Discover Kurultaj: Hungary’s grandest traditional event captured in photos

The Kurultaj is the largest event celebrating the traditions of the Carpathian Basin, and it was once again held this year in Bugac. The event drew tens of thousands of visitors and numerous delegations. We attended from 9 to 11 August, but for those still interested, there are excellent programmes on Sunday.

Fifteen years ago, the first Kurultaj was organised with the aim of uniting all Hun and Turkic nations to celebrate together in Hungary. The Turkic countries have embraced this initiative so wholeheartedly that they now send substantial diplomatic delegations to the biennial Kurultaj, each introducing the culture of their respective countries. National stands featured handicrafts and souvenirs from distant lands, serving this purpose.

In Bugac, science and tradition intertwine. In addition to the usual festival elements such as spectacular shows, buffets, and various vendors, attendees could see Attila’s tent—a giant yurt—and the archaeological-anthropological exhibition “The Descendants of the Huns in the East and West.” Other notable exhibitions included “Tarsoly Plates – Treasures of the Conquering Elite,” the Topolya City Museum’s guest exhibition “Bringing Up Our Ancestors,” and the historical bow reconstruction exhibition “The Bow of the Ancestors, the Ancestor of the Young,” all of which attracted many visitors.

András Zsolt Bíró, the chief organiser and president of the Hungarian-Turanian Public Benefit Foundation, remarked that the Kurultaj embodies the unity of the Carpathian Basin. This year, 27 related nations were represented at the event.

The opening ceremony took place on Saturday and was attended by numerous foreign and national delegations. At 11 a.m., the arena was packed with spectators eager to see the performances. The programme began with a greyhound hunting demonstration, followed by an infantry combat display.

The Hungarian Turanian Selection presented a Nomadic Trick Rider show, followed by a display of the golden war horses of the steppe ancestors, the Ahal Teke horses.

One of the day’s most spectacular events was the “Nomadic Procession”—a life-sized re-enactment of the conquest era, featuring nearly 300 horsemen leading the procession, followed by foot soldiers, families with camels and wagons, and the rear guard.

A new addition to the programme was a dramatic re-enactment of a nomadic wedding, performed by over 80 actors. This included a scene of a girl being abducted, culminating in a wedding ceremony of the period.

The highlight of Saturday was the Parade of the Sword—a grand military parade of horse and foot soldiers from the Carpathian Basin and the East. Participants lined up and galloped around the parade grounds, carrying the flags of the participating nations.

We hope our photo gallery will inspire readers to visit the Kurultaj in two years’ time, less than an hour and a half from Budapest.

As we wrote earlier, this year’s Kurultaj – Hungarian Tribal Assembly in Bugac promises to be an unmissable family event, details HERE.