As of: March 31, 2024, 12:00 p.m
By: Miriam Kohr
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Georgian willows in baskets (left) are kept for a year and then burned at Easter. The Easter pastry Paska and red painted eggs (middle) are often on the table in Georgia at Easter. Right: Such willow sticks are used to beat women in the Czech Republic in order to increase their youth. They call it Pomlázka there. © private
How do you celebrate Easter abroad? Members of the Multicultural women's meeting from Moosburg explain their customs. The range ranges from similar to strange.
Moosburg
– Paint eggs colorfully, hide nests in the garden, decorate palm catkins, bake Easter lamb, end fasting: There are many customs and traditions at Easter in Germany and Bavaria in particular. But what about in other countries? The FT asked the Multicultural Women's Meeting in Moosburg. Four women talk about customs from the country in which they grew up. It becomes clear: many rituals coincide with the traditions from Bavaria, while others are completely different.
Four women from the Multicultural women's meeting in Moosburg talk about the Easter customs of their countries of origin. Helena (with Isadora and Eduarda) Schiavom from Brazil, Natalie Eritsyan from Georgia, Lan Myková from Czech Republic and Aleyna Emin from Bulgaria. © private
Big family celebration in Brazil
Helena Schiavom (42) from Brazil:
“Most people in Brazil are Catholic, which is why Easter is very important and celebrated widely. Before Easter we fast, we don't eat meat and we go to church on Good Friday. The whole family comes together on Easter Sunday, for us there are around 20 people who come to the big lunch. A specific fish dish with cod, potatoes and onions is typical. Chocolate eggs are hidden in the garden for the children, but without a nest. Adults also eat a lot of chocolate at Easter.”
Red egg for a long life in Bulgaria
Aleyna Emin (20) and her mother Bayse Emin (49) from Bulgaria:
“We ourselves are Muslims and don’t actually celebrate Easter. But many Bulgarians are Orthodox Christians, which is why we heard many traditions from friends and neighbors and also celebrated them. On Black Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, the oldest in the family dyes a chicken egg red. It is intended to give the family a long and healthy life and is usually kept for a year. Cleaning, sewing or working is not allowed on the Friday before Easter because it is considered a day of mourning. On Saturday at midnight you go to church and at the end of the service you say goodbye with the words “Jesus has awakened” – “Yes, he has awakened”. On Sunday we have breakfast together. Children beat colored, boiled eggs against each other. It is said that the child with the strongest egg will have a healthy year. 'Cozonac' is also eaten. The special Easter cookies made from yeast dough are often baked together. No meat is eaten on Saturday, but lamb is preferred on Sunday.”
Czechs thrash to rejuvenate themselves
Lan Myková (46) comes from Vietnam, but lived with her family in the Czech Republic for a long time:
“There are not that many believers in the Czech Republic, which is why Easter customs are less connected to religion. In big cities like Prague, the old traditions have almost all disappeared. On Easter Sunday, eggs are colorfully decorated and preparations are made for Monday: Men and boys go from door to door and ring the bell. They have hand-woven willow sticks that they decorate with bows. This is how they beat the women of the house. This is said to rejuvenate them and bring fertility. As a reward, the men receive a colorful egg. Nowadays, sweets and schnapps are also often distributed. In the Czech Republic, rabbit and lamb are the main foods eaten at Easter. There are also Easter gingerbreads with icing in the shape of lambs and bunnies.”
Georgen commemorating the deceased
Natalie Eritsyan (35) from Georgia:
“Orthodox Easter is celebrated in Georgia, which usually takes place a little later due to the different Julian calendar, this year on May 5th. A week before Easter we buy green arrangements and have them blessed. They are kept for one year. Old arrangements, on the other hand, are burned in a traditional fire. On Red Friday, many eggs are dyed red; the color is said to symbolize the blood of Christ. This is usually done with natural dyes. In addition, on Saturday every family bakes the Easter bread 'Paska', which is decorated with sugar icing. On Sunday we cook a lot and eat together. It is important to go to the cemetery on Easter Monday. You take wine, eggs, paska and candles to the grave for the deceased.”
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15 years of exchange between women of different origins
The
Multicultural Women's Meeting has existed in Moosburg since June 2009
. Fadime Yilmaz founded it with two other women under the name German-Turkish Women's Meeting Moosburg. Yilmaz, a health mediator and mother of three, came to Germany from Turkey via Austria 28 years ago. After five years, the group changed its name in order to be open to women of other nationalities. “As housewives, women with children are often alone at home; it is more difficult for them to have an exchange with other women or cultures - unlike men who have a job or children who go to school,” Yilmaz explains the idea behind the meeting . The women go on excursions together, organize cooking and dancing evenings, and attend lectures or workshops. “The iron core currently consists of around 20 women with 15 different nationalities. There are around 40 women in our WhatsApp group,” she says. For the 15th anniversary, some of the group are even going on vacation to Barcelona together. The celebration will take place with the public on July 5th from 6 p.m. in the Vhs Moosburg. Until then, the Multicultural Women's Meeting still has a few other dates in the calendar. On April 16th, for example, a lecture will be about “rites and customs surrounding the birth of a child in different cultures”. Interested parties are welcome.