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Tirg in Romanian means "Trade"

February 2000:   

Our village empties out on every Thursday as folks head out to the Market and the "Tirg."

This is the view from our family's carutza, or wagon. Though she doesn't know it, the white horse on the right is for sale. She's pregnant and due in a month or so.

Our family already has one 'spare' horse, and no more room in their barn. Plus, tax day is coming when they count all the animals you have...

Matusha (aunt), who has fed this calf three times a day for six weeks must now take her to be sold for meat. (It's been carefully tied down to the cart because it's too young to keep up with the horses.)

If a family has goats...

... or oxen...

... they come to the Tirg.

Here they gather by their wagons, with their crates and their bound beasts, picking, prodding and haggling.

Pigs are shopped for out of crates.

Sometimes they make a run for it.

Sheep are cheaper by the dozen.

The 'buzz' network keeps prices updated.

For 'small deals,' money changes hands on the spot. (Or sometimes traded animals or goods change hands -- corn traded for pigs, hay hauling traded for firewood...)

But if it's a big deal, as it was for our family's horse (7.5 Million Lei, or about $400) then money is exchanged back in the village.

Here, two men count, then turn it over to our family, where the two men count it again.

Then, at once, the animal transfer takes place outside.

This horse had been with our family for seven years, ever since it was a foal. She seemed to know from her owners that this was goodbye....

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Home from the Tirg with less sheep than before.