In the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and some parts of Hungary, the Easter whip is used as part of a tradition where boys are splashed with water and girls whipped with a decorated willow branch on Easter Monday.
Czech Pomlázka (handmade whip)A Pomlázka in use; by Marie Gardavská (1871–1937)
The tradition typically takes place in the morning of Easter Monday and involves a special handmade whip or switch called pomlázka or karabáč (in Czech) or korbáč, šibák or šibačka (in Slovak) or siba or korbács (in Hungarian). The pomlázka consists of four to twenty-four withies (willow rods or other twigs), is usually from half a meter to two meters long and decorated with coloured ribbons at the end.
Women wear multiple long dresses to avoid the minor pain that would be caused by the whipping. If men arrive at women's houses after 12 o'clock, women throw a bucket of cold water on them. In some regions the men also douse girls with water or spray perfume on them.
When going house to house, the male first sings a verse relating to eggs and spring themes like bountifulness and fertility. If the young woman does not have any decorated eggs she turns around and the man takes a few whacks at her legs with the whip.[1] The spanking may be painful, but is not intended to cause suffering. In cities, it is usually practiced only among family members.
In the past, young boys would chase young girls on the village streets with the whips, and vintage illustrations of people in traditional dress show girls running or hiding. Playful running around, similar to the game of tag, still occurs, but aggressive ambushing is now considered unacceptable bullying by the modern generation.
Tradition says that women should be spanked with a whip in order to keep their health, beauty and fertility throughout the following year.[2]
According to 2019 survey, 60% of Czech households follow the tradition of spanking (or watering) someone on Easter Monday.[3]
"Wicker whip": Czech karabáč, Slovak korbáč (the standard name for "whip" is bič and korbáč, itself originating from Turkishkırbaç, usually means only one particular type of it—the "wicker whip") – Hungarian korbács.[7]
In the Czech Republic, such a switch is called pomlázka meaning "rejuvenator", implying that a female struck by a pomlázka will become younger and prettier.
^babastudio. . Bohemian Magic. Archived from the original on 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
^"Easter whips up some Czech traditions". PraguePost. 17 April 2014.
^"Průzkum: nejoblíbenějším velikonočním zvykem je zdobení bytu, nejméně oblíbeným je návštěva kostela". iROZHLAS (in Czech). 19 April 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
^"Velikonoce ve světě". velikonoce.nasesvatky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 26 July 2020.
^"Charakteristika a srovnání českých a chorvatských svátků" (PDF) (in Czech). Retrieved 26 July 2020.
^Silverman, Deborah Anders (2000). Polish-American Folklore. University of Illinois Press. pp. 34–38. ISBN9780252025693. pp 69-70
^Magyar Nyelvőr – Pacsai Imre: Magyar–szlovák kulturális és nyelvi kapcsolat jegyei
January 01, 1970
easter, whip, czech, republic, poland, slovakia, some, parts, hungary, used, part, tradition, where, boys, splashed, with, water, girls, whipped, with, decorated, willow, branch, easter, monday, czech, pomlázka, handmade, whip, pomlázka, marie, gardavská, 1871. In the Czech Republic Poland Slovakia and some parts of Hungary the Easter whip is used as part of a tradition where boys are splashed with water and girls whipped with a decorated willow branch on Easter Monday Czech Pomlazka handmade whip A Pomlazka in use by Marie Gardavska 1871 1937 The tradition typically takes place in the morning of Easter Monday and involves a special handmade whip or switch called pomlazka or karabac in Czech or korbac sibak or sibacka in Slovak or siba or korbacs in Hungarian The pomlazka consists of four to twenty four withies willow rods or other twigs is usually from half a meter to two meters long and decorated with coloured ribbons at the end Women wear multiple long dresses to avoid the minor pain that would be caused by the whipping If men arrive at women s houses after 12 o clock women throw a bucket of cold water on them In some regions the men also douse girls with water or spray perfume on them When going house to house the male first sings a verse relating to eggs and spring themes like bountifulness and fertility If the young woman does not have any decorated eggs she turns around and the man takes a few whacks at her legs with the whip 1 The spanking may be painful but is not intended to cause suffering In cities it is usually practiced only among family members In the past young boys would chase young girls on the village streets with the whips and vintage illustrations of people in traditional dress show girls running or hiding Playful running around similar to the game of tag still occurs but aggressive ambushing is now considered unacceptable bullying by the modern generation Tradition says that women should be spanked with a whip in order to keep their health beauty and fertility throughout the following year 2 According to 2019 survey 60 of Czech households follow the tradition of spanking or watering someone on Easter Monday 3 In Croatia it is made of olive twigs but it is not used for whipping 4 5 In some countries such as Poland Easter palms or pussy willows are used 6 Etymology edit Wicker whip Czech karabac Slovak korbac the standard name for whip is bic and korbac itself originating from Turkish kirbac usually means only one particular type of it the wicker whip Hungarian korbacs 7 In the Czech Republic such a switch is called pomlazka meaning rejuvenator implying that a female struck by a pomlazka will become younger and prettier See also editSmigus dyngus SpankingReferences edit babastudio Whipping away infertility at Easter Bohemian Magic Archived from the original on 2019 12 16 Retrieved 2019 11 18 Easter whips up some Czech traditions PraguePost 17 April 2014 Pruzkum nejoblibenejsim velikonocnim zvykem je zdobeni bytu nejmene oblibenym je navsteva kostela iROZHLAS in Czech 19 April 2019 Retrieved 26 July 2020 Velikonoce ve svete velikonoce nasesvatky cz in Czech Retrieved 26 July 2020 Charakteristika a srovnani ceskych a chorvatskych svatku PDF in Czech Retrieved 26 July 2020 Silverman Deborah Anders 2000 Polish American Folklore University of Illinois Press pp 34 38 ISBN 9780252025693 pp 69 70 Magyar Nyelvor Pacsai Imre Magyar szlovak kulturalis es nyelvi kapcsolat jegyei Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Easter whip amp oldid 1220882611, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
