A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Ethnographicae 2. (Szeged, 1998)

Hankóczi Gyula: XX. századi dudások Csongrád megyében és szomszédságában

Twentieth Century Bagpipers in Csongrád County and its Neighbourhood GYULA HANKÓCZI The Great Plain is the largest geographical region of Hungary. It is inhabited by Hungarians and numerous other ethnic groups endowing the region with diverse culture. Studies have been published about the folk instruments of this area while a thorough monography is still required. From his manuscript dealing with the history, folkloristics, types, music, proverbs and beliefs of the pipes in the Great Plain in this article the author concentrates on the pipers themselves. Presenting the bagpipers' biographical data, social status and connections, area of activity, appreciation, etc. he proves that this instrument with centuries-long history had survived more stubbornly and longer than it was indicated in previous studies. The Great Hungarian Plain is a huge area and on numerous places the bagpipers disappeared in fact at the turn of the century (or even earlier). On other places, however, like in the towns of Mohács, Szeged, Hódmezővásárhely, Szegvár and Gyula and their neighbouring areas, also in certain districts of the territory called Kiskunság there were active bagpipers in the middle of our century. 184