The fourth Erasmus+ youth exchange of the Erhangja Association just ended on 13 May in Romania, where the main goal of the activities was to help the youth  discover the old crafts and turn them into a possible source of income.

The Erasmus Plus Programme of the European Union did support the that international youth exchange where 28 youth participated in a project entitled: Crafts of the Past, Crafts of the Future. The Greek, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Romanian participants got to know a new crafts on each day of the week, and they tried to find the motivations and opportunities to turn these crafts into a source of income. As a ’fountain of ideas’ they had their presentations about the national old crafts like making amber jewelry in Lithuania, the sponge fishing in Greece or the cart writhing in Hungary.

The young participants of the program presented the small extension booklet they prepared together about the old crafts of the micro-region in Săcueni, during the Erasmus + youth exchange organized by the Erhangja Association.

The topic of the program of the week was the revival of the old crafts and their transformation into a possible source of income. Thus, in addition to the activities related to the old trades, the potential entrepreneurs of the future have also taken a look at the marketing world in practical form, through a game.

Weaving is a traditional craft which originally was manual but modernized during the Industrial Revolution when the weaving machine was invented. The first thing that comes into most people’s mind when speaking about weaving is the production of carpets but actually many sorts of things can be created with this technique such as clothes or bags. Weaving requires great amount of concentration and patience, of course but preparation takes more time than the weaving itself. Furthermore, when you would like to make any sample into your production you have to be more precise to count on which strings you would like to weave it. Keep it in mind that weaving is also a craft which you should try once in your lifetime since it can be a real fun if you have already learnt the technique.

Chair weaving has a long history as people in the past used this technique to make furniture for themselves. However, not only chairs were made with weaving but other sorts of furniture, as well. A reason for that might be the fact that this kind of furniture is long-lasting and can be used even for a hundred year. It is important to know that people work with sedge when it comes to weaving but you have to be really careful with it as it can cut your fingers easily if you pull it in the wrong way. First, you have to make the sedge leaves wet, secondly twist them, and if you already have the ready-made chair frame you can start the weaving itself.

Felting also belongs to those crafts which has been practiced for a very long time. The wool used for felting played an important role in our ancestors’ lives as it was one of the components of their “houses”, the so called yurts. One reason for that is that wool is waterproof and resistant to the challenges of the weather so it could save people perfectly. Besides this, the same material was used for shepherds’ clothes. These ways of use of wool indicates the importance of felting as this is the technique nowadays which is mainly practiced only as a hobby. Since some felting techniques are extremely time-consuming, you will need a huge amount of patience if you would like to try them. On the other hand, if you like to create nice things rapidly, look for a felting needle and let the magic begin. However, if you have enough patience, felting can become your real passion easily as it is amazing how the wool changes during the stages of it.

The history of homemade pasta goes back far into the past but it is rare that people still produce pasta at home. Fortunately, in Sacueni and around it, this tradition is still alive. Although homemade pasta consists of only four ingredients (flour, eggs, salt and some water), it takes a lot of time to make it as you have to be precise to produce nice and delicious pasta. If you use this easy recipe, you got the basics which can be transformed into different forms such as squares or snails.

Although wood carving is a traditional craft, nowadays it is not so popular and there are only few people who learn this profession. One reason for that may be the fact that it requires a great amount of practice and patience. However, during the recent years, this craft has changed a lot due to the technical advancements. It is true that machines have made it easier to carve wood but in this way, products are not unique and they do not have any emotional references.

Honey making is a traditional craft and its history goes back to the ancient times. Since then, it has become popular in Sacueni, and throughout this area, and it is still very common among the local people. Although the majority of the job is done by the bees, being a honey maker is a highly important profession with full of responsibility in order to keep the families alive and
ensure them the best circumstances to work.

In May the 7^th Erasmus Plus international youth exchange takes place in Sacueni, organized by the Erhangja Association. And they are looking forward to have you as a participant!

The project that takes place between 7-13 May, 2018 offer opportunity to 6 participants (aged between 17-30) and a leader (18+) from each participant country, namely: Greece, Hungary, Lithuania and Romania. The work language of the one week program is English. The title of the project is: Crafts of the Past, Crafts of the Future!