BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01

TRANSCRIPTION

PROJECT TITLE: Martina Brindley

PROJECT NUMBER: BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01
INTERVIEWEE: Martina Brindley (MB)
INTERVIEWER AND RECORDIST: Charlotte Brindley (CB)
TRANSCRIBER: Charlotte Brindley
INTERVIEW DATE: November 15, 2015, 5:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Adairville, Ky
AUDIO RECORDER: Marantz Digital Recorder
RECORDING FORMAT: WAV (uncompressed)
NUMBER OF RECORDED TRACKS IN SESSION: 1
KEYWORDS: Slovakia, Slovak, Christmas, Easter
CORRESPONDING MATERIALS: 1 recorded interview:
BRIN_20151115_Brind04_CJB_AU_01 ; 4 photographs: BRIN_20151115_CJB_PH_01,
BRIN_20151115_CJB_PH_02, BRIN_20151115_CJB_PH_03, BRIN_20151115_CJB_PH_04;
field notes: BRIN_20151115_CJB_FN_01

A NOTE FROM TRANSCIBER:

This transcription is as accurate and complete as possible. In any question of interpretation, the
researcher is referred to the recording itself as the primary document representing this event.

TRANSCRIBING CONVENTIONS:
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Use of em dash indicates an interruption of thought or conversation.
Use of ellipses indicates a discontinued thought.
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Use [ ] for laughter or other nonlexical forms of communication
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Names of interviewee and interviewer are abbreviated by first and last initial letters.
Time is recorded in time elapsed by the convention [hours:minutes:seconds].

NOTES:
Charlotte Brindley (CB)
Martina Brindley (MB)
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 2

CB: Today is November 15th, twenty fifteen. My is name is Chalotte Brindley, and I am
interviewing Martina Dudrikova Brindley. We are at 317 North Main Street,
Adairville, Kentucky. The project is Slovakian holiday and seasonal traditions for
Folk 578: Fieldwork. Okay, Martina, how are you feeling?

MB: I feel good.

CB: Wonderful day outside, isn't it?

MB: It is.

CB: We had a nice day raking leaves together.

MB: Yes. Really sunny and warm.

CB: You've been permanently in the United States for how many weeks now?

MB: Six weeks, I think.

CB: Are you adjusting okay?

MB: I think I am. It's not that different here, I would say.

CB: [Laughs] So now that you are in the United States and the holiday season is
approaching, which holiday tradition do you think you will miss the most from
Slovakia?

MB: Well, for the upcoming rest of this year, I think I will miss Christmas, of course, being
with my family, and we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, so, but what I'll really miss will be
what we do on Easter and in the next year in November All Saints Day, those are like
two, two different fromwhat Americans celebrate.

CB: So what's something on Easter that you'll really miss?

MB: Well, okay, so, Easter is a very, really big thing in Slovakia, and it's always a big family
thing and one of my favorite holidays because first it starts that we are cooking a lot and
we have all this traditional food that we cook every time. It's a lot of meals from eggs
and from meat. That's not very good for me as vegetarian but we always make some
vegetarian versions and just different special dishes and then the best part is when
actually, yeah, when we are decorating eggs. You, like, cook, you cook, you cook an
egg, or, see--I'm sorry--you cook eggs and you first, you, you can...We should start
again. Or can I just

CB: No, you can keep speaking!

MB: I'm sorry, it's hard to speak because Slovak--English--is my second language, so I'm...
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 3

CB: Well, that's just all part of it.

MB: I'm sorry.

CB: Part of adjusting, you know, to the new country.

MB: So to start again, my idea, so, you blow, you make little holes in eggs, you blow the yoke
out and then you paint, paint around, paint around the egg, and this is like very old
tradition that we are still looking forward to every year and you can decorate it even with
little strings or what's most usually paint on it.

And then, actually on Easter day, on Easter Monday, it's always family visiting or close
friends and there is this tradition that men take women and they either sprinkle water on
them if they are older women, but young girls and young women, they always end up in
the river or the bath, bath tub, and where they are, they are just showering them with
freezing water. And, that's, it's like, it sounds like torture, but it can be fun, and this
symbolizes, they do it, while they are doing it, they should also say Easter poem that only
men know, so they always say something loud while they're doing it. And it symbolizes
that women should stay pretty for the next year, pretty and strong.

CB: [Laughs]

MB: Well, so, I have lot of you know, memories when I was in our cottage house in
mountains and there is this freezing stream of water or river running close to our house,
and I remember how my cousins and my father were chasing my sister, mom and I
around the village, around the house, and then they took us and throw us to the river, you
know, that was really freezing, so [Laughs].

CB: How long have people been doing that to women? Throwing them into the river?

MB: (4:48) Well, it all started by Slavs and Slavs came to my country, to where I come from
they came in fourth and fifth century and they started to do this kind of traditions because
they worshipped four elements and one of them was water, so they, what they, like to
worship water, they went in the rivers and in streams and they liked sprinkled water in
them, and then, to make them more beautiful and stronger, and, yeah, and healthier, so
since then, so practically since fifth century it started. And there's lots of traditions and
they're starting by Slavs, that Slavs started to do. And then they are, they, when, with the
coming of Christianity it was little adjusted but practically it's all stayed, by
nowadays. So people still celebrate it or continue in this traditions nowadays, too.

CB: That's a lot different than how Americans celebrate Easter, isn't it?

MB: Yeah [Laughs].

CB: Yeah, we don't do that here!

BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 4

MB: Yeah. So, and the other holiday I will, that I will miss, I think it will be November,
because you don't celebrate here. It's All Saints Day, it's on when you celebrate
Halloween, when you have Halloween here, we have All Saints Day, and that's the day
when each family remembers, think about their families and close people that died and
they visit graves. So, they, you know, you just travel this day is the holiday and you
travel wherever your families are buried to put flowers on graves and candles, burn the
candles.

CB: So, what is your impression on the differences between how Americans and
Slovakians celebrate the major religious holidays? Such as Christmas and
Easter? Some of the major differences you see?

MB: I think it's interesting that we celebrate practically the same holidays but it's done in little
different way. So, like difference between Christmas here and in Slovakia is that we
actually celebrate Christmas on twenty-fourth of December, and we, we are, we decorate
the Christmas tree usually a week before or that day, it depends on family tradition, you
know. But, so, in my family we, while, my father, and my mother, while my mother is
cooking Christmas dinner, and my sister and I are decorating the Christmas tree, and,
then at five or six pm we have a big meal. This meal is also, it consists of this special,
first you start with a, with this, like a really thin pancake, okay, with a really thin pancake
that is made of, it's really thin dough that, that you, it symbolizes, like, like when you go
to Catholic church you, you take, I forget how it's called in English, but you accept Jesus
body, you know how, I don't know how it's called, and you get the bread...

CB: (8:25) The Eucharist?

MB: Yes, and you got this bread, so this is what we have on Christmas table, that's how the
dinner starts, you put garlic and honey there and to be healthy all year. {not discernable}
So, so we start dinner with eating this bread, we have this bread from eucaristia, and
everyone has it on the plate in front of you and first the oldest, the oldest person, what is
in my family grandmother, she makes little crosses on our forehead from honey and that
means she's blessing us and then she says a prayer and then we, then we add the honey
and the garlic on this little bread and eat it, and that symbolizes if we eat it we're going to
stay healthy for all next year. Then after, after it, there is this special dish, that, it's like
little, little balls made of dough. It's like, something like, tastes similar like bread but it's
really crunchy and really good and it's, it's like one inch big or smaller, and my
grandmother makes that every year like a month before Christmas, so we always have it
home-made. And you add poppy seeds in it and honey and let it stand for a day, that, the
traditional thing, so, and it symbolizes that how many, how many of this dough balls you
eat, that many more years you're going live.

CB: [Laughs]

MB: And also poppy seeds are like for, for luck {not discernable}. And, so, and then we have
a cabbage soup that's traditional and then we have a fried fish and potato salad. And
that's it, and plus important part of our tradition is decorating the table and so, you should
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 5

tie, you should take a big, like, something like scarf or something, or lace, that, and you
tie all legs of, all four legs of the table, so it means like unity for the family, and you, you
put dried lentils of the table and that means luck and then, luck and money, and also you,
we put under our plates, we put few coins so we could be, we could have just enough
money for us to live, you know, good enough life so have as much as we need. So,
enough, so this is, this is like big part of Christmas is dinner, and, then of course we have,
after dinner, we have lot of different home-made cakes that we just, we bake three days
before.

CB: What kind of cakes?

MB: It's usually made of poppy seeds and walnut, it's really good so, this is what I hopefully I
will bake this Christmas [Laughs]. And, just, we have like five or six different kinds of
cakes, so it's always different, it just what, and yeah, one big thing and tradition is to
make gingerbread, little cookies gingerbread, and decorating it with icing. And this is
something you do one month before Christmas because it's a special dough where, where
is has to, it's really hard when you make it--bake it--but, so, it has to stand for a month to
become, how is it called? Um, not hard, but, help me! [Laughs]

CB: Soft?

MB: More soft or, so you can eat it, it tastes good. So, after that, we eat gingerbread
manSo, and after, after this gingerbread, then, well, we can put it decorate Christmas
tree with it, that's what usually we do, or you can just decorate all your apartment with it,
hang it anywhere. And then, okay, and then, so after this dinner, when about seven or
eight, depends how long we eat, then we should open the Christmas gifts on twenty-
fourth of December, so this is different from here.

And, traditionally in my family, what is just tradition my sister and I made up since we
were really young, we, every year we created a program for family. So before, we
opened gifts, we always play an instrument, I play the guitar, my sister play the cello, or
we, we always had like, some performance, just some fun, or a [.....] test, or something,
just, you know, something entertaining, and after that we open the gifts. And then we
just keep, you know, we watch this Christmas movies that are, just, you know really
good, really old movies from eighties and seventies. So, this is, this is our Christmas
tradition. And also, yeah, this is important, at midnight there is a midnight mass in
church, so this is where we all we, go every year.

CB: (13:58) Okay. [pauses] Are there any traditions that your community in Slovakia in
Kosice?

MB: Kosice?

CB: Kosice, yeah, [Laughs], in Slovakia celebrates as a whole? How did you and your
family take part?
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 6

MB: Well, there is, I would say everyone is involved in all of these traditional holidays that I
named, so far, but there are a few more that are always celebrated more by community
than individual families because it's something that the, it's origins starts also in sixth,
fifth century with Slavs. And that's celebrating seasons, seasons of the year, so there are
different, really funny, fun, traditions, like to celebrate summer, winter solstice, and
autumn and spring solstice. All right, for example, in February, there is this tradition that
people, people [pauses]. Well, it's usually February or beginning of March when people
used to make little, make doll in human, human size doll, made of straw, straw or hay, I
don't what is better word to say, so they make this, it's called Moreua, and that
symbolizes winter and that's what they used to burn and then throw to a river. So, that's
like for saying goodbye to, to the winter, and they are trying to welcome the Spring
coming. So this is something that where Slavs doing, then like, for centuries, but people
maybe fifty years ago they, they stopped doing it, it was still in this old life when people
were living more like in villages.

People like that were still following this tradition, but now it is more like this Slovak folk
groups that are, or folk people, that are in, in the city and villages, they, like, dress up in
this folk clothes, traditional clothes, and they do this every year, so it's more like they is
a, there is a group of people that is doing this, but all community comes, and is part of it,
and, you know, is there. And it's usually followed by a, by some, I don't know if party,
party is not good word, but you know, people like gathering together and celebrating
it. And another thing is in May, that's also like welcoming, or celebrating Spring, and
coming of summer, that, that people are, people used to pick old, pick branches from
dead trees, and they tied it together, and created a thin, long pole, and they were singing,
they had different laces, and they were singing and dancing around it, and they were
tying this laces around it, and that's like, that is like celebrating Spring, so this is also
another thing that we wouldn't do at home as a family, but community is doing it, so. It's
really, it's always fun, so people come and then, or, you know, so, I think's it's nice that
we still can do something like this nowadays, because if we didn't, it would just die out, if
this folk groups, you know, like, dancing and, it's, it's usually this dancing groups, they,
they are singing and dancing this traditional Slovak songs and dances. So, they also are
keeping this traditions alive, most of them Slovak, so. [clears throat]

I think that [pauses], yeah, I think those two are, or, there is another, there is another one
that is in, like, also connected to, to solstice and summer solstice. People meet and, or,
they used to meet, like one hundred years ago they used to meet and [pauses], and, and
they made four different fires, on each of the side, like, one fire on the North, another
South, East and West, and then they were jumping through it, about it. So, and it meant
that who jumped and didn't burn himself, the person was like very spiritual and pure. But
now this, you know, people don't really jump, but we like meet with, with friends or
families and we make just fire on that days, so. So it's, it's like something like we are
keeping this tradition, but in little adjusted ways, so.

CB: (19:06) So, some of the traditions that you have described that you celebrate in your
own family, within your own family how long have you been doing this and, and
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 7

how have these celebrations changed over the decades? Within your family, and
maybe in Slovakia as a whole?

MB: Hm hm. Well, so, one thing is that my family's keeping this tradition because my
grandmother was doing this, my mother was leaded by her mother, and then I and my
sister were leaded by my mother. So, I'm going to do the same with, to teach my children
in future, but, like lot of people of my generation, I'm 24 now, so lot of people of my
generation, they are not, they are, they don't care anymore, because the world is
becoming very multicultural now, and I feel like, if, you know, it's just, it can disappear
easily because of this mixture of different cultures, it's very adjusted, and if people will
stop caring about it, it can easily just disappear suddenly. So, my, so my fam...what was
the question? Sorry. So, yeah, my family, has, well, I think it's, you know, like, I was, I
was taught by my mom, she was taught by her mom, and so on, so it was really since
Slavic times till nowadays. And if my generation, if I will continue I think it will be
continuing, you know, and, I don't know if that's answering the question, or...

CB: Oh, yeah. So, the traditions, it was much more, passed from family member to
family member, and that's

MB: Yes, hm hm.

CB: But that's becoming more and more rare.

MB: Yes, yes. Yeah. And I will say, and also I know this that, you know, since I met your
brother, and I was coming here, this, even, I always loved traditions of my, of my, you
know, country. But even coming here it somehow makes person be more proud and
makes me to, wanting to continuing it even more than before, you know, just because
everyone has this identity and I think it's, it's nice that you have something like that
culture and traditions that has been passed from generation to generation for centuries, so.

CB: And that brings something up. The jewelry that you're wearing. And you also wore
it during the wedding. That's very ancient and traditional Slovakian type jewelry,
isn't it?

MB: Yes, yes, it's...

CB: It's part of your ethnic identity?

MB: Yes, it's, well it symbolizes that I love history and traditions and it's, it's an exact
reproduction of jewelry, of earrings and necklace that was found in, in Slovakia, that
comes from eighth century, it was created by Slavs in Great Moravia and, so it's exact, so
this is great that some people still are continuing in also in blacksmithing. Because Slavs
were really good in this handmade stuff like working with leather, blacksmithing,
working with wood, so, this is people are still, it's still more, it's rare, rare, and rare, that
people can do something like that, but as you can see, there are people who still care
about, you know, because you can't get to some beautiful piece of jewelry that is over one
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 8

thousand years old, but thankful, thanks to people like us, I would say, you know, we can,
we can take this history closer to, wide, wider audience, or how would I say? And, and
so, it symbolizes the, the necklace symbolizes the moon, that also, this is very, like, the
symbol of Slavs was oak tree and the moon, they worshipped moon, too, and it
symbolizes, also woman, women's fertility and just femininity in general, so.

CB: The craftsmanship is profound on your set.

MB: Yeah. Say it again?

CB: The craftsmanship is very profound on your jewelry set.

MB: Yes, mm hm. It's exact copy, so it was found in Slovakia and, and it, so in, yeah, it
comes from eighth century.

CB: So the original just has a little bit more rust to it?

MB: Yes. [Laughs]. Right, yeah. [Laughs].

CB: So, considering all of the traditions you've been talking about, does a fond memory
stick out in your memory at all?

MB: Yeah, I would say each holiday is a memory for me, there, we all, always, it's the best
time, you know, during the year we have, mostly because, I will, all family gathers
together, so. Well, of course, the best memories are always from Easter because it was
the most fun, and, but also I really like All Saints Day because of, because my, my
father's side of family, they didn't come from the same city where, my, like my mother's
or where we live now, so we always used to travel to cemeteries in, on the other side of
Slovakia, and, so, I always did that with father and my grandparents. So, it was just nice
to learn more about the family and, and spending time, you know, with father and
grandparents and just visiting other places and see this was, you know, this is the house
where your great-great grandmother grew up, you know. So, this is very, I think this is
what I like the most about it. Thanks to these traditions, you learn more about your
family, I think. So.

CB: (25:33) So, do you have a favorite, specific tradition, like an activity that you do,
like, within your family, do you want to describe, like, how you would do that?

MB: Mm hm. Uh, well I think my favorite is just making, getting ready for all these holidays,
like, getting ready for Easter and actually painting these eggs, decorating them, this is one
of my favorites. And you can be really creative with that, and then before Christmas
when, it's always me who makes gingerbread, little hearts, or little stars and decorating it,
so.

CB: I've noticed on a lot of the gingerbread cookies that you've shown me, the icing can
be very, very detailed.
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 9

MB: Yeah, yeah.

CB: Like, do you know what that's made out of?

MB: It's egg yoke and sugar. But, you need to like try it and someone doesn't get it for years,
the perfect, perfect consistency of, of the mixture, so, because you, you just put it in the
sack, and you need to do it really, you just need to find the way how to make it perfectly,
so, because you make just a little hole with a needle in the sack, and the you just, you
know, you're pushing it and you create, you just paint on it. So, it's really difficult, this is
art. I'm not as good as my cousin that made those gingerbread hearts that I showed you,
but, you know, it's, I hopefully [Laughs], I will learn.

CB: How long did it take her to learn how to do that so...great? I mean, the detail is just
amazing.

MB: Yeah.

CB: And it's a cookie, too. [Martina laughs] I almost don't want to eat one.

MB: Yeah [Laughs].

CB: How long did it take her?

MB: Well, if, she is the one that makes it every, every year since she was young, so. I think
she's more talented than other people that she's able to do that. So, I'm, I'm, I'm sure
someone could try it every year, but never would be so good as she is. So [Laughs].

CB: So she's been doing it since she was a child?

MB: Yes, uh huh. Yes, yeah.

CB: So, now since you've married my brother, you're going to be in the United States
for a long time.

MB: Mm hm.

CB: And, so, do you plan to continue some of these traditions that you've been talking
about? And if so, which ones and how do you plan to implement that into your life?

MB: Okay. Well, of course I will want to and I will, and the good thing is that Alexander was
actually living in Slovakia for over a year, so he experienced every single tradition there,
and, so I think we can do like compromise, we can do Slovak and American part of
it. But, could be fun, I think [Laughs]. And, so, and I think that big part of traditions is
also food, because it's something also traditional is the tradition of, you know, food, that,
because on every holiday we make the same kind of food like my great-great
grandmother would do. So, and I, so this is what I want to continue in this like, preparing
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 10

this different dishes that are unique for Slovakia and unique for every holiday and it
differs on every holiday.

CB: (29:05) What kind of dishes?

MB: Like, for example, this Christmas dinner, what I told you, what I already described, so,
so this cabbage soup and, potato--just, it's always the same food every year for
Christmas. And I kind of like it, you know, and, plus, like my grandmother always
makes these, everything we eat is like handmade, homemade, and handmade, so, we
make our own pasta, we make our own dough, our own cookies, our own cakes,
everything is made of, you know, we made it. So, that's what I want to continue in, what
I feel like is getting lost in nowadays we're all here in the USA, that lot of food and
everything is pre-made and, so, I want to continue in that. And I'm not really sure how I
will, how I will do the Christmas thing because you celebrate it on twenty-fifth and we
celebrate it on twenty-fourth, so, maybe we'll just, like, we'll have a Slovak-style dinner
on twenty-fourth, open one gift or something, and then on twenty-fifth we can open the
rest of gifts, I guess. And then Easter, well, I think Alexander, as every man, loves the
tradition pouring freezing water on their wives and other women, so, I'm sure he gladly
continue in this tradition. And

CB: He might throw you into the Red River.

MB: No...[laughs]. Yeah, it's dangerous [laughs]. Well, so, and I, I will, I want to be painting
this, decorating eggs, you know, and cooking this, it's just hard to describe what, what
food it is, it's just different mixtures and you bake it, or, our, like cheese roll, and stuff
like that, or we make our own, it's called vianocha. And, and you like, it's a, it looks like
it's braid, you braid the dough, if, I'm not sure if I say it right, but, so.

CB: Knead?

MB: Knead? Okay, yeah. But you, you make a shape like when you braid your hair. It has
the same shape. It looks the same like when you braid your hair. So, and that's like very,
that's what we do on Easter and Christmas. And, also, on All Saints Day, what is on
Halloween, I'll, I think I will always burn the candles for my family, you know, and, we, I
don't, I can't visit the graves here but I think I will just put photo somewhere and burn the
candles, you know, to memorize that.

CB: Similar to what you did for your grandfather the other day?

MB: Yes, uh huh. Yes.

CB: The candle?

MB: Yeah, exactly, yeah, that's what it was. So we burn the candle, just to, then [coughs],
sorry, because we're thinking about him, you know, that day. Okay.
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 11

CB: So, because you're a vegetarian, I guess you won't, for your, for my brother, you
won't make any of the meat dishes, traditional [Martina laughs] Slovakian meat
dishes?

MB: Yeah, well, I may try something, but, there are dishes that consist of sausage, and you can
buy that already, it's all made, so. Yeah, my mom gave me all the recipes, so, maybe I
will an exception for Easter and, I will try to cook something from meat. Well, and the
other traditions that I will follow, I just like everything of that, so, I think. We both love
fires, so I'm sure we'll continue in burning fire on Summer Solstice. And, then other
traditions that I didn't mention is in February. It's also all Slavic tradition, but I'm not
sure what it is dedicated to, but it's just connected to that Slavs used to have fun, just, you
know, acting, and performing, and wearing different masks. And, so, in February there
are, there was this day in the middle of February when people wear different
masks. Something like here on Halloween, but we have it in February. And, so, there are
these different parties for children where they have, wear masks, masks and...Also,
typically is that, usually, like, my grandmother, she makes typical dish. It's something
very similar to American doughnuts. So it's like this fried dough, dough, dough some...,
dough dish, fried, and inside is a, is a jam, or on top is the jam, so. So this is something
she, my grandmother, makes only, only on that day in February because, because you
know, it, it's called Turice.

CB: That sounds really good.

MB: Yeah [laughs], so, it's really difficult to make this dish, but I will, I think that I will try it
and learn it just to keep doing it, you know, following the traditions, so.

CB: I'm sure people around here would like to try it, too.

MB: Yeah [laughs], yeah. So, I need to learn that.

CB: (34:41) So, is there a particular tradition that you think is important for Americans,
such as people in the Adairville community, to know about? And how does it
pertain to you and how do you think it should be exposed to Adairville?

MB: Mm hm. Well, I think that those most important traditions and holidays we have, is
people here are practicing. So...maybe it would be interesting, you know, if we could,
like, do this greeting of Spring, greeting of Spring, because it's something you just, you
build it and you build a big pole and you tie it with string. So that's something that
usually was in the middle of the village, so it could be something, community thing,
happening on the square, for example, you know. It's lot of different, it's built of
branches tied together, and then on top is a, you tie it with laces, and few, and a lot of
people, every person holds one lace, and then they walk around and cross each other and
it creates a nice, you know, nice pattern on it, so. It could be something fun, you know, I
think people would enjoy here, so.

CB: Like a maypole?

BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 12

MB: Yes, some--, yeah, it could be. Uh huh.

CB: Do people usually dress up when they do that?

MB: They wear traditional, traditional dress, like this folk dress, yeah. Men wear hats and,
you know, shirts, everything is made of cotton or linen. Very decorative, it's um...

CB: What kind of embroidery is there?

MB: Well, it's usually like flowers, leaves, something like that. I can give you pictures or
something, show you, so.

CB: Are there any colors that they like to wear? Are there any traditional colors that go
together?

MB: Well, it's always, every, every region, like Slovakia is a small country, but every region
has its own, even every, each city, has its own colors. So, like for example, where I,
usually its yellow, blue, green, white, and red, and, but what is... Like in city where I am
from, and in that region, it's a lot of really strong pink color, for example. So, like every
region has its own colors still. And women, it's very, very big, they wear boots, men
wear, men wear tall boots, then trousers with embroidery, here, running up to the....on the
sides, on their legs. Then they have, it depends also what region they are from they wear
belt, but, like, from West, Northwest, they have really thick belts, and really shorts shirts,
so you can actually see their stomach. So [laughs], and, but this is just this one, like, city,
Detva, and then others have just one normal long shirt and thick, thinner belts. And
everything is embroidery and then vest and also, the hat, and women wear either bonnet,
yeah, women wear bonnet if they are married or they just have a ponytail, braided
ponytail with laces in it. Then they have really nice decorated blouse and vest, every,
every single piece of clothing is very, is embroidered and very very decorated in beautiful
way. And, yeah, they have lot of skirts, so it's, it's, they start here on the waist, and, and
it ends where knees, where knees are, and it's really, big, I don't know, big, it's, it's a big
skirt, it's like more and more layers, so.

CB: Do you and your mom and sister wear these kinds of clothes?

MB: Oh, well...

CB: On certain occasions?

MB: Yeah, we don't wear that, but we have some at home that belonged to my great-
grandmother. And people used to wear that for really long time and just practically
stopped recently, like fifty years ago maybe. So, it was more like, even when my
grandmother was in my age and she was working, she, she lived in a village, but she was
working in city. So she said people living in city, they were wearing modern clothing,
but people living in village, they were still wearing this folk dress. What was just fifty
years ago, so, so I think that's when...
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 13

CB: (39:37) How long ago...about fifty years ago?

MB: Um hmm. Yeah, so I think that's amazing, you know, like, I don't know if you compare it
with the USA, if people could wear something like that, you know, that. It's like if
someone wore Victorian dress in 1960s, you know, so many people would look weird,
you know, at him probably or her. But people still...

CB: In Slovakia, was that considered unusual then?

MB: It was more like, it was normal in fifties, still. But only in villages. People in city were
more progressive, and, so, they were following fashion, you know, more. But in villages
you still could find people.

CB: Can you still find people today wearing that traditional clothing?

MB: Oh, you can, yeah. Actually, where I live, and in lot of this small villages around, in
mountains, and, you know, you still, there is lot of people still wearing that, especially
old ladies. So, our, my neighbor, she used to, she was, she used to wear that. I mean, she
died three years ago, but she always wore the clothes. And my great-grandmother too,
so. I think it's really nice, you know. Hmm...um....So, well, usually people nowadays
wear it only if they are part of some kind of, this folk group, you know. So. Next
question?

CB: So...So what's your impression of the American seasonal and holiday traditions that
you have observed so far? Not only of your stays in America, but what you've seen,
like in movies and popular culture...

MB: Um hmm.

CB: Things like that. What kind of stands out to you, what's your overall impression?

MB: Okay, well, what I, what I know this is that people that here when any holiday is coming,
there is like months before it's, you can buy stuff for it, and it's, you find all this...For
example, it'sI came here in, in October, first of October, and already I, you could, I
could buy Christmas stuff here. What's really weird, you know, for me, because it's still
just October, and also Halloween, so this, just this propaganda is so strong here, that's a
big difference. Just...But it's connected with consumerism, you know how much
products they made for holidays, and in Slovakia, I would think, I would say it's more
pure, still, that, they, you can, of course, you can buy stuff with Christmas, Merry
Christmas logo and, things like that. And, you know, for every season, but it's really not
that much, and it's something that people still create on their own at home, including
food, decorations and all that, so. This is, this is a big difference. And, so Halloween is
completely different because we don't really have Halloween, except what I named. But
(pauses), well, we, now, well, just recent years is when Halloween came to Slovakia, and,
but it's usually younger people that just have a, have a reason to make a party and dress
up, so that's all what it is...
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 14

CB: And to drink?

MB: Yeah, and drinks [laughs]. It's not about young kids that that go from house to house, but
I think that's really nice. But what I heard is that even here, it's kind-of disappearing, that
little children just go from house to house and they don't even say this poem or little
saying what they should say or do a trick or something, so. But they just come and get
the candy, you know, so [pauses] But in Slovakia, yeah, you don't even, you just, just
dress up and go to party, that's what it there about. [pauses] And, yeah, well I am looking
forward to experiencing Christmas [laughs].

And, also what you don't have here is, on, we have on sixth of December is Mikulas and
Mikulas is somewhat like here, is Santa Claus, and, like, it's practically the same
definition of Santa Claus and Mikulas is that, he brought [pauses]...Children had to,
Christmas in Slovakia is more about that Jesus was born, and Mikulas, what is on sixth of
December, is about getting gifts and how you, how you were behaving, so. So, on sixth
of December, every children finds, when you wake up and you find in a, you put, night
before you put a shoe in a window, (....) you polish it and clean it very well, and then you
put it to window and when you wake up on 6th of December, you find a surprise in your
boot. And, well, of, nowadays it's lot of sweets and, but, in the past it used to be that if
children were behaving well, they got chocolate or sugar, or, or apple, and then if they
didn't behave well, then they got the potato or coal. So, it was like some motivation for
children to behave good, you know.

CB: (45:16) Did you ever get coal?

MB: No, I got potato once for fun, from my mom, so [laughs].

CB: What about your sister?

MB: No, she always gets sweets [laughs].

CB: Oh, so she's the sweet one in the family.

MB: Yeah [laughs]. Yeah, so.

CB: You've mentioned to me before that people in Slovakia drink a lot.

MB: [laughs]

CB: So...I assume that they use a lot of the holidays as an excuse to drink quite a lot.

MB: [Laughs] Yes, well, I think it's all Slavic cultures. They, they, it's like, it's our, in our
culture. I think that when there is a holiday or something Slovak, not just Slovaks but all
Slavic countries like Czechs, Polish, Ukrainians, Croatians, Bulgarian, you know, all
that. They, uh, et cetera. [laughs] They, when we celebrate something, people drink,
and, because it's, it's like coming from, you know, when before people mostly living in,
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 15

in this easier, you know, not easier, but more simple conditions and environment. They
were just having, I'm not sure how to describe it well. They just had this folk fun, you
know, living in villages and in agriculture areas. So, they usually, that was, that's how
the people used to have fun was, they meet together and they were dancing, so and they
were also drinking something. And I think that's also for, that was, that lasted centuries,
and I think that's still, is last, you know, going on now, so. People still love, they meet
together, they drink something, and then they like dancing, so. Or if there is some event
going on, people always have, have, have homemade alcohol. Or, what they also pass
recipe for generations or, and dance a lot, so.

CB: Do you, your mom and sister like to get together with family and friends and have a
ton of dancing and drinking?

MB: [Laughs] Yeah, sure, but usually its something we do during holidays when, because we
celebrate holiday, but also a city or city party, or village day. Usually its in villages, they
create these village parties, you know, where there is this live folk band and they play
folk music and, so, everyone loves going there. You know, it's always fun, so.

CB: What kind of instruments do they play?

MB: They play violins, base, and, I'm not sure how it's called, but it's, it's a, it's a traditional
Slovak instrument, something you, you use two sticks--I can't really describe it in
English. But, you just do this; you're sitting and play and just hitting strings that are, like,
fifty strings, you know, like, practically like on the table and you hitting it. I can't
describe it better, I'm sorry, and I'm not sure, I don't have any idea how it's called in
English, so. And also, there is this instrument, it's called drumbla, that you, Hamilton got
one, so it's one that you just put to your mouth, and you do this, uh, how do you call this
sound. And it makes a sound, it's very very traditional, so.

CB: And those horns. Do people [laughs]You, Alexander and Hamilton brought some
horns from Slovakia. Do people use that at all for anything, or that just something
interesting to make sound?

MB: Well, it's what, it, people still use it but it's more for when they go hunting, you know,
it's, or when they are in woods and they can call for help, or, it protects you when you
meet bear or some--, see a bear in woods, or, so on. So, it's more like for protection and,
yeah, during hunting, that's what they use it...

CB: Have you ever brought one of those with you before for protection?

MB: Well, yeah [laughs]. Actually, works against aggressive dogs. Dogs are, for some
reason, scared of it, so [laughs].

CB: Oh, yes, we see that with our dog.

MB: [Laughs] Yeah.

BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 16

CB: [Laughs]

MB: [Laughs]

CB: So, it's usually a good idea to bring something like that with you?

MB: Yes, uh huh.

CB: Do you think a bear would be scared of something like that?

MB: I heard that it would be, yeah. So, because its really strong voice and it's, it's, it's really
loud, and makes a similar voice as bear, I think, so. [laughs] Yeah.

CB: (50:00) So, considering all of the, to conclude this, considering all the holiday and
seasonal traditions you've talked about, is there a more understated tradition,
perhaps, that you might practice every day, like, making a certain dish, or a certain
way of doing an every day task?

MB: Well, yes, I think, yeah, mostly you can see that in cooking. Like, um, we make lot of,
Slovaks make lot of food made of flour and potatoes, and it's because Slovaks were
always, it was, they were, um, Slovakia used to be always agricultural area, and Slovaks
used to work on fields a lot, and, so it was really hard work. So, they, they had lot of
potatoes, of course, and flour, that they harvested themselves. And also, they needed to
eat food that would make them strong and make them be able to work all day, so. We
have lot of different dishes made of potatoes, and in very very, in lot of ways, you
know. And flour as well, so.

What nowadays I think, this is still what I can cook, but, that's something for nowadays
lifestyle, I think, it's not very healthy because you can get fat really easily
[laughs]. Because, you can just see the difference in lifestyle nowadays and one hundred
years ago, you know, just what food people ate, I think. So, that's fascinating for me, too,
so [laughs]. And, yeah, and lot of dairy products as well. So, and, yeah, like, for
example, from potatoes we make this potato pancakes when you cut potatoes into really
little pieces.

CB: I heard those are really good.

MB: Yeah. You were not here? Or?

CB: No.

MB: Ah, that's a shame. Yeah [laughs], good. I need to make it, then [laughs]. So you cut
potatoes in really, really tiny pieces, then add eggs and flour and you add some herbs and
you fry it. And that's really good. And then, or, this is what--something, one of my
favorite dishes, so, that's what I will continue doing for sure. And, then, just simple food
like baked potatoes with butter and milk, but fresh butter and fresh milk, that's very
BRIN_20151115_Brin04_CJB_TR_01 17

good. And, or, very popular is making halusky, that's bryndzov halusky, is the
traditional food in Slovakia, and that is made, it's dough made of egg and flour, and, you
just, you're, you, you mix this dough and you, you throw it into boiling water in little
pieces, so it creates little bryndzov halusky, and then you mix it with sheep cheese and
put bacon on it and chives. And this is like traditional food. So.

CB: Well, it looks like you won't have a too much of a hard time adjusting to
Adairville. I think the local people will learn quite a lot from you.

MB: Yeah, I hope so.

CB: I'll learn a lot from you, too. We all will.

MB: [Laughs] Good [laughs].

CB: Well, thanks so much Martina!

MB: Thank you! Thank you very much [laughs].

*end of transcription