20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

Childbirth and related rituals, in Albania... 467710. God parenthood of first haircut forbids intermarriage generationafter generation between the families, brotherhoods, and descendants of thechild and the godfather and godmother.711. The status of godmother is like the status of bride, just as thebride goes to her parent’s house at times specified by the Canon, so thegodmother goes to the godfather’s house at specified times.712. The time specified by the Canon for the godmother’s visit is onemonth before Shrovetide (të Lidhunash).713. The godmother may not stay more than five days, the number ofdays for the godmother’s visit to the godfather must always be odd, nevereven, three or five. (Kanun of Lekë, 1989: God parenthood of first haircut,p. 146)The ceremony of such haircut is expressed as bellows in the Canon ofLeke Dukagjini.The ceremony of the first haircut, according to the Canon714. The man who cuts the hair is called the godfather.715. The mother of the boy or girl whose hair is cut called the godmother.716. The boy or girl whose hair is cut is called the godson or goddaughter.717. The godfather and the godmother is considered as brother andsister, and are treated as members of each other’s family.718. If the boy or girl has not yet reached the age of one, his or her hairis not cut.719. If the child dies without having had its first haircut, it may notbe buried in the earth. The man who was to act as godfather must besummoned, if he lives too far away, he must cut the hair of another childwho must not be the same brotherhood or clan as the dead child. 2720. The hair of the boy must be cut by a man that of a girl, by awomen.721. The parents of the boy or girl whose hair is cut must prepare thebest food they are able to provide, in order to honor the godparent.722. The godfather must come with one of his good friends.723. Three or four comrades are invited to participate in the rejoicingof the family.2‟Proserpina had not yet taken a golden lock of hair from her head. The Greeks andthe Romans used to believe that no one was able to die unless Proserpina had taken a leachof hair from the dying person, as a sacred first offering to herself and the dead. Apollowas Phiobos of the unhorn hair” *Iliad, XX, 39. Plutarch *Vita Thesei, V tells us that inthe days of Theseus, “It was the custom for those who were passing from childhood tomanhood to go to Delphi and offer there their fruits to the god.” Jane Ellen Harrison,Themis, Cambridge, 1927: 441.