Orsi di Capodanno 2025-2026 a Romania

Alla vigilia di Capodanno, le strade innevate delle città rumene vedono uno spettacolo incredibile: centinaia di persone vestite di pelli d'orso danzano e ruggono ai suoni di batteristi e panpipes, allontanando tutti gli spiriti malvagi. Un babushka spaventoso guida la processione mistica portando un cucciolo d'orso per tutto il cammino. La danza degli orsi culmina con la loro simbolica morte e risurrezione. I riti di rigenerazione simboleggiano che la primavera verrà presto.

I cosiddetti festival Ursul si svolgono in tutto il paese. Tuttavia, la tradizione deriva dalla valle del Troto, cioè da Comănești, Bacău County. La città è ancora considerata uno dei luoghi migliori per vivere la celebrazione. Comănești si trova a circa 300 km a nord della capitale della Romania Bucarest.

The bear skins worn by the dancers, which can weigh up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds), are cherished heirlooms passed down through generations. Each group carefully preserves the techniques they use to maintain the furs, ensuring they remain in excellent condition and ready for the next year's festival.

In ancient Romania, the bear was revered as a sacred animal, and the tradition of bear dancing is thought to have begun centuries ago among the Roma people. They would visit villages with live bears on leashes, performing dances to drive away the bad spirits of the old year. However, bear dancing was banned during the communist era and was officially outlawed in 1998. When Romania joined the European Union in 2007, the remaining dancing bears were purchased from their owners and relocated to a bear sanctuary in the Rila Mountains. Nevertheless, the tradition endures through the Bear Dance Festival in Comănești, where the spirit of this ancient custom is kept alive.

The so-called Ursul festivals take place all across the country. However, the tradition stems from the Trotus Valley, namely from Comăneşti, Bacău County. The town is still considered one of the best places to experience the celebration. Comăneşti is roughly 190 mi (300 km) north of Romania's capital Bucharest.