Itt-Ott, 1990 (23. évfolyam, 114-117. szám)
1990 / 115. szám
women. No men were present in the house of the newborn during this celebration. At this time, baskets of food, komakosarak, were brought by the godmother, by friends and relatives. In some parts of the country, occasionally, another pasita was held, such as after the harvest, or when the family slaughtered a pig. At this feast, friends, relatives, men and women would participate (Szendrey n.d., 166). When the birthmother was well enough to leave the house, her first journey had to be to the church. While the godparents had obligations to their godchildren, the godchildren in turn had duties and obligations to their godparents. These included helping to take the animals to pasture, helping on the farm, and last but not least, in showing utmost respect. Between the child’s parents and the koma-s {komák) there were also several obligations, which included reciprocal help at harvesting, housebuilding, in animal husbandry, and in any other work which could only be accomplished with extra hands. If the child’s parents and the komák quarreled, the relationship was broken. New Customs Answers from informants revealed that many old practices prevail even today, though in somewhat modified form. As in the past, godparents are chosen from Active relatives, affines, and consanguines, and are called komák. A fifty-five year old informant said that even though it is not customary, and it seldom happens, her godparents are her oldest sister and her husband. The reason is that the informant was the last of seven children, and her mother was forty seven years old when she gave birth to her. The mother, because of her age, was embarrassed to ask anyone else to be godparents to her daughter. Since the collectivization of farmland in the 1950’s, godparents are often chosen not from among relatives and friends, but from among important officials. In the 1950’s, among the namegiving parents were the Premier of Hungary, Mr. Rákosi, and in recent years Mr. Gorbachev, the First Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party. This is done in the hope that these highranking people will contribute financially to their godchildren’s education, or will later help them to obtain work. However, several informants maintained that these hopes seldom became reality. Sixty to seventy year old informants whose godparents were not well to do said that, at christening, they had received presents, such as clothing, and in subsequent years only a few red-colored eggs at Easter. Younger, thirty to forty year old informants, on the other hand, said that today most people try to choose godparents who can afford to give the child expensive christening presents, such as a gold chain, gold earrings, or toys. When children reach their teens, they hope to receive more expensive gifts, such as money, hi-fi’s, cameras, video equipment, and similar valuables. However, only a few godchildren can hope to fulfill their expectations. Today, as in the past, it is disgraceful to refuse godparenthood, consequently, only those people are invited who have reasonable wealth. As a result, some people have twenty or thirty godchildren. 34 ITT-OTT 23. évf. (1990), nyári (115.) szám The relationship between godchildren and godparents has changed in that godchildren seldom help their godparents as they did in the past. Now most farming chores are done with machinery, or the children are at school in the city; however, several parents said that if during vacation help is needed, the children will help out their godparents. Christening customs have many similarities to those of olden days, in that the godmother holds the child during the ceremony and promises to look after its welfare and to its religious upbringing. At present, most children are bom in a hospital, and only if the child is ill will christening take place as soon as possible. Otherwise, the ceremony is usually performed in two or three weeks after the birth, so that, unlike in times past, the mother can also attend the christening. The old custom that the mother’s first visit after the child’s birth must be to the church is practiced only occasionally today. According to informants, this is usually done only after the birth of the first child. Informants stated that since children are not born at home today, many young people, though they know about the old superstitions concerning saving the child from evil and the devil’s influence, they no longer believe in them. On the other hand, many of the old people say they believe in the old customs, because they always worked for the benefit of the child and of the mother. It is still customary for one child to have several godparents, and according to informants, should the child die in infancy, two godmothers carry the coffin to the grave site at the funeral. The relationship between godparents and the godchild’s parents is the same as always was, mutual respect and help. Those who live in the same or in nearby villages often visit each other, and get together at festivals and holidays. If help is needed by either party, they feel obligated to help out. However, if they quarrel, or have reproachable differences, the relationship is severed. Unlike in the past, today a child’s first name need not be a saint’s or a biblical name, they may be foreign names, such as Claudette, Tamara, Richard, Christian, or Clifford. These names are mostly used by the townspeople, but in villages most children are given traditional names. Godparents are still called koma by the parents of the godchildren, and are chosen by the infant’s parents. Under the Communist regime, the practice of religion and religious ceremonies, such as christening, was strongly discouraged, or even forbidden. Through the centuries, Hungarian peasants were deeply religious, and in spite of prohibitions, they christened their children in secret. Since the 1950’s, the government replaced christening with namegiving ceremonies. Namegiving parents can be consanguine and Active relatives or affines. Usually, those people are chosen who can give valuable assistance to the child, or have political influence. Namegiving ceremonies are usually arranged by the officials at the parents’ workplace, or by the Trade Union. As a rule, several children, between three months to three years of age, have their namegiving
