The first edition of the Romanian Film Festival in Minnesota
On November 18th and 19th 2023 HORA presented the first Romanian Film Festival in Minnesota, in the Twin Cities. Having a Romanian Film Festival in the Twin Cities has been a dream of HORA since its beginnings. We aim to educate the American public about the Romanian cinema and we hope to attract a large audience by starting a tradition and having a Film Festival every year, as part of our mission to enrich Minnesota’s diverse cultural landscape by sharing Romanian culture. Local stations Fox 9 and Kare 11 covered the event.
Watch Fox 9 here.
Between Superstitions and God- Life in the Romanian Village
HORA was happy to present the exhibit Between Superstition and God – Life of the Romanian Peasant between October 1st 2023 and January 5th 2024 in the North Gallery at the Landmark Center, in St. Paul, MN.
The exhibit showcased the rich spirituality of Romanian people and the dual system of beliefs, filling the days, months and year of the villager, as the ancient, pagan beliefs were never completely left behind when Christianity was embraced in the first millennium. We were happy to welcome over 1000 visitors from all over the world.
This exhibit was envisioned and designed by HORA founder, former president and exhibit curator Raluca Octav, in close collaboration with HORA board members, and made possible with help from MN Landmarks and photographer Gabriel Motica.
Watch Kare 11 coverage here.
Spring Traditions Exhibit
HORA was happy to display the Romanian Spring Traditions exhibit between March 6th and April 15, 2022. This first stand-alone Romanian exhibit in Minnesota was located in the North Gallery at the Landmark Center. The exhibit was free and visitors learned about Romanian culture and traditions through information displayed and conversations with our volunteers present every day. Over 800 visitors came to enjoy this special event.
This project was curated by HORA Romanian American Cultural Center Director Raluca Octav, and made possible with help from MN Landmarks and voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
KARE 11 News Interview on Discontinuing of Festival of Nations
In August 2023, HORA President Dana Voller had a conversation with KARE 11 reporter Kiya Edwards about the discontinuing of the iconic Festival of Nations event in the Twin Cities. The International Institute of Minnesota (IIM) announced that it has canceled the Festival of Nations, which celebrated Minnesotan immigrant communities with an international bazaar, performances, demonstrations and exhibits. The Romanian community has participated in it since its inception, being one of the 18 countries represented in 1932.
See Dana’s interview on KARE 11 News here: Festival of Nations end after 90 years
CBS News Article on Impact of Chaska River Days
HORA was happy to be a part of the Chaska River Days , a celebration of our community diversity. We loved sharing information about Romanian people, traditions, landscapes and culture.
On June 30, 2023 CBS News Minnesota published a full article about Chaska River Days: More than 40 nonprofits win big during Chaska’s River City Days – CBS Minnesota (cbsnews.com) in which HORA was interviewed.
Minnesota’s first Romanian American cultural center finds home at Landmark Center
After 10 years of gathering in coffee shops, libraries, homes and Lunds & Byerlys, the Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans In Minnesota (HORA) has finally found a home. It’s been a longtime dream of HORA president Gina Popa and vice president Arria Giulan to have a brick-and-mortar space for a Romanian American cultural center.
Christmas Carol CD launch
On December 16 2017 at our Christmas Party we launched an amazing CD called “Colinde”, performed by the Ciprian Porumbescu Choir of Minnesota and Orkestar Bez Ime, arranged and conducted by Colleen Bertsch.
Watch the coverage on KARE 11 News here.
PressOne Article Featuring HORA
Heritage of Romanian Americans, read full article in PressOne.
The content of this article is the result of the collaborative effort of several HORA board members: Arria Giulan, Cleo Cabuz and Gina Popa.
PressOne Quarterly is the first English-language magazine focused on the beauty of Romanian life and culture. We tell stories of ordinary Romanians living extraordinary lives. Cool, capable and caring people living in one of the world’s most beautiful countries.
Find out more about PressOne.
Alvin Alexsi Currier
Forever a seeker, adventurer, author, artist, illustrator, historian, and amateur Anthropologist.
He’s most widely known for his children’s books and his passionate fascination with Eastern Orthodox European history, folklore, customs, and traditions. He is also recognized as an artist and illustrator. Born in 1932 in Minneapolis, he studied at Macalester College, Union Theological Seminary, and the Free University of Berlin. Ordained a Presbyterian pastor in 1956, he served for 35 years that included an exchange pastorate in Germany, and 11 years as a College Chaplain. Finding his spiritual roots in the ancient Eastern tradition, after retirement in 1991 he was received as a layman in the Orthodox Church. For the next 15 years he and his wife Anastasia supported themselves by arranging European tours and pilgrimages. This vocation allowed them to travel widely in the Orthodox world. They now live in retirement in Cumberland, Wisconsin.
The hidden valley of Maramures stretches for sixty miles through a fold in the rugged Carpathian Mountains of Romania along the Ukrainian border. Nestled among its rolling hills the village of Ieud spreads out along a mountain stream for nearly four miles. Population in the village is reckoned by counting the columns of smoke rising in the icy winter air. With five or six people huddled around each warm hearth, five hundred columns suggests that the village numbers around 3000 people.Continue Reading