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| Apuseni Mountains Photo: Wikipedia |
In Rosia
Montana, the county of Alba, Tica Darie, a 25-year old entrepreneur, saw locally
produced merino wool and artisan knitting skills as a source of golden opportunity,
fleeced from the flock of merino sheep and turned into socks, sweaters,
scarves, and other accessories that the fashionably young and other customers could
wear. The label is Made in Rosia Montana.
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| Rosia Montana Photo: Wikipedia |
Rosia
Montana is the same village that was embroiled in a bitter battle in 2013
between western developers who wanted to dynamite four mountains and flood the
village and its waters with cyanide in order to extract the rich vines of gold,
the miners who wanted such development, and the rest of the village who wanted
to preserve their beautiful area, unspoiled by gold mining. The young
entrepreneur, Tica Darie, was caught in the middle and suffered at times physical
and verbal threats and the wrath of the miners.
Darie realized
that people were being forced to sell their ancestral lands and, in some cases,
expropriated from their homes by the government eager to cash in on the western
gold development “bonanza.”
Darie felt
compelled to help the locals who wanted to save their village. He ran marathons
and participated in bike tours across Europe to Rosia Montana, in order to draw
attention to the plight of the villagers. He even biked 2533 km from Copenhagen
to Rosia Montana, carrying the Romanian flag.
Applying the
skills he learned in Denmark in multi-media design, Darie made videos and
developed sites for his own online store. Ever the optimist, the future looks
bright for this young entrepreneur. He moved to Rosia Montana four years ago
and, in the meantime became a father to a beautiful little girl and bought a
property for his shop which he is going to restore.
“You have to become a responsible citizen, no
matter where you live,” said Darie. There are now signs permanently attached to
the front of homes stating, “This property is not for sale.” http://recorder.ro/antreprenoriatul-salveaza-rosia-montana/
In the
battle between those seeking gold in the veins of the mountain and those who
wanted to remain in their own beds and their own homes, surrounded by beautiful
and pristine mountains, peace has settled over the poor village for now. When Darie
becomes successful in his enterprise, fifty or more families will have a chance
to make a living with dignity and suitable pay, not slave wages.
Rosia
Montana has lost half of its population since the Revolution of 1989 when
communism “fell.” There are ruins everywhere for sure, some from the communist
era, others homes bought by the Gold Corporation and left to sink into the
ground, and even houses abandoned by their former owners who were bought out and
now these ruins are inhabited by rats. But there are homes left that are maintained
with pride by their owners.
The entire
village had been slated to become a decanting lake for the Gold Corporation.
The gas station, post office, the bank, mobile phone office and few but scarce amenities
are scattered here and there. Generations across centuries guarded their pastoral
lifestyle with pride.
It is
certainly not an easy place to start a business but the perennial optimist Darie
is undaunted and hopes to succeed with Made
in Rosia Montana for the sake of his adopted home. It will take a millennial
with determination, gratitude and honor like Darie to make it happen. http://bit.ly/2z3P4bY
Very informative. Thank you Ileana.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Bill.
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