| It is impossible
to even list the contents of the incredibly rich folk art
storehouse of the Puszta: let see some examples in order
to demonstrate that this region was, and still is, home to
artistically active people who have an eye for the beautiful.
Uniquely coloured ceramics with red, green
and white patterns on an ochre background are made in the
town of Mezõtúr.
The Pottery Museum preserves the works of past masters.
Famous black-coloured glazeless wares used to be fired in
the damped smoky kilns of Nádudvar.
In the traditional embroidery the richness in the variety of patterns is exemplified on
cross-stitched embroidered Bereg originale. The patterns
express pain borne with dignity, and the respect for lost
family members or friends.
The three characteristic pieces of clothing worn by Puszta
men, the sheepskin, the smock and the long embroidered felt
shepherd's cloak have preserved their form over the centuries,
only their decorations changed.
The city of Karcag was famous for its tailors and
its master potters, and also gained fame with their manshaped "Miska" jugs.
The local Nagykun Museum displays some nice examples of their
still living craft.
The traditions and ancient characteristics of Great Plains
herdsmen are preserved in wood carvings and items made of
leather or horn. Exquisite pieces of saddlery with brass
ornaments praise the work of today's hamess-makers. Foal-skin-covered
fiasks are still popular souvenirs so if given the chance
to visit one of the markets of Debrecen,
Mezõtúr,
Túrkeve, Jászberény or Hortobágy.
Many settlements on the South of the Great Plain preserve
the memory and treasures of Hungarian folk art and handycrafts.
The embroidered cloths and clothing
of Kalocsa are very famous.
Masters of folk art welcome visitors into their workshops
to see them at work. Makó has a museum of
onion growing; Szeged and Kalocsa have paprika museams. The
red paprika of Szeged and Kalocsa is a typically Hungarian
product. The
ripe red peppers are strung in garlands by the women, hung
up along the whitewashed walts of the houses and then
ground into powder. An interesting local custom in Kalocsa
is painting wallv with the typicalfloral motifs of the region.
The beautiful and comfortable Szeged slippers, sewn and embroidered
by hand, are a reminder of Turkish times. The left and right
slipper are always made exactly the same and they take on
the shape of thefoot in use.
The needle lace of Kiskunhalas vies
with Brussels lace in beauty and daintiness. Lace-making
arose in the Renaissance and reached its peak in the Baroque
age. Bobbin lace and open-work embroidery were introduced
into Hungary in the 16th century. The technique of needle
lace used in Kiskunhalas was developed by a secondary school
drawing teacher, but the lacemakers who applied the technique
introduced motifs from their handwork at home and so it
became a genuine applied folk art. The making of Halas
needle lace can still be seen in the Lace House.
The traditions of folk music and dance
of the Great Plain are preserved by the folk dance ensembles. Their performances
present the dances and folklore of other Hungarian regions
and of the ethnic minorities as well as those of the South
of the Great Plain. Even today, this form attracts people
of all ages and it is not unusual to see the young and the
elderly together in traditionalising groups.
The finest items of peasant costums, the shepherd's dances
and songs, and the atmosphere of old weddings can be admired
in the folk music and folk dance festivals held each year in
Kalocsa, Kecskemét and Szeged.

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