Hăulit

Hăulit (Romanian pronunciation [hə.uˈlit]) is a vocal genre of Romanian folklore, found mainly in Oltenia, in the southern and eastern foothills of the Carpathians. Various names are found in folk speech, including ăulit, aguguit, and huhurezat.

Hăulit is characterized by an abrupt switch between the chest voice and falsetto, which relates it to the Alpine yodel and allows it to be considered its Romanian equivalent. Historically, it served as a means of sound signaling over long distances, primarily in pastoral environments, and was also used to express emotions, such as the joy of the arrival of spring.

As a rule, hăulit is based on the archaic natural harmonic series and is performed in a free rhythm (rubato). In modern tradition, it is found both as a standalone form (especially in children's folklore) and as characteristic vocal insertions in other genres, such as the doina or folk song.