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Archive 14 - April-June 2003

  KATHLEEN LARAIA MC LAUGHLIN   

Private Dirge for Anutüa, Breb,Romania, 2000
The first duty for a person who finds a dead body is to light a candle to scare away the spirit of death. That is followed by three days of preparations for the funeral. Villages have no undertakers. Families would rather dress their departed family members themselves. Anutsa's cousin cries out a sing-song mourning dirge while her relatives prepare for the priest and the village waits in her courtyard outside. She cries the words of "mother" as they do when mourning a female relative.

Bocet pentru Anutüa, Sarbi,Romania, 2000
Prima ”ndatorire pentru o persoanaù care gaùsesüte un corp ne”nsufletüit e saù aprindaù o lum‰nare pentru a face trecerea spiritului spre Òlumea de dincoloÓ. Aceasta e urmataù de trei zile de pregaùtire pentru ”nmorm‰ntare. Satele nu au antreprenor de pompe funerare. Membrii familiei preferaù saù-süi ”mbrace mortüii. Verisüoara Anutüei bocesüte ”n timp ce rudele süi saùtenii asüteaptaù venirea preotului. Ea strigaù cuv‰ntul ÒmamaùÓ, asüa cum spun saùtenii c‰nd ”nmorm‰nteazaù o rudaù baùtr‰naù.