Heves megyei aprónyomtatványok 9/ZC
There is an ethnographic group of Hungarians called "Palóc" in the valleys and flats of the Hungarian Mountain of Medium Height. Their History, idiom, customs and traditions are different from the surrounding ethnic groups, from Hungarians and Slovaks. The biggest part of them live in Hungary and a smaller group live in the South of Slovakia, but in the scientific researches, Palóc-es from Hungary are better known. The ethnic group - may be estimated to half a million people - is divided into many parts in point of ethnography, but their centre is the Mátra and the surroundings. The similar ethnic groups are within 50-100 km-s round to the East, West, and South. There are " Barkó "-s in the East, and people from the foot of Zobor mountain in the West, in Slovakia. The features characterizing the surrounding ethnic groups are best known in the Mátra country, which is a Palóc ethnical and cultural centre. One of these special feature is the folk-speech, that people speak in some towns in Palóc-land today. The Palóc dialect differs from the standard language in pronouncing the "a" and "á" sound. This is - according to the linguists - a relic from an early period of sound-history, which was once typical. The name of the ethnic group - Palóc - is a word of Slav origin, means "Kun" (one of the Hungarian ethnic groups). Perhaps their environment called them like this. The Palóc-es most likely had Turk origin, like some of the Hungarian conquering tribes. The ancestors of present-day Palóc groups belonged to the Aba- clan and lived in the territory of the Egerer Episcopate in the East of Upper Northern Hungary. Most people in this area are Roman Catholic, a small part is Presbyterian. It is important from the point of view of the social division, that there were many lower nobbles living there, who worked as serfs. These things had great influence on the culture and temper of the population. The way of living and agriculture was determined by geographic fundamentals: the hilly country, the forest, which was modified by industry and mining. The oldest popular buildings were made of wood. This technique - which disappeared in the 18th century - is visible in Balassagyarmat and Párád, by living-houses, farm-buildings as museums. One of the features of the Palóc living-houses was the wooden pillar stayed in the middle called "Blessed Virgin s Tree", which was taken as a ritual object. The way they used their house was typical. The female members of the family slept in a separate place. In the old times, furniture were made at home, furnishing consisted of a simple bench and a table with big drawer. In the middle of the 19th century the style of painted furnishing began. The open-worked carved chairs and benches are particularly beautiful. Original Palóc products are the wedding-brioches, which are sometimes decorated with bands or gingerbreads. The once various, coloured female wearing is not used today, but it is still used on festivals, for example the Mátra country gold-laced bonnets, the Nógrád County tailed bonnets, and the embroidered white shawls of Boldog village. The most characteristic events of the rich folk-customs are recognizable in festivals too. These popular feasts show the late fashioning of the Palóc consciousness. Ferenc Bakó Academic Doctor
