Review article

Easter and Lenten Customs in Banovci

Irena Mikajević ; Croatia

Abstract

This research paper is based on the data collected through field research of my own family traditions during the year 2012, and drawn from the personal accounts of my grandmothers, Manda Mikajević and Kata Ćosić. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of family traditions, which remain a lasting memory of lifelong customs for future generations. In the description and the analysis there is an obvious intermingling of customs and the everyday life of the storytellers, who talked solely about their memories, starting from their childhood until nowadays.
Hence, we can distinguish two temporal levels in this paper: a past-day level, full of emotion and warmth, and a present-day one, which is deeply immersed in modern everyday life. Therefore, we can notice a slight melancholy for the old days in certain texts, through the description and comparison of previous traditions and those practiced today.
Along with the research and description of Easter and Lenten customs in the Banovci area, the paper also shows their interpretation and the change of meaning over time. Observing the examples of family traditions in an ethnological manner, we can see annual customs in a wider geographical area of Posavina through many details, accounts and memories. The time period of these descriptions is the 20th century. Special attention is given to the interpretation of people’s piety and the interpretation of protective rituals, whose purposes are to deter evil forces from people, their homes and treasures, contribute to beauty and health, or increase crops and cure diseases.

Keywords

Banovci; Easter and Lenten customs; family traditions; people’s piety; beliefs

Hrčak ID:

123139

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/123139

Publication date:

29.5.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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