In today's world of aerodynamic design we must take the time to appreciate the simple, practical, richly varied, and colourful artefacts of folk art. Such objects are often kept in the museums and tiny rustie houses of the Puszta. 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 Muscum preserves the works of past masters. Famous black-coloured glazeless wares used to be fired in the damped smoky kilns of Nádudvar. The tradition still goes on and the so-called "smoky" pots can be seen at the Endre Ady Culture Centre.

Intricately ornamental glazed wares have been made in Tiszafüred since the 1840s. Trick jugs, with multiple openings and grapevine decoration may be seen on display at the town's rustic museum house.

We may wonder at examples of traditional embroidery at the Bereg Museum in Vásárosnamény, where the richness in the variety of patterns is exemplified on cross-stitched embroidered Bereg originale. The patterns on the clothing reveal a lot about the wearer or user, e.g. age, marital status, etc. A unique collection of mouming ceremony accessories can be seen here. The patterns express pain borne with dignity, and the respect for lost family members or friends.

A small exhibition within the weaver's shop in the town of Paszab displays world-renowned handwoven items with special striped designs.

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 rnanshaped "Miska" jugs. The local Nagykun Museum displays some nice examples of their still living craft.

The towns of Furta and Komádi are famous for their white embroidery of Nagysárrét and Kissárrét while Debrecen and Derecske are the sources of felt appliqué needlework.

The ancient craft of making painted gingerbread figures is still practiced in Debrecen while in Hajdúnánás the tradition of straw braiding lives on.

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-rnaking arose in the Renaissance and reached its peak in the Baroque age. Bobbin lace and open-work embroidery were introduced into Hungary in the 16^th 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 costurms, 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.