Valaška

The valaška ( _pl. ciupaga, _hu. fokos, _ua. бартка, топірець) is a long thin light axe used in the past centuries by shepherds and other Gorals in the Carpathian Mountains, especially in Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and Hungary. Main feature of valaška is a combination of a tool with a walking stick, which could also be used as a light weapon. It has a symbolic historical and cultural connotations and is still used as a prop in many traditional dances, for example the odzemok.

Appearance

Valaška is a light axe with a long straight wooden shaft, often with a metal butt. The length of the shaft is slightly above 1 metre. Shafts were usually engraved as their owners had plenty of time for creation.

Small metal head-piece is sharp on one side while the other side is flat and can be used as a hammer. The head-piece is formed to fit comfortably into hand so the valaška could be used as a walking stick.

Todays valaškas are mostly decorative, some having golden or silver head-pieces. Many are considered works of art.

History and usage

In 9th century, Hungarian warriors used light axes on long shafts, called fokos.

In 14th through 17th centuries, valaškas were brought into the Central Europe from Wallachia (todays Romania) along the Carpathian Mountains by Romanian shepherd migrants called Vlachs as part of their culture. Valaškas were mostly used by shepherds as versatile tools, providing a small axe, a supplemental hammer and a walking stick. Although valaška could not be used to effectively cut heavy trees, it was still able to cut smaller branches. Also, although a hammer on a long shaft is not comfortable for reliable work, it could still be used that way.

In Slovakia and Poland, valaškas were inseparable tools of Slovak and Polish shepherds, together with heavy decorative belts. In Slovak culture, valaška was popularized by Slovak historical legend Juraj Jánošík.

In Hungary, modified valaškas were also used as martial weapons by Hungarian warriors in the medieval age, used for example in 18th century in Rákóczi's War for Independence against the Austrian soldiers. In 17th and 18th century, Hungarian Kuruc leader Imre Thököly and his soldiers used valaškas as weapons. Hungarian shepherds in the north regions used valaška as tools as well.

Present-day usage

In present times, valaškas are still made and sold as souvenirs for decoration purposes. Also, they are still used in many traditional dances. Occasionally they may be seen in the rural parts of country where older men still use them as walking sticks. They are rarely used as tools or weapons.