• The colac has a special meaning in the popular tradition and is met at the most important moments in the life of Christians: baptism, wedding and funeral, but also on other big days.
As the legend says, the bread with the symbol of offering must be round like the earth raised from the salt waters. That is why, in Romanian tradition, the shape of the holiday bread is the colac. The bread baked for the holidays differs from the everyday bread by the content of the dough, by the shape it is given and by the way it is decorated. The colac has a special meaning in the popular tradition and is met at the most important moments in the life of Christians: baptism, wedding and funeral. Cakes are made of different shapes and sizes, depending on the role performed. They weave in two, three, four, six, eight, even sixteen or more vines. By shape, the cake suggests infinity and immortality, and by composition, respectively the wheat flour from which it is kneaded and the salt, is a symbol of immortality because just as wheat is placed in the ground to sprout and grow, so is the human body he buries himself in the ground to be resurrected afterwards. If at weddings and baptisms the coil is a sign of joy, at the funeral the coil signifies the passage of man through life, the closing of the cycle of life and a bridge to a new world, the world beyond. But there are also the big day cakes and those of the carolers, a joy of the winter holidays. Through shapes and ornaments specific to each festive or ceremonial moment, bread thus becomes a component element of the act of communication between the members of a community. In addition to its social role, no less important is its festive or magical-ritual role, characteristics of the complex traditional Romanian customs.
The welcome roll
Most stages of the wedding are accompanied by the presence of a wedding cake. In Oltenia and Muntenia, the wedding tree is supported by a coil that is taken by the arborist. In Transylvania, the standard-bearers in the procession carry a large coil in their hands, which is theirs after the ceremony. In the north of Moldova, young people receive the "colac of lads". In southern Transylvania, the cart animals are also decorated with these loaves. The "bride's cake", the "groom's bread" or the "welcoming cake" are other products that cannot be missing from the wedding. The welcome roll must be large, at least 1,5 kg, sweet and round, made of superior wheat flour, decorated with braids and floral motifs. It is used to welcome the godparents by the bride and groom and their parents. In some regions, there is also the passage of the newlyweds under the colac – the groomsmen or knights of honor and the godfathers hold a colac over the door, forming a kind of vault under which each bride and groom passes. The welcome roll is also used when we traditionally offer bread and salt to guests on a tray.
The cake or the bride's cake
It is the element that polarizes the general attention, being usually round, decorated with various ornaments and braids, and the godmother is the one who takes care of it. The characteristic motif of the bridal bun is the braid, decorated or not with birds or dough flowers or with fresh basil. The bride's colac can be broken either by the godmother, in Oltenia, Muntenia, Moldova, or by the bride herself, in Transylvania, above her head, before leaving for the wedding. After breaking the kolak (cake), the godmother of the bride throws it in the shape of a cross over her head, and the bride and groom who catch pieces of it and eat them are said to be happy and have good luck in the coming year. The custom comes from the time of ancient Rome and represents a blessing from the godparents. The breaking of the cake above the bride's head symbolizes fertility, a blessed marriage with many children.
Groom's cake
The groom's cake is a sweet cake made from wheat flour. In Moldova, there is the custom of exchanging wedding rings between the bride and groom: the groom hands the bride the bridegroom's wedding ring, and in return receives the bride's wedding ring. After this exchange of coils, the groom heads towards the groom's suite, holding the coil up, lest one of the wedding guests reach it and break it. The groom receives the cake, kisses it and shares it with his bride and groom, as a sign of sharing the common joy.
The bride and groom's party
When they sit down at the big table, the bride and groom are brought two cakes beautifully decorated with flowers (jemne), prepared from shortcrust pastry. The bride and groom must break it using only one hand each. Whoever breaks the biggest part of the coil, it is said, will have more authority in the new family. Then the cake is distributed to the bride and groom.
The godfathers' cakes and the "snowflake"
There are two or three large, sweet cakes that are given as a gift to the godparents during the wedding or the day after the wedding by the parents or in-laws. And four large cakes are baked for the in-laws. A week after the wedding, the newlyweds go with the parents of the young man to the parents of the girl, and they bring them these cakes, as thanks for giving them the girl. In Moldova and Dobrogea, there is the custom of incarceration, that is, of the exchange of cakes between in-laws. And the godparents of a child receive coils at baptism. The coil is woven in four or six vines and is decorated with floral or geometric motifs. These coils have a specific meaning. It is believed that just as these coils are big, round and beautiful, so will be the life of baptized babies. The word "colac" came, over time, to be synonymous with "plocon", after the inhabitants of the villages had the habit of going to the godfathers and godmothers, on big days, with the plocon, that is, they brought them Romanian and well-grown colacs, only that in these bakings the braid was replaced by figures representing chickens, honeycombs, apples or lambs. In funeral rituals, coils are woven in several forms: either they are round, or they have the shape of a cross or a ladder, on which the soul of the deceased can climb to heaven.
The tradition of the cake for the haters
Colacs are indispensable in the homes of Romanians at every big holiday, being present with joy at Christmas or New Year as well. The women of the villages still weave dough wreaths for the children and the processions they will receive in the house. In this case, the cakes are made in several categories. Small for the children who come in the morning with the ugly, medium for the teenagers who come after lunch with the goat and the bear and braided in fours for the young people who come with the outlaws or irozs. Also, a large cake is made to take to church for those who come with the turkey. At the common table organized by the groups of young men from Transylvania gathered for the Winter Holidays, the girls bring a beautiful cake decorated with floral motifs made of dough.
The cakes prepared for carolers are also called carolers. A legend says that these coils intertwine in such a way as to recall the wrapping of a hand with outstretched fingers, the hand of Crăciun, whose hands were allegedly cut off by her husband Crăciun for helping the Mother of God to give birth.
Article made by Redaccia Arta Albă
[...] By its shape, the cake suggests infinity and immortality, and by its composition, i.e. the wheat flour from which it is kneaded and the salt, it is a symbol of immortality because just as wheat is put in the ground in order to sprout and grow, so too the human body is buried in the earth to be resurrected afterwards. If at weddings and baptisms the coil is a sign of joy, at the funeral the coil signifies the passage of man through life, the closing of the cycle of life and a bridge to a new world, the world beyond, writes artaalba.ro. […]
[...] By its shape, the cake suggests infinity and immortality, and by its composition, i.e. the wheat flour from which it is kneaded and the salt, it is a symbol of immortality because just as wheat is put in the ground in order to sprout and grow, so too the human body is buried in the earth to be resurrected afterwards. If at weddings and baptisms the coil is a sign of joy, at the funeral the coil signifies the passage of man through life, the closing of the cycle of life and a bridge to a new world, the world beyond, writes artaalba.ro. […]