Liszka József (szerk.): Az Etnológiai Központ Évkönyve 2000-2001 - Acta Ethnologica Danubiana 2-3. (Dunaszerdahely-Komárom, 2001)
1. Tanulmányok - Danglová, Ol'ga: Az etnicitás mint a lokális és regionális identitás összetevője
a special group. Thus, the spatial islands shown on the map are both a reflection of stereotypes in the material-visual sphere, and also a reflection of deeper symbols, emotions and conceptual contents, touching the local consciousness of difference connected with consciousness of ethnic and religious identity. Locally centred models of thinking were expressed in raised perceptiveness towards cultural differences between their own and another group, and in assessment of the individual as an inhabitant of a particular village or district. This was the source of designations as Haviari- used for inhabitants of the villages in the neighbourhood of Banská Štiavnica, Podturianci- used for inhabitants of Litava, Senohrad and Dačov Lom, Vrchári - the designation for inhabitants of the villages of Uhliská, Rudno, Dekýš, Krekáči - the inhabitants of a large group villages around Krupina, Čilejkári - inhabitants of the villages around Levice (Hont: 1988,454). When referring to the general area of the southern part of Hont, the Slovaks used the designation of direction na Maďari (towards the Magyars). This included Slovak communities in the south of the county, as well as Hungarian villages. The Hungarians living in the County of Hont designated themselves huntyiak, in relation to the Hungarians living east of the county (Kosa 1990, 300). The lesser nobility - zemania, kisnemesek- formed a special group among the inhabitants of Hont. They lived in some Slovak villages - Cerovo, Hontiansky Vrbovok, Žemberovce - as well as in Hungarian villages, in the area about 20-25 km south and east of Levice. The lesser nobility was mostly Calvinist in religion. This was clearly indicated by the local female costume characterized by restrained colours and by the wearing of black silk items. Even bride’s wedding dresses were entirely black. Although from the point of view of property, the yeomen hardly differed from the middle or higher peasant farmers, the difference of status was declared in social contact, difference of dress, differently situated house facades, living in curiae. (Hont: 1988, 441) Paládi-Kovács Atttila points to the special patriotism of the Hungarian lower nobility and its strong national consciousness, precisely in rural areas, where members of the Hungarian nobility lived among people from other ethnic groups (Paládi- Kovács 1996, 38-39). The map recording the distribution of decorative elements on folk costume in Hont also presents information about the relatively large spatial distribution of folk costume of the newer type, characterized by elements of the town clothes of the end of the 19th century in materials and design. This “urbanized” type of costume was worn especially by the Hungarian population, living mostly in the southern and western areas of Hont, although also in some Slovak yeoman villages near Levice. In the Slovak villages, traditional costume of the older type still prevailed in the first half of the 20th century. Its characteristics included wearing of garments made from home made white linen, a straighter rather than puffy line of the clothing and rich application of decoration. Knowledge of decorative weaving and various techniques of embroidery was widespread among the women, and reached a high level of technical maturity. This was also a reason why it attracted the attention of collectors and experts, who initially concentrated their interest especially on embroidery from the area of Krupina, mainly that which came from the villages of Senohrad and Bzovik. It was exhibited at the World Exhibition at Vienna in 1873, and the Czecho-Slavonic Ethnographic Exhibition — Národopisná výstava českoslovanskä - at Prague in 1895. Designs for it were 89
