View source for Culture of Moldova

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[[Image:Stamp of Moldova 138.jpg|thumb|A Moldovan [[postage stamp]] from 1992, depicting traditional [[pottery]]]]
[[File:Stefan cel Mare and family.jpg|thumb|A painting of [[Stephen the Great]] and his wife [[Marițica Bibescu]], surrounded by family]]

The '''culture of [[Moldova]]''' is unique and influenced by the [[Origin of the Romanians|Romanian origins]] of its majority population, as well as the [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] and minority [[Gagauz people|Gagauz]] populations.<ref name="culture">[http://countrystudies.us/moldova/18.htm Moldova's Culture]</ref> The traditional Latin origins of Romanian culture reach back to the 2nd century, the period of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] colonization in [[Dacia]].

During the centuries following the Roman withdrawal in 271, the population of the region was influenced by contact with the [[Byzantine Empire]], [[Slavic peoples]], [[Hungarian people]], and later by the [[Ottoman Turks]]. Slavic migration into the region began in the 6th century and continued gradually through the early 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|title=Slavs in Moldova Bio|publisher=University of Maryland|access-date=November 11, 2018|url=http://www.mar.umd.edu/assessment.asp?groupId=35902}}</ref> A heavy Polish influence occurred from the 14th through 16th centuries, when the [[Principality of Moldova]] was connected to Poland by a trade route and was briefly a vassal of the [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]].<ref>Marcin Kosienkowski, [https://ssrn.com/abstract=2175263 "Polska a Mołdawia i Naddniestrze"]</ref> Since the 18th century, several waves of Poles emigrated to the land which constitutes the majority of modern [[Moldova]]. Beginning in the 19th century, a strong [[Western European]] (particularly French) influence came to be evident in literature and the arts. The resulting melting pot has produced a rich cultural tradition. Although foreign contact was an inevitable consequence of the region's [[Geography of Moldova|geographical location]], their influence only served to enhance a vital and resilient popular culture. Despite the many foreign influences on Moldovan culture, the country's traditional Romanian roots remain strong.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldovan Culture and Traditions |url=https://moldova.travel/en/cultural-heritage/ |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Moldova Travel |language=en-US}}</ref>

The population of what once was the [[Principality of Moldavia]] (1359–1859) had come to identify itself widely as "Moldovan" by the 14th century, but continued to maintain close cultural links with other Romanian groups. After 1812, the eastern Moldovans, those inhabiting [[Bessarabia]] and [[Transnistria]], were also influenced by [[Slavic culture]] during the periods of 1812–1917, and during 1940–1989 they were influenced by Russia.

The geographical area that is now modern Moldova was formed under the conditions of contacts with the [[East Slavs|East Slavic]] population, and later under the rule of the [[Ottoman Empire]]. In 1812, the territory of modern Moldova was liberated from Ottoman rule and incorporated into the [[Bessarabia]]n province of the [[Russian Empire]], which had a great influence on the development of the culture of the region. After the [[October Revolution]] in 1918, [[Romania]] annexed the nation for 22 years, and the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed on the left bank of the Dniester, as a result of which culture developed under a stronger Russian influence under Soviet administrative control, as well as by ethnic Russian or Russian-speaking immigration.

By 1918, Bessarabia was one of the least developed, and least educated European regions of the [[Russian Empire]]. Although Soviet authorities promoted education, the region's cultural ties with [[Romania]] were slowly eroded due to administrative policies. With many ethnic Romanian intellectuals, either [[Fight-or-flight response|fleeing]], being killed after 1940, or being deported both during and after [[World War II]], Bessarabia's cultural and educational situation changed drastically and became more [[Russification|Russified]].

After the 1960s, Soviet authorities developed urban cultural and scientific institutions that were subsequently filled with Russians, and diverse ethnic groups from across the Soviet Union. Much of the urban culture came from Moscow, while the primarily rural ethnic Romanian population was allowed to express itself in [[folklore]] and [[folk art]].

==Folk culture==
[[File:"Wedding in village Taslac" (the end of 60th years). (5880386742).jpg|thumb|Wedding in the village Tașlîc, 1960s]]
[[File:International Children's Day Celebrations in Chisinau, Moldova (7688594362 cropped).jpg|thumb|Traditional Moldovan costumes in [[Chișinău]]]]
Although the [[folk arts]] flourished, similarities with Romanian culture were hidden. Music and dance, particularly encouraged by Soviet authorities, were made into a showcase, but were subtly changed to hide their Romanian origins. For example, the national [[folk costume]], in which the traditional Romanian [[Moccasin (footwear)|moccasin]] (''opinca'') was replaced by the [[Russian boot]].

Moldova's traditional [[folk culture]] is very rich. The ancient folk [[ballads]], such as "[[Miorita|Mioriţa]]" and "[[Meşterul Manole]]", play a central role in this traditional culture. Folk traditions, including [[Ceramics (art)|ceramics]] and [[weaving]], continue to be practiced in rural areas. The folk culture tradition is promoted at the national level and is represented by, among other groups, the folk choir, [[Doina]].

==Literary culture==
{{main|Literature of Moldova}}
The first books, religious texts, of the Principality of Moldavia appeared in the mid-17th century. Prominent figures in Moldavia's cultural development include [[Dosoftei]], [[Grigore Ureche]], [[Miron Costin]], metropolitan of Kiev [[Petru Movilă]], scholars [[Nicolae Milescu|Nicolae Milescu-Spãtaru]], [[Dimitrie Cantemir]] (1673–1723), and [[Ion Neculce]], [[Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni]], [[Alexandru Donici]], [[Constantin Stamati]], [[Costache Negruzzi]], historian and [[philologist]] [[Bogdan P. Hasdeu]] (1836–1907), author [[Ion Creangă (writer)|Ion Creangă]] (1837–1889), and poet [[Mihai Eminescu]] (1850–1889).

Varlaam published the first books. Dosoftei founded numerous schools and published a lot. Cantemir wrote the first thorough geographical, ethnographical, and economic description of Moldavia in ''[[Descriptio Moldaviae]]'' ([[Berlin]], c. 1714).

Modern writers include [[Vladimir Beşleagă]], [[Nicolae Dabija (politician)|Nicolae Dabija]], [[Ion Druţă]], [[Victor Teleucă]],[[Victor Ciobanu]] and [[Grigore Vieru]]. In 1991, a total of 520 books were published in Moldova, of which 402 were in [[Romanian language|Romanian]], 108 in Russian, eight in [[Gagauz language|Gagauz]], and two in [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]].

In the early 1990s, Moldova had twelve professional theaters. All performed in Romanian, except the A.P. Chekhov Russian Drama Theater in [[Chişinău]], and the Russian Drama and Comedy Theater in [[Tiraspol]], both of which performed solely in Russian, and the Licurici Republic Puppet Theater, in Chişinău, which performed in both Romanian and Russian. Members of ethnic minorities manage a number of folklore groups and amateur theaters throughout the country.

==Cuisine==
[[File:Sarmalute mamaliguta.JPG|thumb|A popular Moldovan dish of Stuffed Cabbage Rolls ([[Sarma (food)|sarma]]), accompanied by [[sauerkraut]] and [[mămăligă]].]]
{{Main|Moldovan cuisine}}
{{See also|Moldovan wine}}
Moldovan cuisine consists mainly of traditional European foods, such as beef, pork, [[potatoes]], [[cabbage]], cheese, and a variety of cereal grains. Popular alcoholic beverages are ''[[Moldovan wine#Divin|divin]]'' (Moldovan [[brandy]]), beer, and local wine.

Very popular dishes include ''[[Manti (dumpling)|manti]]'' (a type of dumpling filled with meat and vegetables, which is wrapped in a dough wrapper, and served with a spicy [[sour cream]]), ''[[ciorbă]]'' (a sour soup consisting of meat and vegetables, served with [[sauerkraut]], [[polenta]], or rice), ''[[pelmeni]]'' (another type of dumpling, filled with meat and onions, but sometimes [[mushroom]]s, [[turnip]]s, and sauerkraut are added), ''[[borscht]]'' (made with [[beet]]s, tomatoes, and other vegetables to form a stew), and ''[[Sarma (food)|sarma]]'' (a dish made with [[Cabbage roll|stuffed cabbage rolls]], accompanied by sauerkraut and ''mămăligă'').

Other common foods in Moldova include grilled meats, other grains, [[dairy products]], and ''[[mămăligă]]'' (a type of polenta made with [[cornmeal]], and mashed into a [[porridge]]).

==Sports==
{{Main|Sport in Moldova}}
{{See also|Football in Moldova|Rugby union in Moldova}}

==See also==
* [[Music of Moldova]]
* [[Religion in Moldova]]
* [[History of the Jews in Bessarabia]]
<!-- * [[Architecture of Moldova]] /dead/-->

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Culture of Moldova}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100808054735/http://www.tur.md/eng/repofmold/ Information about Moldova from the page of the Moldovan Ministry of Culture and Tourism] {{in lang|en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080427041537/http://www.moldova.md/en/cultura/ www.moldova.md about Moldovan culture] {{in lang|en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100802121716/http://www.tur.md/eng/section/471/ www.tur.md about Moldovan rest] {{in lang|en}}

{{Moldova topics}}
{{Culture of Europe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Culture Of Moldova}}
[[Category:Culture of Moldova|*]]