Itt-Ott, 1990 (23. évfolyam, 114-117. szám)

1990 / 115. szám

the name strengthens the child’s soul, and if the child is sickly, its name may be changed to one that will make it stronger. The Navajo use the name as a charm to drive off evil, for they believe it has strong magic power which will help its owner out of difficulties. Consequently, it should not be used except in emergencies, for its power may wear out (Boas 1938, 450)

Methodology

The fieldwork was conducted in the Summer of 1989 at Egyházasradóc, population 1600, a village in western Hungary.

In the past, the people of this village were smallholder peasants. In the 1950’s, their land was confiscated by the government and became part of “cooperatives.” Consequently, at present most families own only a small plot of garden, and, according to government policy, they must work in the cooperatives. Informants other than peasants included carpenters, blacksmiths, shopkeepers, the Calvinist minister, municipal clerks, and lower echelon Communist officials. Interviews were held with sixty people, most of whom were Calvinists; others were Catholics, while still others professed no religious affiliation. The ages of the interviewees ranged from 30 to 84 years. Questions to the informants included: Who are chosen as godparents? Are they consanguines, Active relatives, or affines? Who chooses the godchildren’s names? How old are the children when they are christened, or when the namegiving ceremony is held? What kinds of presents are given the child by the godparents or namegiving parents? What are the past and present customs related to christening and namegiving? What are the responsibilities of godparents and namegiving parents to their godchildren? What are the duties and obligations of the godchildren to their godparents? Does an amiable relationship always exist between the child’s parents and godparents or namegiving parents?

Old Customs

According to old customs, it is believed that without being christened “the devil can exchange or harm the child” (Szendrey n.d., 161). After birth, the mother or the infant’s maternal grandmother bathed the child in “clean water.” Before bathing, she sprinkled some water on the child in the form of the cross. Afterwards, the girl child was dressed in a man’s shirt, the boy child in a woman’s skirt. The purpose of this was to deceive the evil spirit, who would thus be unable to bewitch the child (Kozár 1988, 51). For fear of the devil and the evil spirit, the child must never be left alone, nor presented to any strangers. The belief was that no one should admire or behold the child, lest he be bewitched. Rather, if someone cast a glance on the child, he had to say “how ugly you are, and spit on the floor” (Hoppál & Tátrai 1982, 265).

In the past, children were bom at home, with the help of the midwife. The infant was christened usually a few days later, but if he was weak or sick, the christening was performed by the midwife. The reason for the hastened christening was that the child would not die a pagan, since, if no holy water touched the child, no clergyman would bury him (Kertész 1989, 67). Until the

child was christened, no one might mention his or her intended name. Instead, among Hungarians, everyone referred to the infant as “the little one,” “the little pagan,” or as “the one who knows nothing” (Szendrey n.d., 161), and among the Slovenes as “my little star,” “my golden one,” and “my little darling” (Kertész 1989, 65).

In many parts of Hungary, before the christening ceremony the child was not taken out of the house, “lest the devil harm him” (Kertész 1989, 65). Godparents were usually invited by a male relative, the koma-caller, who chose people who were the same age as the parents of the infant, and had the same or more wealth than the parents. To refuse godparenthood was shameful, and those who had several godchildren considered the honor with great pride (Avas 1972, 3). In the 15th century, a child had only one set of godparents (Schramm 1957, 135), later several (Vakarcs 1951, 31).

If the first child was a boy, he got his father’s name; if a girl, she was named after her mother. Subsequent children were given the name of consanguines, affines, or of important dignitaries (Szendrey n.d., 161). The child’s dead brother’s or sister’s name was never given again. The names were always saints’ or biblical names, or those which appeared in the calendar.

The christening ceremony was usually held early in the morning or early in the afternoon on a holiday or a Sunday. However, Friday or Good Friday christening was usually avoided (Szendrey n.d., 161). It was the custom that after the christening ceremony the party returned home by a different route than the one they took to the church, so that the child would be lucky in life (Novák 1943, 180). During the journey home, the child was handed from one person to another, so that in adulthood it would be easy for him or her to find a husband or a wife (Szendrey n.d., 161). The mother was never present at the christening ceremony. She stayed at home. When the party arrived at the house with the newly christened infant, the godmother knocked three times on the door. When the mother opened the door, she asked: “What did you bring?” The godmother answered: “We took a little pagan, and brought back a Christian” (Novák 1943, 180; Kertész 1989, 69).

Until the beginning of the 15th century, a child was allowed to have one set of godparents. After 1460, three sets of godparents were permitted (Schramm 1957, 135). If the child had several godparents, one couple was designated as most important, főkoma. Their name was entered in the church registry, they paid the priest or minister for the christening service, and gave the child its christening attire. Also, the godfather gave money and the godmother gave underwear for the child. These presents were called kolozsma. As the children were growing, the only present they received from their godparents was a few red-colored eggs at Easter (Kozár 1988, 51).

For a few days before the mother was well enough to look after her newborn, the godmother brought food (komatál), which consisted of chicken soup, roast rooster if the child was a boy, roast hen if it was a girl, cooked and raw meat, sweet, yeast-raised bread, puffed pastries, wine, and plum or apricot brandy (Lévainé 1963, 230).

After the christening, a pasita was held by the ITT-OTT 23. évf. (1990), nyári (115.) szám 33