Resumen de An anthropological approach of popular culture and ideology of the miners in the apuseni
This paper proposes an anthropological approach to popular culture (mythology, beliefs, superstitions) in the Apuseni Mountains in order to emphasize the local ideology regarding gold exploitation. The subject seemed important to me when, during some recent fieldwork research at Ro.ia Montana, a village with a history closely linked to mining, I identified spectacular forms of old beliefs and superstitions� reinterpretation in the social imaginary. In recent years, in the context of Romanian transfer towards A capitalist economy, a mining company proposed a very controversial mining project for the exploitation of mineral resources aiming to deplete this gold deposit in a period of 16-17 years. A part of the inhabitants opposed to this mining project. I identified in their discourse certain expressions of immemorial superstitions about the inhabitants� relationship with the area�s mineral resources, as well as beliefs about the way these resources could be used so that their lives and wealth would not be endangered. I will analyze the mining legends, myths and superstitions, identifying the elements that could represent the nucleus of the superstitions about the impossibility of exploiting the resources by an outsider who, consequently, is not worth benefitting from these resources. Our conclusion is that the traditional culture of the mining area from the Apuseni Mountains is articulated on a temperance ethics regarding exploitation of gold mineral resources. In the context of the new gold mining project, a part of the inhabitants have built an imaginary that has filtered their beliefs, superstitions and hopes.
