PHOTOS: Ancestors’ Day with C Asian participants, nomadic parade, exhibitions in Bugac

We were at the seventh edition of Ancestors’ Day. The event, based on the traditions of the steppe peoples, has grown over the years. Near Bugac, basically, a small town is forming around the Ancestors’ Day, with the atmosphere of a fairground with crafts, pony rides, and other fun activities. What is different, however, is the vision that the emotive voice of the announcer told the audience during the nomadic procession: Zsolt András Bíró and the Hungarian Turan Foundation had dreamed of this event years ago, and it has now grown to the size they once imagined it to be.

An international crowd

Perhaps a good representation of the size of the event is that I was on the bus to Bugac with a Kazakh and an Iranian participant, helping them find their way around after the Sunshine IC to Szeged was delayed for an hour on Saturday. But even then, the atmosphere was extremely friendly, with more experienced visitors helping first-time attendees. The international character of the event was well-demonstrated by the many languages that were spoken. From English to German to Asian languages, we also witnessed a French traditionalist volunteer for the sporting contest. The presence of the Asian contingent was most striking, and they came from all corners of the continent, from young girls with cameras to lads in elegant shirts to men in suits.

Before the official opening, a huge queue had already formed in front of Attila’s tent, where an exhibition on the domestication of horses was on display. But the arena was already packed when the blessing ceremony with the falconry took place in the morning. Other venues of the Ancestors’ Day were a little less frequented in the morning but filled up quickly during the day. The crowd remained manageable throughout the event. So, if anyone was worried about the large throng of visitors should feel at ease to attend next time. Although the food tents were often crammed, large areas of the event remained quite breezy. Only shaded areas were lacking a little in the mid-morning heat, but the shade provided by the set-up canopies eased the discomfort.

The logistics of the venue worked swimmingly, at least on Saturday. A host of bags were placed out to dispose the garbage. But the organisers also repeatedly asked participants not to litter. This was successful, as the amount of rubbish on the ground was barely noticeable inside the Ancestors’ Day area, and during the day the waste was constantly being removed. The mobile toilets were also sufficiently numerous and frequently emptied to serve the needs of thousands of people. These may seem like small things, but they can spoil the atmosphere of such an event if not maintained properly.

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Nomadic parade

The event that attracted the most attention and number of spectators took place in the arena. The most anticipated event was the nomadic march when various traditionalist troops marched together into the arena in nomadic marching order. The horsemen came first, followed by the footmen and the charioteers.

The ensuing parade was also spectacular, with the riders again taking their turn, but this time in formation and turning around at the appropriate points in the arena. This was followed by the welcome speeches of András Zsolt Bíró joined by the Mayor of Bugac and the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, which supported the event.

The arena then became the scene of various fighting demonstrations and competitions. Perhaps the most spectacular of these was the sport of Köböre, which is still practised as a sport among the steppe peoples of Kazakhstan. Here, two teams of horsemen attempted to drive a goat into a designated circle. The winner was the one who managed to do this tricky task the most number of times within the time limit. Originally played with a live animal, a 30 kg stuffed puppet replaced the goat at the event.

Ancestor’s Day exhibitions and performances

Ancestor’s Day has set up a number of themed yurts. The largest of these was Attila’s Tent, in front of which long lines of people queued. Inside, there was an exhibition about the history of horse domestication. Not far from it, the public could see reconstructions of the faces of buried Hungarian conquerors. You could also take a look at the yurts of several traditional groups, and at the Hungarian Historical Archery Society, you could try out bows reconstructed from archaeological findings.