Tradičná agrárna kultúra Slovenska

During the period between the foundation of the feudal society and the turn of the 20th century in Slovakia, the group which was dominant both culturally and socially were the peasants. Their lifestyle and culture were formed in times when self-sufficiency in those matters was existentially fundamental. Even after the emergence of division of labour, the peasants held the part socially most significant - production of food and primary production of several basic raw materials. The stability of their culture was certainly influenced by the fact that the peasant's life was more constant than the life of any other profession. It was the versatility of the peasant family culture that ensured its long livelihood throughout a broad European territory. Not one non-peasant culture was able to demonstrate such versatility towards an individual. The traditional peasant family culture is the last remnant of overall life balance. Material and spiritual displays of the traditional Slovakian folk culture, the organisation of family, local community and division of moral values were significantly influenced by the peasant base of their lifestyle. Field work, realised in set cycles, was an active struggle of the man/creator not only for the necessary biological needs, but for his cultural identity as well.