Author Archives: pbenedek

Melon Heads

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Residence: Oxford, Connecticut
Performance Date: 04/23/2021
Primary Language: English

Main Text: 

Melon Heads 

Background on Informant: 

My informant is a current student who has shared with me his experiences of childhood folklore and traditions that he grew up with. In a series of interviews he has shared with me his knowledge. 

Context: 

He explains:

“Growing up in Connecticut, you hear legends and myths constantly especially when you’re young as the spread of information runs rampant among kids. The one I vividly remember is the legend of the Melon Heads. 

These melon heads are said to be these small humans with giant bulbous heads who hide out and attack people in the woods. Living in Southern Connecticut, where they are said to reside, always made me feel uneasy. 

I’d honestly rather take a ghost or witch than a melon head. But they are said to eat small animals and the flesh of teenagers (I know right how convenient). 

The story supposedly goes that there was this hospital or asylum (depends on who tells you the story), but it had a lot of criminally insane patients. Well in the 1960s, it burned down, resulting in the death of all of the workers and most of the patients, but a bunch escaped into the woods. In order to survive they resorted to cannibalism and inbreeding, which is the ‘melon head’ aspect of it due to deformities from the inbreeding. 

Every so often you hear the many stories of people seeing them. Like apparently in the 1980s, a group of girls from (I forget which high school) decided to drive around and look for melon heads, so they left their car and went into the woods. Then the engine of their car started and they ‘saw’ the melon heads drive off with the car. But there’s so many stories all over Southern Connecticut with people claiming to see and hear them. 

I’m not saying I believe they exist, but I’m also not saying they don’t. I don’t want to gamble with that. But it is interesting how you can’t escape Connecticut without hearing about the melon heads at least once in your life.” 

Analysis/Thoughts: 

As a believer of a many things, I can certainly say I too was left uneasy after hearing about the legend of the melon heads. I grew up hearing about them too but I was always too afraid to fully get to know the story but now I do. It’s fascinating to think how this story stays alive because of how elementary kids and high schoolers continue to tell it over and over again, even when it dates back to the 1960’s. It’s one of the few legends of Connecticut that has stayed alive and has thrived. I also love how there are so many different versions of the same story going around as it has evolved over the decades. Overall, I enjoyed learning more about this folklore of Connecticut, and observed that these stories go out as far as Ohio and Michigan, but next time I go for a drive I will definitely be on the lookout for any melon heads out there. 

Májusfa & the Május Fa Tánc

Nationality: Hungarian
Age: 45
Residence: Queens, New York
Performance Date: 04/13/2021
Primary Language: Hungarian
Language: English

Main Text: 

Májusfa & the Május Fa Tánc 

Background on Informant: 

She was born and raised in Hungary, but moved to the United States in 1997. She is knowledgable of her roots and has lots of wisdom to share about its’ cultural traditions. Growing up her family practiced the traditions of the May tree (Májusfa) and she has shared with me her experiences with it. 

Context: 

She explains: 

(Translated) 

“On the night of May 1st every year, the boys of the town would cut down a May tree from the forest and bring it to a girls house. Usually one boy would set up the plan for the girl he liked and get the help of his friends. 

The tree was sort of a symbol of renewal and also a token of love, it was a cute tradition.

They would decorate the tree with colored ribbons of all sorts of colors — because the trees are very thin it looks like a giant mesh of confetti. Sometimes they would tie a bottle on the top as well. The trees are also very tall and I could see the top of the tree with the beautiful ribbons from the top of my fourth floor apartment. 

When the decorating was done, the boys would stay out all night until the morning to call out the girl and serenade her and often give small gifts such as flowers, jewelry, and perfume. 

It was exciting to wake up in the morning and see which girl received a May tree. I got some and was always so happy to see them, wish we had the technology of today cause then I could have some pictures to look back on.

There was also a dance associated with the event. Girls who get a tree hosts the village with food and drink, and they usually do a traditional dance with music around the tree in celebration.

The tree stays up until the last night of May, and there’s a cute saying where whoever’s tree remains green, and does not wither, then their love will last forever. 

It was quite a public announcement of courtship I will say, but because I lived in an apartment, it was a little bit more rare to receive one as it was best to have it planted in the countryside. 

It was very fun and it was funny to see how the girls became competitive with who got the prettiest tree, and you had to look out cause enemies might ruin the tree as revenge. 

Another competition was climbing the thin tree, which the boys often attempted trying to win the bottle on the top of the tree. 

The tradition is one of my favorites and is the perfect introduction to spring into summer, although I don’t think it’s been practiced as much anymore.” 

Analysis/Thoughts: 

Before this interview, I had never even heard of this tradition and was absolutely entranced after learning about it. I love how it ties into the culture of Hungary and it is quite the adorable tradition practiced. Looking at reference photos, it is almost shocking at how tall those trees are and just how extravagant people got with the decoration. I love how wholesome it is in ushering in a new season and how it has little notions of wisdom in representing young love and fortune. 

The symbolism of the tree (of rebirth and nature) and the event as a total has a rich tradition and from researching I was able to learn about the development of it from generation to generation. It also goes hand in hand with religious traditions as the event is associated with St. James the Apostle and the tree is also referred to as the ‘James Tree’. It is said that the stick of Valburga, nailed to Saint James and Saint Philip, turned green and sprouted flowers indicating virginal purity, thus the symbolism associated with the tradition. 

It’s interesting to note how many of Hungary’s traditions are rooted in religion and how its’ continued to play a major role in culture and heritage. Overall, I enjoyed learning about this event and will be exploring more to understand its’ impact in Hungarian history. 

Annotations: 

For visual reference check out: 

https://i.szalas.hu/packages/1150397/original/706320.jpg

For more historical background: 

http://studyinhungary.hu/blog/colourful-springtime-tradition-in-hungary-the-may-tree

Mikulás Day

Nationality: Hungarian
Age: 45
Residence: Queens, New York
Performance Date: 04/13/2021
Primary Language: Hungarian
Language: English

Main Text: 

Mikulás Nap (Saint Nicholas Day) in Hungarian tradition is celebrated annually on December 6th. 

Background on Informant: 

She was born and raised in Hungary, but moved to the United States in 1997. She is knowledgable of her roots and has lots of wisdom to share about its’ cultural traditions. She grew up with the traditions of Mikulás Nap as a child and continued to practice it with her own children. 

Context: 

She explains: 

(Translated) 

“Mikulás is the Hungarian ’Santa Claus’ but it is also a reference to Saint Nicholas (Miklós or Mikulás). On every December 5th, children are told to put out shoes (boots usually) in front of their house, windows, or even in more modern times their rooms. 

Then by the next morning on December 6th, which is Mikulás Nap (Saint Nicholas Day), good children wake up to find chocolates, small toys, and sometimes even money in their shoes, while the bad children get “virgács” which is like twigs wrapped in red paper as their punishment (kind of looks like a small broom)— it’s supposed to be a reference to ‘Krampusz’ who is this devil-elf hybrid creature. But no one really ever gives their children it even if they deserve it. My mother always told me I would get it, but she never would, she got me the most delicious treats. 

No one really practices “virgács” anymore and ‘Krampusz’ is not associated with Hungarian Christmas culture anymore either. In more modern times, I usually use the American Christmas Stockings to place small chocolates and tiny presents for my children, and then the next celebration after this is our Christmas (‘Karácsony’) on December 24th.”

Analysis/Thoughts: 

I loved learning about the traditions of Mikulás Nap and understanding the origin of the holiday and how it has shifted from tradition customs to a more modern version. It’s interesting to see how Hungarian tradition as well as other Eastern European cultures have this precursor holiday ahead of Christmas. Having also grown up with practicing this mini-holiday in my own traditions, I learned a lot about ‘Krampusz’ who has played a large of role in the past, but has now become outdated in modern customs yet very much active in pop culture. I also had never heard of the “virgács” and assuringly most parents tend to treat their children with rewarding gifts rather than punishments on this day. 

As St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, it is without a doubt that this ‘Father Christmas’ treats his children with blessings. I also love how this tradition hasn’t really spread far from Eastern Europe traditions and that it never caught on in the Western world as much as the other traditions such as ‘Santa Clause’ and Christmas as a whole. But overall, I was able to learn more about this tradition and the importance it continues to play in Hungarian culture, and its preservation that I would say will continue to last a long time. 

Annotations: 

For more information check out: 

https://search-proquest-com.libproxy2.usc.edu/legacydocview/EBC/1386985?accountid=14749

www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt1pnktx.8