Like in most countries in the world, Easter holidays are coming soon ! And so the Easter monday is coming too. In France, the tradition is to have a family meal and then to look for chocolate eggs, hen and bunnies in the garden (mostly for children). In some other countries, people have the tradition to play special Easter sports. But here in Slovakia, it is a bit different… As we do, they organise a good meal. They start to prepare it the day before and it usually contains potatoes, cooked ham, they drink home made spirits and chocolate eggs are of course part of the feast. In this occasion, people wear typical clothes which depend on the region.
But the real difference is that the girls receive special treatments… Boys force them to get out of their houses, they bring them outside and then the girls are spanked with whips made of branches and sprinkled with cold water. During this, some others boys are playing accordion by the same time they watch the scene.
The funniest part, or the most creepy (it depends on your gender !) is that the girls can’t protest, and they even have to thank boys for it and give them money, sweets and painted eggs. Men can also be invited by the girl’s family for the dinner. Sometimes, they receive a glass of local alcohol, and in small villages it’s common to see drunk men walking from house to house…
The tradition says that this treatment will bring beauty and health to girls… But in the cold region of high Tatras I guess it only brings bruises and flu !
Every slovak girl that we know is scared about it, and some of them even have planned other events than going back home for holidays ! They will hide together in the countryside, where they have less chances to meet men. It’s bad because it would be funny for us to follow this amazing tradition… So we’ll take advantage of this free week to make a trip in the south of Europe !
Benoit JAMET-FOURNIER
Erasmus in Slovakia 