Paper Short Abstract:

The căița headware, worn by married women in Southern Transylvania, declined in daily use by the 1970s but remained key in funerals and winter rituals. Urban women returned to be buried with it, and city boys joined village satirical rituals, preserving its symbolic role.

Paper Abstract:

The căița headware was an essential element of traditional customs for married women in Romania, particularly in Southern Transylvania, worn from their wedding to their funeral. While its daily use declined during the interwar period, it remained significant in key rites of passage, particularly weddings and funerals. Women who had lived in urban areas often returned to their villages upon retirement and chose to be buried in the căița received at their wedding, reinforcing the cultural ties between rural and urban life. Daughters of women who migrated to other countries continued to honor their mothers' wishes by including the căița in funeral rituals. This urban-rural connection is also highlighted during winter traditions, particularly around New Year, when urban-dwelling boys return to their native villages to participate in satirical masquerades. They dress as various characters, including a female peasant, wearing authentic women's attire complete with a căița demonstrating the ongoing link between rural heritage and urban modernity. The transition from maiden to wife, once marked by the ritual of învelitul or legatul miresei, where the bride's godmother placed the căița on her head, has faded by the 1970s, but its symbolic role in funerals persists. Fieldwork (2021–2024) reveals challenges in positioning the căița, often placed alongside the funeral shroud. The căița exemplifies a "language of clothing," expressing identity, status, and cultural values, bridging generations and locations. This research underscores the căița enduring role as a symbol of tradition in evolving contexts.