Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

URL: http://www.newsflashenglish.com/060407easter4.htm

Ideas and Articles by David Robinson

6^th April 2007

THE ARTICLE

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While Easter is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the morning using a specially decorated hand woven local willow cane with colourful ribbons. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the knees when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women fertile, fresh, youthful and healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan rituals that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?

START

1. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS: What do you know about folklore traditions in Central and Eastern Europe? Go round the room swapping stories. Change partners often.

2. DICTATION: The teacher will read the article slowly and clearly. Students will write down what they hear. The teacher will repeat the passage slowly again.

Self correct your work. Compare your work with your partner(s) and try to recreate the full text. Listen again to check, fill in spaces or correct mistakes. Be honest with yourself on the number of errors. Advise the teacher of your total no of errors. Less than 5 is very good. 10 are acceptable. Any more is room for improvement! More than 20 - we need to do some work!

3. READING: Get students to read the passage aloud. Swap readers every paragraph.

4. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting (circle) and which are most boring (underline).

Easter / whips / Easter bunnies / folklore traditions / girls / coloured ribbons / boys / cold water / knees / hand painted decorative eggs / Easter Sunday / fun

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

5. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS: With your partner think of four folklore traditions in your country/other countries. List them below and discuss.

1 3 2 4

a) What do you know about these folklore traditions? b) Have you ever taken part in any of them? c) How old are they? d) Are these practiced solely in your country or in other countries? e) What do you like about them? f) Do you dress up in traditional costume? g) Do you dress in traditional costume when enacting the traditions?

6. QUICK DEBATE: Students A believe folklore traditions should be kept alive, promoted and also physically promoted. Students B believe folklore traditions have no place in the modern world we live in and should be consigned to history books about the country. Debate this with your partners. Change partners often.

7. EASTER: With your partner think of four things associated with Easter. List them below and discuss.

1 3 2 4

8. YOU & EASTER: Discuss the following with each other… Student A questions a) What did you do at Easter? b) What do you normally do at Easter? c) What should you have done at Easter but didn’t? d) What did you watch on the telly? e) Was this a typical Easter for you? f) Your question Student B questions a) What is Easter? b) Was it a religious Easter for you? c) Does religion play any part of your Easter? d) Is Easter too commercial now? e) Should Easter be kept traditional? f) Your question

9. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with folklore traditions. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

10. THREE SENTENCES: Choose six/nine of these words. Write three sentences using two/three words in each. Try to associate them with folklore traditions. Discuss with your partner. Spend five minutes on this exercise.

11. SENTENCE STARTERS: With your partner(s), finish these sentence starters. Change partner(s) and talk about the sentences you made.

a) Easter is ______________________________________________________

b) Folklore traditions _______________________________________________

c) Village boys ____________________________________________________

d) The girls are ___________________________________________________

e) Foreign visitors _________________________________________________

f) Chocolate bunnies _______________________________________________

g) Fertility is _____________________________________________________

h) The fun starts _________________________________________________

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: After reading the article guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Easter in Slovakia is loved by women	T / F
b.	Easter Friday for girls in Slovakia is not always fun	T / F
c.	Village men throw their women in the rivers	T / F
d.	A girl is likely to be whipped by the boys	T / F
e.	The girls give the boys hand painted decorative eggs	T / F
f.	Older lads are offered a drink of beer	T / F
g.	Girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of water all over them	T / F
h.	Girls can douse the boys with water	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	Likely	Old
b.	Colourful	Alcohol
c.	Whips	Criteria
d.	Coy	Natural
e.	Standards	Bright
f.	Visitors	Attractive
g.	Decorative	Cane
h.	Fresh	Tourists
i.	Spirits	Shy
j.	Ancient	Probably

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	While Easter is loved	girls sometimes wake up to a bucket…
b.	If you are a girl	to be chased by the village boys
c.	You are likely	hand painted decorative eggs…
d.	The girl	a ribbon on a cane
e.	Tradition adds	Chocolate Easter bunny
f.	In return the girls give the young boys	can expect many visits
g.	In other parts of Slovakia	from a village in the east or centre…
h.	A girl	fertile, fresh youthful and healthy
i.	…to keep women	is likely to be whipped
j.	Maybe a	by men in Slovakia

GAP FILL: READING

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia While ______ is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest ______. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the morning using a specially decorated hand woven local ______ cane with colourful _______. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the _____ when they catch up with them. Such _____ are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or ____. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate ____. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

ribbons stream soak eggs whips knees willow Easter

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a ______ of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can _____ the boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? _________! It was originally thought to keep women _______, fresh, ________ and healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these __________ are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange _____ rituals that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate Easter _____ instead eh?

traditions pagan bunny fertility bucket youthful fertile douse

GAP FILL: LISTENING:

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While Easter _______________ in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If ______________ from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday _________________. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys ______________ using a specially decorated hand woven local willow cane with colourful ribbons. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the ____________________ when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads ___________________ of spirits.

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this _____________ the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can __________________! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the ____________________. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women ____________________________ healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan rituals that derive ______________________. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate ____________ instead eh?

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a) Did the headline make you want to read the article?

b) Did anything in the article surprise you?

c) How did you spend Easter last year?

d) Have you ever been soaked or whipped?

e) If yes, when and how?

f) Are you for this tradition or against?

g) Which other countries practice these ancient traditions?

h) Do you think these pagan traditions are dying?

i) Is it right to allow these traditions in this day and age?

j) Did you get any Easter eggs this year?

$---------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a) Did you like reading this article?

b) What do you think about what you read?

c) How did you spend Easter this year?

d) Do you give Easter eggs to anyone?

e) What other ancient traditions do you know of at Easter?

f) Do you think it’s right that boys can whip girls at Easter?

g) Have you ever decorated an egg?

h) Have you ever used a whip?

i) Do you know of any other pagan rituals?

j) Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

PRESS: ROLE PLAY: SPEAKING:

With your partner or in groups of three / four discuss the following:

	Findings
Holidays at Easter
Family at Easter
Working at Easter
Roads at Easter
Traditions at Easter
Sport at Easter
Your choice at Easter

The teacher will select some students to discuss their situations in front of the class.

LANGUAGE: CORRECT WORD: Choose the correct words from a–d below and write them in the article.

While (1) ____ is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by (2) ____. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a (3) ____ in the east or (4) ____ of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest (5) ____. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the (6) ____ using a specially decorated hand woven local (7) ____ cane with colourful (8) ____. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the (9) ____ when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until (10) ____midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women fertile, fresh, youthful and healthy for the rest of the (11) ____. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan (12) ____ that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?

1.	(a)	Christmas	(b)	Easter	(c)	summer	(d)	spring
2.	(a)	wives	(b)	grandmas	(c)	girls	(d)	women
3.	(a)	town	(b)	city	(c)	village	(d)	mountain
4.	(a)	centre	(b)	south	(c)	west	(d)	north
5.	(a)	spring	(b)	river	(c)	stream	(d)	estuary
6.	(a)	night	(b)	morning	(c)	afternoon	(d)	evening
7.	(a)	oak	(b)	elm	(c)	Ash	(d)	willow
8.	(a)	pearls	(b)	string	(c)	ribbon	(d)	ribbons
9.	(a)	knees	(b)	waist	(c)	stomach	(d)	neck
10.	(a)	one	(b)	midnight	(c)	noon	(d)	midday
11.	(a)	day	(b)	week