The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1984 (11. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1984-12-01 / 12. szám
SOME ANCIENT CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS IN HUNGARY —by— Tekla Dömötör Hungarian Folk Customs Since the Magyar tribes first settled in Central Europe they were open to many influences which led to the development of the Hungarian Christmas customs. The Catholic religious rites and songs developed in this way during the Middle Ages as did the dramatic elements, like the Christmas plays and the custom of erecting a manger that were implanted by monks and teachers. Popular versions of these customs developed over the centuries. Other rituals of a more magical character were also established in Hungary, like the ceremonial laying of the table at Christmas, the Christmas custom of strewing hay, and of herdsmen carrying switches. The Christmas Tree first appeared in the towns in the 1840's and 50's, but has since spread throughout Hungary. Today, Christmas trees are erected wherever there are children. In some counties of Transylvania, even during the Second World War, presents were brought for the children at New Year by the “bőiden foal". (Whether this is true today, because of the Rumanian suppression of the Hungarian minority in Transylvania, is questionable - Editor) The popular Nativity plays in Hungary are centered around amusing jokes, songs, and acts performed by shepherds dressed in huge fur capes worn inside out. The Nativity players carry a home-made manger with them, or a small house in the shape of a church. Today, it is the children who perform the Nativity plays, except for one or two Szekely villages in Transylvania (?), where grown-up men present the miracle plays, with the peculiar addition of formidable masks made of animal skins worn by shepherds. An example of this is the Csobanolas or Nativity play performed by the Szekelys who moved from Bucovina (Rumania) in the 1940’s and settled in Tolna County. The oldest section of Christmas plays in Hungary are the Latin liturgical plays that were introduced in the 11th century. No texts of medieval Hungarian Christmas plays have survived, but we can follow their devleopment during the Baroque period. The records indicate that in the 17th and 18th centuries, the plays were performed mostly by religious laymen and schoolchildren. From the 19th century onwards, we know of two Page 8 main types of Nativity plays - the play with actors and the play with puppets. The latter is known as the dancing puppet Nativity play and had two regional centers in Hungary, namely Transdanubia and the Upper Tisza region. The most important scene in the Hungarian Nativity play is the pastoral. Puppets in the Nativity play The shepherds asleep in the pasture are awaked by the Angel, who sends them to the newborn baby, Jesus. The main character is a deaf, old shepherd whose amusing misunderstandings form the chief source of humor. The other episodes into the play are as follows: the Holy Family are shown looking for shelter; then the shepherds, accompanied by the Three Magi from the East, are represented taking presents to the Holy Child. The dialogues in each case have regional versions, while the Transdanubian version has retained the names of the shepherds as Titirus, Maksus, and Koridon. The setting of the Christmas table was a particularly popular custom in the Catholic regions of Hungary. In Somogy County, for instance, the table was covered with hay and various objects -combs, whetstones, and knives - were placed on the corners. In the district of Zselicseg, three tablecloths were used and each one had to be placed on the table in an east-westerly direction. Oats, wheat, and corn were mixed together in a breadbasket, then various items of horse gear were placed on top, and then the basket was placed under the table. In many parts of the country, herdsmen used to carry switches to the houses at Christmas time. This custom, which was considered to have magic power, was observed in the villages beside the river Ipoly, for example. During the Christmas fast, cowherds carrying bundles of sticks used to visit all the houses where cows were kept. The women at each house took as many switches from the bundle as they had cows, and then hit the cowherd's legs with them. The carrying of switches was usually accompanied by expressions of goodwill. December, 1984
