Horváth Attila – Solymos Ede szerk.: Cumania 2. Ethnographia (Bács-Kiskun Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei, Kecskemét, 1974)

J. Vorák: Kolompár Kálmánné kiskunhalasi cigányasszony kézimunkái

6. Mrs. Kálmán Kolompár's self-made bodice with Kalocsa embroidery on the sleeve and applied, factory-made „Dirndl" trimming on the bosom Thorma János Museum, 68.9.1. 6. Kolompár Kálmánná magakészítette ingválla,ujján kalocsai hímzéssel, mellén gyári dirndl rátéttel Thorma János Múzeum, 68.9.1. What can one consider a common gipsy tradition in Mrs. Kolompár's adorinng activity and what can be regarded as a common taste expressed by it? Undeniably also our Kiskunhalas gipsies did have and still do have a specific taste. This is even shown in the gipsy way they wear the utterly foreign garments. In the cut of foreign materials (cf. the skirts) and in the application of the accessory elements one can meet with this autochthonous taste at every step. From quite foreign elements our gipsies have formed specifically gipsy articles of wear. There is a quite deep-rooted gipsy taste to be observed here. Whether the adorning activity of Mrs. Kolompár can be considered as one individually expressing gipsy taste and as being thus some kind of a work of the community, a popular product, is another question. Once more one can refer to Mária Kresz who, when examining the interrelation of the community and the individual, says in her work just mentioned: ,, . . . Still, both the appliers and the creators of common traditions are individuals." As to the Hungarian popular originals of Mrs. Kolompár's bodices, to them fully applies what Gertrud Palotay tells about the expression of taste to be discovered in popular clothes: ,, . . .these garments new and strange to them, people jout on in the same way as they did the oldertype ones to which they have got accustomed . . ." Naturally, all this can be referred (inly to clothes complying with the common popular taste. Gertrud Palotay quotes Iianika: ,, . . . in the hands of the people the forms descending from above are like uncut fabric of which, by its transforming power it cuts what is expressing its paragons and intentions." In further parts of her work Gertrud Palotay states: 180