The verse about the little pocket knife of Čantavir (csantavéri kisbicska) is an obscene text for dance with twice eight syllables, which is the community’s contribution to the success of the marriage. It is the evocation of fertility and reproduction, a text that repeatedly mentions this act. It is normally delivered after the bride’s dance, when the „official” part of the wedding has already ended, followed by the party.
The pocket knife, bought in markets or parish-feasts, has served as a cutlery, but it was also used as a weapon for self-defence as circumstances required. There are more such settlements around Subotica that have become famous after their young men who have not missed the chance to stab their pocket knives into the belly of their rival or a stranger coming to their parties. Sometimes they have shortened the blade in order to prevent deadly stab.
The occurrence of the little pocket knife of Čantavir in weddings was reinforced by several factors: the plenteousness of the weddings (repletion), the idea of plenty evolving from the most important source of livelihood in Čantavir – fattening of pigs –, as well as the special little pocket knife that was really made in Čantavir, though as paradox, it was not used locally, but for splitting paprika in Horgoš.
Árpád Papp