I prepared a small exhibition for our Asháky at Easter and she got quite sweaty. I have a lot of magazines from the first republic and even older, so I thought it would be simple if I select a few front pages, add views and handiwork, for example – and no!
Imagine, Easter as a theme was absolutely impossible to find. Yes, a few front pages from the 1930s featured bunnies and chicks, and the back page called for housewives to create spring table covers, but spring was all over the place. It was spring holidays everywhere!
No problem, let’s go to children’s publications. Different monthlies for young people, as they were put together by local teachers – and again no customs, traditions, only a few verses for March, dedicated to spring and blossoming nature. I asked acquaintances how they celebrated the holidays, what they remember and what they say to this phenomenon. I already knew that there had been quite a departure from Catholicism since the turn of the century. They, the Falcons, tried hard and scientific and technical progress was on their heels.
But what I did not have witnessed was the decline of faith after the terrible experiences with the First World War and the subsequent Spanish flu. People turned away from God with a logical argument: If he is somewhere, he wouldn’t have allowed this… So they punished him by turning away from him.
On the other hand, in the countryside, a lot of things stayed on, the entire Holy Week, it is said that even the painters of the holy corners came, who whitewashed the corner with the crucifix and the shelf, repaired worn or scratched statues.
So it turned out for me that everyone mainly celebrated the spring holidays, and on top of that was Monday, which belongs to pom poms and eggs, goodies for children. And beware, Monday does not actually belong to the torture and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, ancient paganism and folkism overcame Christianity in its full breadth. However, it was not only a local phenomenon. In the collection of postcards I found some eggs and kittens, even among the Belgian and French ones, but it was not by chance that there would be a lamb of God somewhere. Not even at the turn of the century. Everyone was just looking forward to Monday…
And what about a pom pom as such? Even with that, everyone calmed down. The only reminder of Monday’s violence against girls is the commission in Punťa, where the boys are looking forward to beating the girls, but beware, the happy dog Punťa will end up getting spanked. I always liked that a lot! The second half of the 1930s. In the Youth Tribune, there were several carols next to the spring poem – and also the end. A Christian woman from 1954 only dared to read a tiny article about Jesus inside the paper and otherwise built like a wild woman. During the normalization of 1972, the mention of Easter got into Pionýr only because the children from the ethnographic group, who were photographed there, followed the traditions. Materídouska, Sunshine – just the spring.
Well, what to do, so I took the exhibition honestly according to what I could get my hands on. In order not to detract from folk customs, I exhibited a panel with postcards from the 1950s, when our leading photographers were dedicated to them (and the ethnographic files were greatly supported). The second postcard panel was with the oldest views and the third from the 1970s, when various folk creations and art arose during normalization – by pure chance it gave an almost complete overview of the techniques of decorating Easter eggs. In addition to the ribbons for costumes, which were once made directly in Aša, a “holy corner” was also added to the corner with cats (the day before Palm Sunday, still unsanctified, but sufficiently symbolic) and a few other small things. This time, the leaflet illustrated day by day both the legend and folk customs and traditions. I gave out carols, whatever I found.
The interviews with the visitors were very interesting. I also encountered a gentleman who tried to convince me by argument that the whole legend was illogical and meaningless, as well as a lady who didn’t really understand why I was surprised when Easter is nothing more than a spring holiday and that’s all. They were both extreme and interesting concepts, it’s just a shame that there wasn’t more space for debate and listening. Most people were rather curious about what I had come up with for them and they admired the presented ones. Many ladies don’t like Easter Monday very much, but fortunately it is said to be declining now, only a few acquaintances visit. Mainly because of the children. And guys don’t go overboard with beatings anymore and they don’t even drink alcohol like they used to…
On the other hand, more people go to church than before. It has been possible for a long time and there is nothing strange about it. And anyway, it would be cleaned before spring, so it’s not terrible to have a few nice days. And traditions are not so bad…
They remembered, admired beautiful things, people tuned in for the coming week. That was what it was all about, even though at times I had the feeling that this time was more and more like sand disappearing between my fingers. No, I don’t need anything coming back (not because I used to be beaten like rye and was never excited about it). I’m just looking around to see where the time is going and I wish all the children lots of goodies from the bunny. By the way, a fox hides them somewhere in Germany. And for trees and bushes with hanging eggs, cross-border adoption of customs is also to blame.
