Who are Vlachs? This topic interests many foreigners, and it usually comes together with the following questions:
- Where do Vlachs come from?
- What language do they speak?
- What is Vlach magic?
There are really a lot of questions when it comes to this ethnic group in Serbia!
Serbia is a country with many ethnic and cultural groups. Each of them preserves its traditions, language, and history. Among these groups, the Vlachs have an intriguing place.
So, let’s try to provide answers to these questions!
#1 Who Are Vlachs?
Vlasi or Vlachs are Romanised descendants of the Balkan peoples who adopted Roman culture and language.
According to some sources, they call themselves Romani-Romanians and belong to the Romanian people.
It’s worth noting that the term “Vlach” (Serbian: Vlah) is used by Slavic people. It refers to Latin-speaking shepherds or Roman-language speakers. This term refers to several communities in Eastern Europe.
Vlachs primarily reside in eastern Serbia, specifically in the regions of Timok, Bor, and Zaječar. Eastern Serbia borders Romania.
They are often associated with remote villages, and a rural way of life that keeps old traditions.
#2 How Many Vlachs Live in Serbia?
When it comes to the Vlach population, calculating its size is complicated, as it depends on self-identification, as well as linguistic and cultural heritage. It ranges from 20,000 to over 300,000 people.
This significant variation is partly a result of the identity debate – whether Vlachs constitute a distinct group or a subgroup of Romanians, as well as from the complexities of ethnic classification in the Balkans.
#3 Vlach Language: A Dialect of Romanian?
The commonly used name for the Vlach language in Serbia is vlaški. This is not a single language but rather a combination of Romanian dialects spoken in small, often isolated communities.
There are two most commonly used dialects:
- Ungurean dialect – the Banat sub-dialect spoken by Vlach Ungurians
- Muţun dialect – oltensko-muntenski sub–dialect of the Romanian language spoken by Carani Vlachs
The Vlach language is, in fact, a vernacular of the Romanian language.
You can find more about Vlach vocabulary, or in the Vlach language – vorbar, by clicking here.
Most Vlachs in Serbia are bilingual. They speak both Vlach and Serbian fluently. However, the number of fluent Vlach speakers is declining, especially among the younger generations.
Reasons for such a thing lie in social and political pressures, and a lack of standardised education in their mother tongue.
However, despite these challenges, ongoing initiatives are being undertaken to preserve Vlach heritage, including folklore, songs, and oral storytelling.
#4 Vlachs’ Culture
Traditionally, Vlach communities have been rural and patriarchal, with a strong emphasis on family ties, agriculture, and seasonal migrations.
In the past, many Vlachs worked as shepherds and led a pastoral lifestyle that included oral creativity. These creeds and customs were passed down through generations.
Here are some of the most essential Vlachs’ cultural elements:
- Folk songs and ballads
- Traditional dress, worn on special occasions or celebrations
- Customs around birth, marriage, and death
- Patron saint days or slava
But perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of Vlach culture is the belief in magic.
#5 What Is Vlach Magic?
In the popular imagination of many Serbs, Vlach magic (Serbian: vlaška magija) is something deeply mysterious, powerful, and often dangerous.
It is a central part of the region’s folklore.
There are many stories about healers, curses, spells, and supernatural knowledge associated with, often elderly, Vlach women, called vračare.
In search of sensationalist stories, numerous media outlets show Vlach magic in bizarre ways.
Vlach magic is a set of folk practices, rituals, and beliefs that are characteristic of the Vlach people. It is rooted in pre-Christian and pagan traditions. It represents a combination of deep herbal knowledge, symbolism, timing, and carefully chosen words.
Some authors explain Vlach magic like this:
People are active participants in the circular processes of nature – death and birth, light and darkness, fertility and barrenness, summer and winter, health and illness, joy and sorrow, and more. That is why many Romanian/Vlach rituals are focused on the early morning, the rising of the Sun, when a person actively helps the Sun to rise with rituals, and thus the forces of good have won, and the day can begin, life continues. On the other hand, man actively (magically) fights against the forces of darkness, barrenness, and death by “expelling” the aforementioned through sound, ritual water, eating ritual food, reconciliation, tolerance, and dance.
Today, people go to Vlachs’ grandmothers to ask for advice and help and usually approach Vlach rituals with a dose of awe.
Why Are People Afraid of Vlach Magic?
The fear of Vlach magic comes from its mystical character and the perception that it “works”.
People usually don’t want to talk about it and choose to stay away.
On the one hand, Vlach magic is considered mysterious because it is not known who uses it or how. On the other hand, it is believed that it is connected to nature and that the ambiguity comes from the fact that people living in the city are increasingly moving away from nature and the countryside.
However, Vlasch rituals have never stopped gaining attention, so there are many documentaries, YouTube clips, books and articles about it.
Conclusion
We can say that every question about Who are Vlachs actually opens a ton of other topics to explore and discuss.
But one thing is certain – beyond the main question lies rich culture, history and heritage.
If you decide to visit Serbia or the Balkans, don’t limit your visit to capital cities only; Balkan countries can offer you a unique blend of different perspectives.
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Sources:
Vlasi – Wikipedija / Википедија
Ko su Vlasi zapravo? | Poreklo, Magija, Jezik i Vera 🥇
Vlasi danas – jezik, kultura, identitet – NG Portal
Влашки обредни хлеб — Википедија
Photos: Pixabay / Pexels
