Czech Easter Tradition - Whipping

Czech’s celebrate Easter every year with painting and decorating of eggs. They also like to celebrate the spring renewal with the image of the Easter lamb or pound cake made in the lamb molds or a freshly made Babovka. See my previous post on how to make this. The Czech girls will decorate the eggs and give them to boys. So what do the boys give the girls in return? Why a whipping of course. Say what? That’s right a whipping. Czech Easter tradition involves the boys making or acquiring a handmade whip called a pomlazka which is decorated and may have a dozen or more individual colored twigs or willow fronds on the ends. The boys venture out on Easter morning singing Easter carols and will pursue and whip the girls (Lightly of course) on the back of the legs or behind. The girls reciprocate by offering up a decorated egg (Kraslice) or decoration for the pomlazka or whip. Instead of taking this as abuse, the belief among the whipping of the pomlazka is attributed to restoring youth and beauty to the woman or girl that is whipped. The older men will be treated (they hope) to a shot of brandy from the women. Interesting to say the least! Check out the link below as a fellow tourist shops for the right pomlazka.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKSkBn5ATjk&feature=related

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