Hungarian customs, Hungarian national

clothing

Hungarian national clothing

ShirtsThe old Hungarians liked the long shirt, but this was replaced by the short shirt, and remained at the Csángó culture only. In some areas, the girls’ shirts left the breasts, the stomach and the back open; which were covered by a linen belt. There are places where a linen jacket substitutes the female shirt.

Skirts

The skirts were developed from aprons. In certain

regions the women and the men wore aprons.

Elsewhere it was only the women that wore aprons.

Pants

The pants were sewed with the same cut in the whole country. The everyday pants were made of a rougher substance, and they were narrower than the festive ones. In winter the pants turned into an underwear, and this method helped by not having to always make new clothing. The shepherds used greasy pants for the dirty work. The soldiers and the pandour wore a blue uniform, which had a big effect on the plain shepherds', park-keepers', servants' behaviour.

MoustacheThe men were proud of their moustaches, and they cultivated it carefully, which were sheared with scissors. The pointed moustache was worn by noblemen and soldiers, until the common also took a liking to this style. (This style of facial hair was banned at the end of the 18. century. In the second part of the 19. century the twirled moustache became widespread, and it was liked and worn on the Alföld mostly. It was brushed to have a pointed end.)

Hair-do The length of the hair-do changed many times in men’s appeareance. For example, the Hungarian conquerors regularly had short cut hair, but after the uptake of Christianity the Hungarian men grew their hair. The hair was usually braided, and tied into a knot. The cutting of the hair according to some peoples’ beliefs meant the mutiltation of a man.

The women traditionally had long hair. The only reason they cut their hair, was out of punishment. To the amplification of the bonnet in some areas it was a habit to cut a part of the woman's hair off. Only the girls could wear their hair entailed and let out. Their hair was often braided; the braid or braids were decorated with ribbons.The women pinned their hair up compulsorily, or it was wrapped in a bundle.

Regölés: The winter singing, which is a folk custom, occurs on the Dunántúl mostly. This custom dates from the day after Christmas, until the sixth of January. The minstrels (generally young lads) roam the village, and sing regös songs at all the houses, and receive gifts in exchange. The singing presumably originates and dates back to Hungarian prehistory. The refrain of the regös songs (hey regö I hide it), may originate from the Proto-Hungarian shamans' spell, which they repeated while meditating.

The burning of Kiszebáb

It’s chasing away the cold winter. We revived an old tradition by burning the puppet, which has magic power.It chases away the winter. We prepared the puppet, and the children brought straw and polenta husks. They made a fire for us on the school yard. We explained, that this is an old custom, which we will conjure jointly now.

We used these tools and instruments: rattles, whistles, drums, and noise making objects. Although we had all these devices, the biggest and most effective noise was the children’s, and our voices. We sang, since this was what put an end to the carnival officially, and then the fast began.We enjoyed it very much. It was an unforgettable experience. The snow was melting earlier this year, so we omitted the part which received a big success last year: we wished something, and then jumped over a heap of embers. Lots of people said that their last year's wish was fulfilled.Later that afternoon the sun came out. We succeeded. We chased away the winter.

Easter habits in Hungary

The celebration of Easter in many ways, is connected to the arrival of Spring the renewal, fertility is associated with folk custom treasure. These folk customs do not infiltrate the festive rites of the Christian religion largely, but coexist parallel with them. The ’village-communities' festive habits remained as well. The period before Easter, is an entertainment of an antecedent carnival period that celebrates the defeat of the winter, the arrival of the spring.

The giving of the Easter egg happens on Monday in many countries, In Hungary, it happens on the same day as the Easter watering. The eating of the traditional ham starts already on Saturday evening, at the sealing of the fast. On Easter Sunday besides the ham and eggs, horseradish is served. The festive food of this day is lamb.

In some regions of Hungary, Easter Monday is the day when the watering takes place. In old times, the girls were dragged

to the well, were doused with water, or were taken to the brook, and were soaked. The watering, the ancient ritual of fertility is rooted in the rite of conjuring and cleansing. The

cleansing strength of the water as also found in Christianity is attached to baptism.