Folk customs are traditionally established behaviors and inescapable factors of national cultures that mark significant moments of a person’s life. They are divided as seasonal customs, life cycle celebrations, and economic customs. The folk customs of Istria have been subject to changes caused by different cultural and other types of influence, so many have nearly vanished, and others have become symbols of the regional identity. For example, there is a special ceremony for weddings in Buzet, with a specific proposal custom that leads to a wedding. Every place in Istria has its own special folk custom that has been upheld through the years, and some places are still holding them. One example is Barban where the eggs are dyed using natural ingredients during the Easter celebration, homemade cakes are made, the Holy Mass is attended and the time is spent with one's family. A few people in Rakalj are still the old-fashioned potters and make cooking pots out of clay. Almost all the families in Rakalj used to do this, and there is only one left today. When it comes to folk customs in Labin, there used to be one specific house in the village with a big room where a dance was held every Sunday or during the holidays. People from Labin are also known for customs that deal with healing, birth, baptism and the carnival. The goal of the carnival has always been to entertain the host and his family, so in every house, the carnival participants would dance and sing with the people living within. Besides the life cycle and seasonal folk customs, the economic customs also hold great value in Istria. The core of the modern mid-Istria estate are agriculture and viticulture. The locals' belief were mostly superstitions and magical rites that were supposed to help with the grain yield and protection from the harsh weather. These included washing hands before sowing, staying completely quiet during the sowing, blessing the sowing grains in the church, etc. Istria is also recognizable for the specific cuisine that is still current, the prominent dishes including homemade pasta, bread and cakes prepared only for the most important holidays.