At a time when vampire tales enrapture teen and ’tween America, the idea of college students doing research in Transylvania sounds like the plotline for a movie spoof. Dracula 101: Advanced Seminar in Twilightology.
But Notre Dame students journeyed to this rugged region of Romania with two quite serious goals in mind — to study how villagers can enjoy the benefits of 21st century life without sacrificing their traditional ways and to learn from people whose deep bond to nature and one another has changed little through the centuries.
“It’s a laboratory for sustainable solutions,” says Krupali Krusche, the Notre Dame architecture professor who in March 2009 led a team of undergraduate architecture students and one Medieval Studies graduate student to Transylvanian villages considered among Europe’s best remaining examples of pastoral society. We tend to think of unspoiled nature strictly as wilderness, but these 10 villages spread across valleys in central Romania provided Krusche’s students a rare chance to study architecture in ecologically pristine landscapes that have been inhabited for centuries.
“It’s the one place in Europe where the life that existed in the 13th century can still be found,” says Krusche. The historic preservation specialist has conducted extensive studies of sacred architecture in her native India and spent the past summer with another ND group documenting the Roman Forum with a 3-D laser scanner. Of life in these Transylvania villages, she adds: “It is the roots of today’s ideal of an organic lifestyle” — sustainable farming, local food, natural building methods, a close-knit community.
Even here, however, traditional village life is threatened as modernization advances into rural Romania. Young people are leaving the area in search of economic opportunity, and many of the area’s German-speaking residents have emigrated to Germany.
Krusche’s students spent most of their time in the hamlets of Viscri, Crit and Laslea, documenting architectural styles and local customs in drawings, photos and text. They sketched home renovation plans so “modern amenities may be introduced without altering sustainable lifestyle practices,” as the group put it in a report. But this was more than an academic project. In partnership with the Technical University of Dresden, Krusche is compiling the students’ work into a pattern book that villagers can use to restore their properties and that European Union officials may consult when drafting tourism or preservation plans. She believes the students’ keen interest in the villages reassured local people that their traditions are not outdated but actually represent a valuable, living example of a green way of life.
“This work is not just some abstract exercise. It will help these people survive in today’s changing economic context,” says Anthony Monta of Notre Dame’s Nanovic Institute for European Studies, which helped fund the trip. “It was very gratifying to see the students’ enthusiasm about how their research will contribute to solving problems.”
“At first, these people struck me as extremely poor, but we came to see they are rich in many other ways,” recalls Alejandra Gutzeit ’10. “There was such a harmony in how they lived with the land, the animals, each other.”
Ashley Vaughan ’10 was touched by how villagers offered homemade wine, coffee and sweets as she took measurements and analyzed architectural features in their homes. As for the hearty peasant meals cooked largely from locally raised ingredients, she exults, “It was some the best food I’ve ever eaten.”
It was cows, however, that seized the imagination of almost everyone in the ND group. After grazing all day in pastures on the outskirts of the village, the cows ambled home at dusk on their own, each returning to its own barn to be milked. Who knew cows could do that? It seemed to symbolize the possibilities that modern society misses in not paying closer attention to the cycles of nature.
In this part of Romania, villagers live in handsome old homes — washed in bright blue, green and ochre colors — on winding cobblestone lanes lined with pear trees. The houses are set close together, which makes the streets pleasantly walkable, but each family enjoys considerable space in the long courtyards behind their homes enclosed by walls and timber-frame barns. Beyond the barns lie vegetable gardens, orchards, walnut groves and small farm plots. Farther out are meadows and pastures used cooperatively by the villagers for grazing animals and making hay. They are carpeted with wildflowers, including some varieties said to grow nowhere else in Europe. Finally, one reaches the oak and beech woods that cover the steep hillsides, where people gather firewood and building materials.
Today these villages are home to Romanians and Gypsies along with a small number of German-speaking “Saxons,” many of whose forebears were recruited here in the 13th century by the king of Hungary to help defend the borderlands of Christian Europe against the advancing forces of Mongols and Tatars. A series of unique fortified churches stand as evidence of fierce battles. Centuries later, those Saxons who once dominated the area left, many after the fall of the Berlin Wall when, unsure of their status in post-Communist Romania, they accepted the German government’s offer to emigrate.
Marcela K. Perett ’09Ph.D., then a Medieval Studies doctoral student who joined Krusche’s group to investigate the churches, came away with a deeper understanding of medieval culture as well as a sense of how hard life would be in these villages then and now. “I was struck by how primitive it was. These were people living on the edge of subsistence; I wouldn’t want to live like that. But on the flip side, there was great natural beauty, a really gorgeous landscape. I didn’t get the sense that the people seemed anxious to have a lot of modern things.”
For Tereza Schaible ’10, the visit sparked a conviction that the villagers will be better off if they maintain their traditions. “If this way of life is not preserved, these would just be some more poor villages. If it stays special, people from all over the world will want to come and see it.”
Professor Krusche first visited the Saxon villages as a graduate student in Dresden. That initial encounter was part of a project sponsored by the Prince of Wales, whose work with the local Mihai Eminescu Trust has promoted economic incentives to maintain the region’s distinctive culture. The Romanian organization had bravely opposed Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s plans to level the villages. In recent years it has funded the restoration of 300 buildings and encouraged some 1,000 Saxons to move back into the region from Germany.
Other initiatives train villagers how to use traditional skills — weaving, folk dancing, tilemaking, baking and the production of jam, cheese, honey and garden vegetables — to make a better living or start new businesses ranging from bed-and-breakfasts to a commercial organic orchard. The Trust also drove a proposed Dracula-themed amusement park out of the area.
The students’ work supports this kind of local economic development by offering ideas for how craft workshops, visitor centers, cafés, guesthouses or shops might thrive in existing buildings, bringing needed services and jobs to the villages while ensuring the preservation of a valuable way of life.
Jay Walljasper — whose book All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons appears this winter — is co-editor of OnTheCommons.org and a contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler. His website is JayWalljasper.com.
Originally published at magazine.nd.edu on October 05, 2010.
Wakati hadithi za vampire zinapovutia vijana na vijana wa Amerika, wazo la wanafunzi wa chuo kikuu kufanya utafiti huko Transylvania linasikika kama njama ya filamu ya utani. Dracula 101: Semina ya Juu katika Twilightology Wanafunzi wa Notre Dame walisafiri kwenda eneo hili lenye miamba ya Romania na malengo mawili makubwa akilini: kujifunza jinsi wakazi wa vijiji wanaweza kufurahia faida za maisha ya karne ya 21 bila kudhabihu njia zao za jadi na kujifunza kutoka kwa watu ambao uhusiano wao wa kina na asili na kila mmoja umebadilika kidogo kwa karne. "Ni maabara ya ufumbuzi endelevu,"" anasema Krupali Krusche, profesa wa usanifu wa Notre Dame ambaye mnamo Machi 2009 aliongoza timu ya wanafunzi wa usanifu wa shahada ya kwanza na mwanafunzi mmoja wa masomo ya enzi za kati kwenda vijiji vya Transylvania vinavyochukuliwa kati ya mifano bora ya Ulaya ya jamii ya mchungaji." "Tunaelekea kufikiria asili isiyochafuliwa kama jangwa, lakini vijiji hivi kumi vilivyoenea katika mabonde ya kati ya Romania vilitoa wanafunzi wa Krusche nafasi nadra ya kusoma usanifu katika mandhari ya ikolojia ambayo imekuwa ikikaa kwa karne nyingi. """ "Ni mahali pekee Ulaya ambapo maisha ambayo ilikuwepo katika karne ya 13 bado inaweza kupatikana, "anasema Krusche. Mtaalamu huyo wa uhifadhi wa kihistoria amefanya utafiti mkubwa wa usanifu wa kidini katika India yake ya asili na alitumia majira ya joto iliyopita na kikundi kingine cha ND kukagua Forum ya Kirumi na skana ya laser ya 3D. "Kuhusu maisha katika vijiji hivi vya Transylvania, anaongeza: ""Ni mizizi ya leo"" ya mtindo wa maisha wa kikaboni ""kulima endelevu, chakula cha ndani, mbinu za ujenzi wa asili, jamii iliyounganishwa." Hata hivyo, hata hapa, maisha ya kitamaduni ya kijiji yanatishwa kadiri maendeleo ya kisasa yanavyoendelea katika maeneo ya mashambani ya Romania. Vijana wanaondoka katika eneo hilo wakitafuta fursa za kiuchumi, na wakazi wengi wanaozungumza Kijerumani katika eneo hilo wamehamia Ujerumani. Wanafunzi wa Krusche walitumia muda wao mwingi katika vijiji vya Viscri, Crit na Laslea, wakirekodi mitindo ya usanifu na desturi za mitaa katika michoro, picha na maandishi. Waliandika mipango ya ukarabati wa nyumba ili "vitambulisho vya kisasa viweze kuanzishwa bila kubadilisha mazoea ya maisha endelevu", kama kikundi hicho kilivyoandika katika ripoti. Lakini hilo halikuwa mradi wa kitaaluma tu. Kwa kushirikiana na Chuo Kikuu cha Ufundi cha Dresden, Krusche anakusanya kazi ya wanafunzi katika kitabu cha mfano ambacho wakazi wa kijiji wanaweza kutumia kurudisha mali zao na kwamba maafisa wa Umoja wa Ulaya wanaweza kushauriana wakati wa kuandaa mipango ya utalii au uhifadhi. Anaamini kuwa maslahi makubwa ya wanafunzi katika vijiji hayo yaliwahakikishia watu wa eneo hilo kwamba mila zao hazijachakaa bali kwa kweli zinawakilisha mfano muhimu, wa kuishi wa njia ya maisha ya kijani kibichi. <unk>Kazi hii si mazoezi tu ya abstract. "Hii itasaidia watu hawa kuishi katika mazingira ya sasa ya mabadiliko ya kiuchumi, ""anasema Anthony Monta wa Taasisi ya Notre Dame ya Nanovic ya Mafunzo ya Ulaya, ambayo ilisaidia kufadhili safari hiyo." """Ilikuwa ni furaha sana kuona wanafunzi wakishangilia jinsi utafiti wao utakavyochangia kutatua matatizo,"" alisema Alejandra Gutzeit, ""Mwanzoni, watu hawa walinishangaza kuwa maskini sana, lakini tulikuja kuona kwamba wao ni matajiri kwa njia nyingine nyingi." "Ashley Vaughan, 10, alivutiwa na jinsi wanakijiji walivyotoa divai, kahawa na peremende zilizotengenezwa nyumbani wakati alipochukua vipimo na kuchambua sifa za usanifu katika nyumba zao.""" "Kuhusu chakula cha wakulima kilichoandaliwa kwa sehemu kubwa kutokana na viungo vilivyopandwa ndani ya nchi, yeye anasema, ""Ilikuwa baadhi ya chakula bora zaidi ambacho nimewahi kula."" Hata hivyo, ng'ombe ndio waliovutia mawazo ya karibu kila mtu katika kikundi cha ND." Baada ya kulisha mchana mzima katika malisho ya nje ya kijiji, ng'ombe hao walirudi nyumbani jioni, kila mmoja akirudi kwenye ghala lake ili kupikwa. Ni nani alijua kwamba ng'ombe wangeweza kufanya hivyo? Inaonekana kwamba ilifananisha uwezekano ambao jamii ya kisasa hupoteza kwa kutojali sana mizunguko ya asili. Katika sehemu hii ya Rumania, wakazi wa vijiji huishi katika nyumba nzuri za zamani - zilizopakwa rangi ya bluu, kijani na rangi ya okra - kwenye vijia vyenye mawimbi vilivyofunikwa kwa mawe vilivyofunikwa na miti ya peari. Nyumba hizo zimejengwa karibu-karibu, na hivyo barabara hizo zinaweza kutembea kwa urahisi, lakini kila familia ina nafasi kubwa katika nyua ndefu zilizo nyuma ya nyumba zao, zilizozungukwa na kuta na maghala ya mbao. Nyuma ya maghala kuna bustani za mboga, bustani za matunda, mashamba ya walnuts na mashamba madogo. Mbali zaidi kuna nyasi na malisho yanayotumiwa kwa ushirikiano na wakazi wa kijiji hicho kwa ajili ya malisho ya wanyama na kutengeneza nyasi. Mimea hiyo imejaa maua ya mwituni, kutia ndani aina fulani ambazo inasemekana hazikua mahali pengine popote Ulaya. Mwishowe, mtu hufika kwenye misitu ya mialoni na ya mialoni ambayo hufunika mteremko wa milima, ambako watu hukusanya kuni na vifaa vya ujenzi. Leo vijiji hivi ni makao ya Waromania na Waromani pamoja na idadi ndogo ya Wajerumani wanaozungumza Kisaksoni, wengi wa mababu zao waliajiriwa hapa katika karne ya 13 na mfalme wa Hungaria kusaidia kulinda mipaka ya Ulaya ya Kikristo dhidi ya majeshi ya Mongol na Tatars. Mfululizo wa makanisa yenye ngome ya kipekee unathibitisha vita vikali vilivyopiganwa. Karne kadhaa baadaye, Wasaksoni waliotawala eneo hilo waliondoka, wengi baada ya kuanguka kwa ukuta wa Berlin wakati, bila uhakika wa hadhi yao katika Romania baada ya Kikomunisti, walikubali ofa ya serikali ya Ujerumani ya kuhamia. Marcela K. Perret, Ph.D., wakati huo mwanafunzi wa udaktari wa masomo ya enzi za kati ambaye alijiunga na kikundi cha Krusche kuchunguza makanisa, alitoka na uelewa wa kina wa utamaduni wa enzi za kati na hisia ya jinsi maisha ingekuwa ngumu katika vijiji hivi wakati huo na sasa. Nilishangazwa na jinsi ilivyokuwa ya kale sana. Hawa walikuwa watu wanaoishi kwenye ukingo wa maisha; singetaka kuishi kama hiyo. Lakini upande mwingine, kulikuwa na uzuri mkubwa wa asili, mandhari yenye kupendeza sana. """Sikuona watu wakitamani kuwa na vitu vingi vya kisasa,"" alisema Tereza Schaible, ambaye ana umri wa miaka kumi, ""tembelea huko kulimfanya niamini kuwa watu wa kijiji hicho watakuwa na maisha bora ikiwa wataendelea na mila zao." <unk>Ikiwa njia hii ya maisha haitahifadhiwa, hizi zitakuwa tu vijiji vingine vya maskini. Ikiwa itabaki ya pekee, watu kutoka ulimwenguni kote watataka kuja na kuiona. <unk> Profesa Krusche alitembelea vijiji vya Saxon kwa mara ya kwanza kama mwanafunzi wa kuhitimu huko Dresden. Mkutano huo wa kwanza ulikuwa sehemu ya mradi uliodhaminiwa na Prince wa Wales, ambaye kazi yake na Uaminifu wa Mihai Eminescu wa eneo hilo imependekeza motisha za kiuchumi kudumisha utamaduni wa kipekee wa mkoa huo. Shirika hilo la Kiromania lilikuwa limepinga kwa ujasiri mipango ya dikteta wa Kikomunisti Nicolae Ceausescu ya kulijenga kijiji hicho. Katika miaka ya hivi karibuni, imefadhili ukarabati wa majengo 300 na kuwahimiza watu wapatao elfu moja wa Saxony kurudi katika eneo hilo kutoka Ujerumani. Mipango mingine inawafundisha wakazi wa vijiji jinsi ya kutumia ujuzi wa jadi - kufuma, kucheza dansi za watu, kutengeneza vigae, kuoka na uzalishaji wa jamu, jibini, asali na mboga za bustani - ili kupata maisha bora au kuanzisha biashara mpya kuanzia kitanda na kiamsha kinywa hadi bustani ya kibiashara ya kikaboni. Shirika hilo pia liliondoa eneo hilo na mradi wa kujenga bustani ya vitumbuizo yenye mandhari ya Dracula. Kazi ya wanafunzi inasaidia aina hii ya maendeleo ya kiuchumi ya ndani kwa kutoa mawazo ya jinsi warsha za ufundi, vituo vya wageni, mikahawa, nyumba za wageni au maduka vinavyoweza kusitawi katika majengo yaliyopo, kuleta huduma na kazi zinazohitajika kwa vijiji wakati wa kuhakikisha uhifadhi wa njia ya thamani ya maisha. Jay Walljasper, ambaye kitabu chake All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons kinaonekana msimu huu wa baridi, ni mhariri mwenza wa OnTheCommons.org na mhariri anayechangia National Geographic Traveler. Tovuti yake ni JayWalljasper.com. Ilichapishwa awali kwenye magazine.nd.edu tarehe 5 Oktoba 2010.