#Exhibit of the Month

It is a sports trophy obtained at an inter-school oina (a bat-and-ball game) competition in interwar Bessarabia. We don't know which schools participated in this competition, nor the venue, we only know that one of the winners received the second prize and that the event was held on May 13, 1934. In this way we learn about the existence of different sports competitions organized by schools, including the oina game. Oina is a beautiful and complex sports game that promotes the development of body and spirit, courage and the desire for self-improvement. Oina is a treasure of the Romanian people, which must be sacredly kept and passed on to future generations.

The oină or hoina game is considered a Romanian national sports game having a history of at least six centuries. The oina game is practiced continuously, according to the chronicles and deeds of the time at least from the 14th century, being mentioned for the first time in 1364, during the reign of Vlaicu Vodă. The game requires complex sports qualities (good running speed, fast reflexes in self-defense movements against the balls, accuracy in throwing and hitting the ball with a bat or stick). Oina is a sport that identifies us to the same extent as trânta, our national wrestling. The game becomes attractive among young people in the villages, enters the school curriculum through physical education lessons. Through the Education Reform of 1898, as well as through other ministerial decisions, Education Minister Spiru Haret introduces the compulsory oina lessons in all schools, as well as the annual oina competitions.

On May 9, 1899, in Bucharest, the first national oina championship was organized, the teams being made up of high school students. The winner was the team of Nicolae Bălcescu High School from Brăila.

In 1912, the Federation of the Romanian Sports Society (Bucharest) was created, which consisted of 13 sports commissions including the oina commission.

After the Union of 1918, the Federation of the Romanian Sports Society was reorganized in 1923, including the other oina sports commissions of Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia.

In 1932, the Romanian Oina Federation was founded.

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National Museum of History of Moldova

Events Archive

Yearly session of scientific papers of the National Museum of History of Moldova, the 24th edition

October 16th and 17th, 2014

On October 16^th and 17^th, 2014 was held the yearly session of scientific papers of the National Museum of History of Moldova, the 24^th edition. Eighty researches attended the session, among them university professors from Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, France, Romania and sixty two papers were presented in three sections: Archaeology and Ancient History, Medieval and Modern History, Contemporary History and Valorification of museum heritage.

The event was opened by a welcome speech by the general director of the museum, dr. hab. Eugen Sava, followed by greetings by remarkable personalities of science and culture - dr. Ion Gumenîi, dean of History Department of the State University of Moldova, Mihai Ursu, director of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, dr.hab. Oleg Levițki, director of the Institute of Cultural Heritage of the Academy of Sciences and dr. Gheorghe Cojocaru, director of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences.

Two issues of Tyragetia, 2014 were launched as part of the event. Dr. Aurel Zanoci and dr.hab. Elena Ploșnița introduced the journal to the present public pointing out that it is a reference publication which, despite some limitations, presents the results which characterize the valuable contribution of authors in important fields of history, archaeology and museology.

Three papers were presented at the plenary session by Marius Alexianu and Roxana-Gabriela Curcă, Ana Grițco and Lăcrămioara Stratulat. The thematic of the presentations was diverse and focused on problems of Romanian intangible heritage, archaeological research, industrial heritage and World War I deltiology.

In the afternoon of October 16^th and October 17^th the session was held in three sections. The thematic of the papers was complex, interesting by extent and problematic, provoking discussions and debates.

The scientific session of the museum was closed with a session summarizing the results and its success with the most interesting and unusual topics to be published in the museum journal Tyragetia. Also, the concluding session was expressed the hope that the museum will organize the 25^th edition of this prestigious scientific forum next year in October 2015.