding, folds and cheese. The entire community takes part in the weighing: home owners, young and old, the mayor, the priest who blesses the flocks and the sheepfolds, local councillors.

People prepare food and then go up to the folds where the traditional event is to take place. In Baru, sheepfolds have been rehabilitated and modernised with the help of public local administration authorities and now have up-to-date, functional amenities. After measuring the milk coming from each owner’s sheep, it is decided how much cheese everyone will get when the sheepfold will close.

In Petrila, the measuring also takes place at the beginning of May, accompanied by the music of whistle players. The villagers, called momârlani, take the sheep on the mountains, where a priest blessed the folds in the presence of local authorities. At the sheepfolds, the quantity of milk produced by each sheep is measured and reported back to the owner. This measurement is the basis for measuring the quantity of cheese each owner will get back from the sheepfold (produced using natural rennet). Amongst the folds near Petrila are Plaiul Frunţilor, Plaiul Răscoalei, Sterminosu, Bilea and Dealul Voievozilor. If there are barren sheep or rams in the flocks, these will be taken to a mountain close by, so they don’t mix with the ones giving milk.

The tradition of weighing sheep has also been common, for centuries, in the commune of Lăpuşnicu Mare, from Caraş Severin County, where the main trade of the people is animal breeding, especially sheep. In Lăpuşnicu Mare, each family has at least a few sheep that, once spring comes, they send to the better pastures on the mountains. Specific for this commune is that, after milking the sheep and measuring the quantity of milk for each owner, locals have a festive meal with cheese, lamb steak and cheese pancakes; they also drink the local plum brandy.

This custom of sheep weighing, essential for the life of breeders in Valea Jiului, has been the subject of a book (“Weighing of the sheep” – orig. title “Măsuratul oilor”, 2007) by writer Ioan Dan Bălan. The author explains how the tools used for these traditions have been the same for centuries. The book also comprises an exhaustive description of sheepfolds in Valea Jiului and the area’s tradition about sheep breeding and weighing.

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Pastures in Uricani can be used for free by local animal breeders