Mourning in Romanian folklore. Romania loses a “Living Human Treasure”

Romanian folklore is in mourning. Romania has lost an important artist, considered a true “Living Human Treasure”. Unfortunately, he died without seeing his great wish fulfilled. God forgive him!

Mourning in Romanian folklore. The folk craftsman Constantin Nițu died

Constantin Nițu was a remarkable folk craftsman of Oltenia. He left us on Sunday at the age of 79. Despite his efforts to collect thousands of objects during his lifetime, his dream of establishing a museum in his hometown could not materialize.

The cultural advisor Valeru Ciurea from the Olt County Center for Culture and Arts was the one who made public the sad news of the great popular creator’s departure.

The person who was by the master’s side not only in moments of joy, but also in difficult ones, also evoked the most ardent dream of the folk master Constantin Nițu. That of seeing his impressive collection of objects exhibited in an ethnographic museum, in Poboru. Poboru is the town where Constantin Nițu was born and where he developed the art of craftsmanship in a perfect form.

“Another one of the Treasures of Olt has passed into the world of eternity. It is about Constantin Nițu, from Cornățelu, Poboru commune, one of the popular creators of Olt who left deep furrows in us, those who knew him, but also in the memory of those who found out, in one way or another, about the folk craftsman recognized at the level of all museum institutions in Romania, but also a passionate and cultured collector.

His ethnographic collection was at one time recognized by the Network of Particular Village Ethnographic Collections and Museums in Romania as the seventh ethnographic collection in Romania, in terms of importance and ethnographic value. This collection, which should have turned into a museum that its possessor dreamed of, was scattered in the four worlds, just as Constantin Nițu’s life passed in those pieces of his soul, the objects in the museum that did not was to be fulfilled.

May God forgive him and keep him in his care!”, Valeru Ciurea said on Facebook.

Constantin Nițu made popular costumes using threads woven by himself

On May 5, 1944, Constantin Nițu was born in the village of Poboru in Oltenia. From his youth, he dedicated himself to a craft rarely practiced by men. It is about making folk costumes from producing your own thread and weaving cloth, to tailoring and decorating the garments with exquisite stitching. He learned these skills from his mother and his two grandmothers.

Later, Constantin Nițu expanded his field of activity, engaging in deep research work and leaving behind invaluable information. Including about the methods of obtaining colors used for dyeing threads with natural substances.

In a deep dialogue held eight years ago, the craftsman Constantin Nițu revealed his regret that there were certain aspirations that he would have liked to fulfill, but for which he felt it was already too late, reports the local press.

Among them was his dream of creating an ethnographic museum in Poboru. The artist wanted the approximately 5,000 objects he had collected over time to be exhibited here.

According to the craftsman’s revelations, a significant proportion of these objects were lost within three years. Whether they were stolen or damaged. Despite these losses, some of them were lucky enough to be saved and end up in the collections of renowned museum institutions.

Also, Constantin Nițu would have been delighted to be able to share as much of the accumulated information as possible with those interested. We invite you to find out more information HERE.

“I’m going to die, and I’m going to die with a lot of secrets, what I left is too little! From each discussion, the man kept what he found interesting for his purpose, but so many things have still remained unsaid”, declared a few years ago, the artist Constantin Nițu, for Adevărul.

The artist received the title of UNESCO “Living Human Treasure” in 2019

For his lifelong commitment to the promotion of traditional arts, Constantin Nițu has been honored with several distinctions throughout his existence. Among them are the “Faithful Service” Order and Medal. It was awarded by the Presidency of Romania on May 6, 2003. He also received the title of UNESCO Living Human Treasure. It was provided by the National Commission for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage, on March 1, 2019.