Voices of Rudari Women From Filiaşi (Romania) in the Context of Conversion to Pentecostalism

Abstract

Voices of Rudari women from Filiaşi (Romania) in the Context of Conversion to Pentecostalism. The present article examines conversion to Pentecostalism among Rudari women in post-socialist Eastern Europe. The case study focuses on a Rudari ethnic community located in a small town in southern Romania and shows that Rudari women assume a dual role: one involves preserving the interplay between Pentecostalism and local culture, while the other entails initiating conversion among men. Women facilitate conversion through visions, dreams, or manifestations of illness, which position them as gatekeepers who translate Pentecostalism into the local cultural context. Furthermore, women serve as guides for men undergoing conversion, playing a vital role in bridging the gap between Rudari traditions and the Pentecostal culture. They demonstrate proficiency in interpreting Pentecostal ecstatic phenomena within their predominantly male community, with their voices serving as mediators throughout the conversion process (Brusco, 2010). Similarly, women act as “therapists,” facilitating men’s conversion and addressing issues related to the transformation of traditional notions of masculinity. Keywords: Pentecostalism, Romania, Boyash studies, cultural transformation, conversion narratives, gender, ethnography