Calusarii

~ Călușarii ~




“Wheel in the sky,
Darkness is nigh,
Dance of the shades
In haze-ridden glades.”

(Chant of the Sun)
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This is the cover of my (sort of) new project entitled Călușarii!

It is a series of illustrations and text in this book format: Eadlin and the Merfolk, based on an older story of mine. The story follows the main character Codrin, leader of the Călușari ritual dancers, as he tries to unravel the mystery of some strange happenings in the family of the local Boyar. The story is inspired from Romanian folklore and traditions:


The Calusari - in Romanian folklore, they were the members of a secret society who practiced a ritual acrobatic dance of shamanic nature, used in healing and exorcism rituals. The dance was known give the onlooker the impression that the dancers are flying in the air, symbolizing the galloping of a horse and the dancing of spirits/fairies. This tradition stems from Dacian folklore, most probably a rite of fertility and protection performed at the beginning of summer. Because of the heavy pagan elements of the tradition, their rituals were eventually banned during the Middle Ages, but the dance is still preserved today and it is the most spectacular Romanian traditional dance.


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The illustration represents Codrin in his ritual attire, with a horse-skull mask. The frame shows traditional Romanian patterns (red being the predominant colour in folk embroideries). The idea of its texture struck me when seeing charcoalfeather's painting: Akhtan.

Media: graphite pencils on paper, textures and hue added in PS


I'll be posting an "episode" once or twice a week! There will be about 10 in total.


Here's a mysterious Romanian folkloric tune to go with the illustration (from a folk metal band)!:
Negura Bunget - Pamint