CUNOȘTINȚE ALE POPORULULUI ROMÂN REFERITOARE LA NUC
KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROMANIAN PEOPLE REGARDING WALNUT

Summary/Abstract: In the past, human societies had a completely different view of the world around them than contemporary man, which they passed on from generation to generation. Trees have played a considerable role in the evolution of human societies. Among the most valuable and contradictory trees among many peoples, including Romanian people, especially for the area between the rivers Dniester and the Prut, was and is the walnut. On the one hand, this tree is considered a malefic tree and, on the other hand, it is a beneficial tree for humans. There is a need to elucidate this contradiction and this subject. Therefore, in this article, the author aims to present a fund of knowledge about walnuts of the Romanian people to clarify this controversy. Initially, in order to facilitate the understanding of this subject, some aspects (symbolism, utility) of the respective fruit are presented in the universal culture. Here are offered some data from the history of the walnut in the Romanian space, the symbolism of the walnut among Romanians is elucidated and its presence in various customs, beliefs, superstitions. Further is exposed the use of walnut components (wood, fruit, leaves), as a building material, for the creation of dyes, as an ingredient in food, and its use in natural medicine. At the end of the article are presented some data (legislation, varieties) about walnut from the XXI c., in Republic of Moldova.

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