Sarmale si mici

Citesc The Guardian aproape zilnic. Il citesc pe hartie si ajung la editia online destul de rar. Astazi, pe pagina 38 din G1, acolo unde se termina editorialele si scrisorile de la cititori si incep “Obituaires”, troneaza o poza cat o foaie A4 cu fanfara de la 10 prajini si un vagon albastru de tren clasa a doua plin de tigani (stiu, e un termen denigrator, insa eu pe asta il stiu din copilarie, si pe asta il foloseau toti tiganii cu care ma jucam in cartier: Florea, Dan, Jolan, Osicior…).

Asta pentru ca a murit de cancer la 66 de ani, Ioan Ivancea, liderul fanfarei de la 10 prajini. Fanfara dupa cum stim a bantuit Germania, a castigat premiul de cel mai bun artist european acordat anul acesta de BBC Radio 3 World Music, si canta “Born to be wild” in noul film Borat. Iar in Guardian imparte pagina dubla cu Ed Bradley, celebrul jurnalist de la CBS.

Ioan Ivancea este al doilea roman pe care il regasesc in Guardian la Obituaries. Primul a fost Gabriel Lambescu, arhitect care a restaurat o serie de cladiri din satul Viscri, si care a murit la 55 de ani dupa un atac de cord. Despre Gabriel Lambescu am citi in Guardian din 1 August 2006.

Inainte de a va oferi un citat din ceea ce scrie Garth Cartwright despre Ion Ivancea, as vrea sa arunc o intrebare (cvasi)retorica. Cati dintre noi romanii stim/stiam cine sunt Ioan Ivancea sau Gabriel lambescu? Si desi nu am verificat, am o banuiala ca Alexandru Paleologu nu a fost mentionat de Guardian in septembrie 2005.

Despre Ioan Ivancea si alti agricultori din Zece Prajini:

Although the communists had collectivised their farms, Ivancea and his neighbours still worked small plots of land and bred animals. Never visiting Bucharest, and rarely exposed to any music other than that which they made themselves, the villagers developed a unique brass band sound, which Ivan-cea led on clarinet. The collapse of communism in December 1989 was initially liberating, but meant that the villagers lost their factory jobs. With their collectivised land returned to them, Ivancea and his friends took to farming in earnest; even their music suffered as electronic keyboards and DJs replaced Gypsy bands at weddings.

I ventured into Zece Prajini in 2003 to interview Ivancea and other Fanfare members for my book, Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians. International success had enabled them to buy cars and mobile phones, and fit indoor bathrooms, yet life remained largely unchanged. Ivancea had built a new house, yet he and his wife Maria continued to live in their tiny bungalow, apparantly unwilling to change the habits of a lifetime.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 15th, 2006 at 1:37 am and is filed under Din Regat. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.