Hederlez is one of the main springtime celebrations of the Gagauz, symbolizing the beginning of grazing and of agricultural work.
The awakening of nature and the respect to the traditions of the ancestors are celebrated by the Gagauz every year on May 6.
Hederlez is celebrated in the same day when the Orthodox Christians celebrate St Georges Day, and the celebration traditionally starts with a religious service.
For Hederlez the Gagauz respect a ritual called kurban, or livestock sacrifice. A lamb or sometimes a rooster must be sacrificed on that day. The meat must be cooked with bulgur wheat. Half of the food is shared with the poor or with neighbors and the remaining half is eaten by the family members.
According to Eudochia Soroceanu, the Gagau people preserved the cult of their ancestors and it is on Hederlez that people pay homage to them.
Nowadays cultural events and festivals are organized for Hederlez such as the famous horse races in Ceadir-Lunga.
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The dishes are to be cooked by the whole community, or by the people living on the same street or at least by two or three families gathering together for the cooking.
It marks the connection between this world and the world of the dead. This is a permanent interlink that is reflected in all the rituals and customs of our people. A prayer must be read when slaughtering a lamb. When the meat of the sacrificed animal has been shared with others one must say: I offer it to you in this world for me to have it in the other world.
Eudochia Soroceanu, scientific researcher in the Academy of Science of Moldova
This material was developed in the framework of the project “Supporting institutionalized and sustainable dialogue on Gagauzia Autonomy”, implemented by CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and financed by Sweden. The opinions expressed in this material pertain to the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of CMI or of Sweden.