Page:The nomads of the Balkans, an account of life and customs among the Vlachs of Northern Pindus (1914).djvu/58

 these great festivals when all work is of course in abeyance and the whole village gives itself up to amusement there are several minor festivals detailed on a later page and various smaller social functions of everyday occurrence. Amongst them a system of paying calls seems especially characteristic of Vlach life. A call can be made at almost any hour either in the morning or afternoon, and on any day, but a Sunday or a holiday is more normal. One rarely goes alone to pay such calls, but four or more go together. On entering the house they are welcomed by the householder and his family, and leaving their shoes on the threshold, if they are dressed in the Vlach national costume, are invited to sit on the rugs laid either on the built wooden bench running round the wall of the living- room or on the floor in the place of honour on either side of the hearth. Recently, since Samarina has possessed an expert joiner, chairs have begun to take their place among household luxuries and as seats of honour especially for those dressed â la Franca, for it is asserted not without truth that those who wear trousers find it uncomfortable to sit with crossed legs tailorwise on the floor. When all are seated cigarettes are passed round and then the usual refreshments are brought in on a tray and handed round by the wife or elder daughter. They consist of a spoonful of jam or a lump of Turkish Delight, a glass of raki or some similar liqueur and a cup of Turkish coffee. No native of Samarina is so poor or so lacking in dignity as not to offer any stranger who calls on him at least a lump of Turkish Delight and a glass of wine. Hospitality is the keynote of Vlach life and the stranger is quickly made to feel at home, if he is prepared to enjoy simple comforts. A whole day is sometimes spent in such calls, and on arrival in a village the traveller is usually taken round from house to house to make the acquaintance of the chief inhabitants. The noticeable feature about these functions is the part played by women. Vlach women, unlike women in a Greek village, are treated by the men with far greater respect and in some cases almost as equals. The women pay calls like the men and both converse together freely. On the other hand the women rarely and apparently never as a regular habit eat with the