Few years back, during a summer, I had the occasion to spend some days listening the stories of an antiquity seller. If you will ever find yourselves near such people, take note of what they will be telling you. Considering the people and the places they come in contact with, these persons are keepers of many unwritten history pages.

Back to the story. At one point, the business started to go wrong. The majority of buyers was comprised of Germans, Austrians, Italians and fewer French, but also passionate colectors from other countries as well. Chest-of-drawers, paintings, small furnitures pieces, all were suddently short of buyers and of suppliers alike. All but one. One day we went into one of his stores, and he uncovers what he thought to be the piece de ressistance of his collection. For a split of a second I felt great dissapointment, it was only a… gate. Hours and days after I spent looking at that gate. Something had forever moved me, it inspired a felling beyond anything I had ever known until than. It was not just a door, it was a Maramures Wooden Gate, one of the most renowned symbols of Maramures, his fame spread across time and space with every new role it assumed.

Initialy, the tall gates were a sign of nobility. Don’t think of nobility as a title accompanied by palaces and castles of all sort. Centuries ago, from the inhabitans of the area, some received a number of privileges and the right to elect their ruler. Modest and hard working people, pretty much remaining the same until our time, they were carefull to proudly show their status through making and displaying those gates (from an architectural point of view: the tall gates are usually made of oak tree, raised on three carved columns and having a rebate on top). In time, the gates also became the symbol of durability, of protection and of a pure soul.

The way they are made, the choosing of the tree, the making period – which nowadays, for a tall gate lasts several months, and for a miniature several weeks – everything became a ritual, secretly kept and passed through generations. Who ever had the chance to see from close sight such a gate, was definetely impressed by the details thoroughly carved on the peers and by the harmony of dimensions. The most often details are:

-          A twined rope – it represents the basic structure of the Tree of Life, of Sun and of Fir

-          The rosette – symbolising the worm life depends upon

-          The snake – it is the keeper of households

Although the craft was passed during centuries to the next generations, artists and those showing interest in constructing such gates are fewer and fewer each time. As any tradition, the Maramures Wooden Gate is destined to become a forgotten art.

Around the world:

Letting aside private collectors, Romanian artists have built several gates for various locations across Europe and the Americas, as testimony of a unique cultural heritage.

Belgium – in Braine-le-Compte (twinned with the village Vadul Izei) – the gate was made by craftsman Vasile Apan

USA – Chicago – the gate was raised by the nephew of Vasile Apan

Austria – Wien – the Maramures Gate Laeer Ward was a gift on behalf of Maramures (2006)

France – paris – during an exposition, the Council of Maramures sent along a miniature church, also a Maramures Wooden Gate (2006)

Great Britain – London – in 2008 took place an exposition of artist Mircea Cantor organised by the Romanian Cultural Institute. Among objects on display, was also a Maramures Gate covered in gold and having sculpted a DNA spiral making refference to pre-determination, limits and control (personal note: I would say this is a nice example of tradition modernising)

There are many other Maramures Wooden Gates across the world which I leave the pleasure of discovering to you. For those that did not came in contact with this art, I warmly recommend to plan a trip to Maramures, a fairytale land in all aspects.

It is time to make our values known, it is time to know our value !

Sources :

http://www.phg.ro/stire.php?id=11633&cat_id=14

http://www.crestinortodox.ro/romanian-global-news/77657-poarta-maramureseana-intr-un-parc-din-viena

http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Maramure%C5%9F_brand_cultural/Poarta_maramure%C5%9Fean%C4%83

http://www.9am.ro/stiri-revista-presei/2006-08-17/poarta-maramureseana.html

http://www.estradamaramureseana.ro/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=781&Itemid=51

http://www.freewebs.com/maramuresul/Portile_Maramuresene.html (picture)