Household, Rădești, Galati 1/2 sec. XIX
Rădeşti Village, part of the Commune with the same name, is situated in the northern part of Galaţi County, in the ethnographic area of Covurlui Plateau.
The household, comprised of a house, a kitchen with larder and a maize barn, belonged to a wealthy shepherd family originating in the south of Transylvania, which settled in Rădeşti in the first half of the 19th century.
The building technique of the house is specific to the south of Moldavia: the walls are made of acacia forks driven into the ground, between which the horizontal elements of the frame are fastened, as well as vertical stakes. Over this wooden frame, the cob is daubed, a mixture of soil and straws. The walls are plastered and then whitewashed. Since the beginning of the last century, the reed roof coverings started to be replaced by tiles.
The house has three rooms: a median foyer, a living room and a guest room (good room). The interior arrangement takes into account both the area specifics (fabrics, household ceramic pots) and the history of the house (one can see in the good room Toma Porumb’s flute and whistle). At the same time, there are objects on display that illustrate some of the transformations which have occurred in the rural life over the past century (sewing machine, portable wind up gramophone, radio).
The most representative figure of the family was Toma Porumb (1882-1968), nicknamed “The Shepherd” (like his father before him), a name, obviously, related to the occupation and the origin of the family. Toma was also a skilled master – he cut his own clothes and made musical instruments on which he played with great virtuosity. He was a prominent personality in the village, through the multiple spiritual kin relationships in which he entered – together with his wife Jeniţa, he acted as spiritual parent in wedding over 50 young couples and baptizing over 70 children.
The household and the entire heritage were donated to the museum in 2008 by Costache Porumb, Toma's son-in-law, and by his two daughters, Victoria Ciobotaru and Eugenia Bejan. The inauguration took place in 2015.The household with all its patrimony were donated to the museum in 2008 by Costache Porumb, Toma’s son-in-law, and by his two daughters, Victoria Ciobotaru and Eugenia Bejan. The inauguration took place in 2015.
