Dakian is a great collector of legends. He is irrepressibly optimistic, signing all his emails “Sunny Days!"

Smithsonian Magazine

What they say about me in the media

Dakian dreams that these small museums will raise interest in the Land of Hatzeg. [...] He and Laura wrote a major proposal that won Sacel Castle a place on a list of cultural sites to be funded by the government. [...] He imagines a Transylvania where village women can sell their embroidery at a fair price to tourists, where kids know their history and where Nopcsa is not forgotten.
Vanessa Veselka
Smithsonian Magazine

Dakian llego a España desde la evocadora Transilvania hace 10 meses sin apenas conocer nuestra lengua. Ahora lo domina con sorprendente fluidez y se ha empapado de las viejas historias populares del San Vicente más mágico que le cautivó desde la lejanía, hasta tal punto que es capaz de convertirse en el divulgador y difusor de este patrimonio.
Vicente Cortabitarte
El Diario Montañés

Dakian is a passionate collector of legends and a connoisseur of the history of Transylvania. [...] He has spent the last few years doing research and promoting the most important historical, traditional, scientific and natural landmarks of the Land of Hatzeg. [...] The great writer, passionate about history, Dacian Muntean [...] who created the 'LegendaRoom' museums in Transylvania.
Ciprian Rus
Formula AS Magazine

I was quite the cute little blondie, wasn’t I?

I was born in Transylvania around four decades and a half ago, and spent my childhood there—among age-old legends and tales of vampires. I never did come across Dracula, though…

I went on to study Psychology and Pedagogy at university, with dreams of one day becoming a director of sorts—someone who would change the world through creative approaches to education. I pursued that path for a good while, and eventually, I had what many would consider an ideal life: a secure role as Programmes Director for a major international NGO, an innovative and internationally recognised educational method I’d developed, a generous salary—the full package we’re often told we should strive for.
And yet, I reached a point where I couldn’t quite see myself continuing down that road for the rest of my life.

So, I made the decision to leave it all behind and follow a different dream. I chose to travel, to collect and share the remarkable stories and legends of the people I meet and the places I discover. I began writing books and taking photographs. Some say I’m quite the storyteller—and the journey is only just beginning…

P.S. I now live in Cantabria, that fascinating region in the north of Spain—and I’d really appreciate it if you called me Dakian, with a “k”.

My work, my preciiouuuusss

Books

Mainly legends, but not only. Take a look!

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Educational Methods

Non-formal. Great results. Also lots of fun.

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Photography

Visual storytelling & special moments

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Featured

On documentaries, articles and projects

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What people from different countries think and say about me & my work

A few weeks ago, I met a Transylvanian writer. [...] His book 'Cantabrian Legends' is amongst the best of its kind. I found his biography fascinating.
Her Excellency, Chief Princess Mrs Nwanne Campo: (UN AmbP), Osodieme of Awka Kingdom in Anambra State, Nigeria |

Dakian aims to protect, preserve and pass on to future generations this part of Cantabrian intangible cultural heritage that is slowly forgotten and in danger of being lost. (Dakian pretende proteger, preservar y transmitir a las generaciones futuras esta parte del patrimonio cultural inmaterial cántabro que se olvida lentamente y está en peligro de perderse.)
Cantabria24horas.com: Newspaper |

It was with many different looks that I admired your presentation. [...] I first would like to compliment you on a very clever style to get your main points across. It was extremely well done. [...] It is clear that the philosophy you are using is very child friendly and is admirable in how it is structured. But, what really impressed me the most was the exceptional warmth and positive energy you clearly had for the work and for the kids you work with. (About ALE - Attractive Living Education Method, at the QAC Conference, Prague 2011)
Frank Delano: American LMSW, former Director of the JBFCS Institute for Child Care, President of Professional Package Consulting Inc.

He takes fabulous photos. I have some taken by him and I keep them safe. No doubt he really knows how to do his job. (Hace unas fotos fabulosas, yo tengo algunas suyas y las guardo en buen lugar. Sin duda sabe hacer muy bien su trabajo.)
Emilio Monagas Reigadas: Spanish triathlete & multiple champion

'Cantabrian Legends' - a different vision about the history of our town. An entertaining reading with many facts and curiosities. I liked it. ('Leyendas Cántabras' - una visión diferente sobre la historia de nuestra villa. Una lectura entretenida con muchos datos y curiosidades. Me ha gustado.)
José Ramón Lengomín González: Cantabrian author & comics artist

Dacian has achieved a great performance by bringing together documents that are often hard to find, scattered across Europe. [...] He researched the archives of libraries and collections of several museums, searching for and finding Nopcsa's journals and writings in Romania, Albania, Austria and Hungary. He undertook important travels, studied documents, translated them and selected from thousands of pages, those who best define the spirit of the baron. [...] The book happily completes a gap in the Romanian historiography.
Gheorghe Grün: Romanian inventor, author & art critic |

I was amazed of how this gentleman has already written a book of legends of San Vicente, in only 10 months, because it's pretty hard to find such amount of information... I admire the courage he has had in doing this. (A mí me llamaba la atención como en 10 meses este señor ha ya escrito sobre San Vicente unas leyendas. Es difícil encontrar tanta información… Admiro la valentía que ha tenido al hacer esto.)
Mario Hortigüela: Spanish Miniature Artist