Traditional Stripping of Feathers and Shelling Pumpkin Seeds

On former peasant farms, there were many jobs that could be done by working together with the community and helping one another. On the one hand, work progressed faster together, and on the other, on cold winter evenings, people could save a little on heating by getting together alternately at one house and then another. Feather stripping and pumpkin seed shelling were usually done at the same time: while women removed the quills from the feathers, men used to shell the pumpkin seeds. The stripped feathers ended up in duvets and cushions while the shelled pumpkin seeds were used to make delicious pumpkin seed oil. People usually met for these jobs in the evenings, and sometimes stayed until midnight. At such times, the work was accompanied by great conversations, jokes, and entertainment.

In some communities, the tradition of stripping feathers and shelling pumpkin seeds still lives on. The Ferenc Antal Cultural Society in Središče annually organises an event to revive the important village activities of winter evenings. The atmospheric event, which preserves the beauties of the past, always arouses great interest not only among the inhabitants of the settlement, but also among the inhabitants of the area on both sides of the Slovenian-Hungarian border. On such occasions, the cultural centre of the village of Središče becomes crowded with people. After their hard work, a multitude of well-deserved traditional dishes, delicious local wines and the generous supply of palatable pálinka await visitors. Time for some fun and revelry...