Yurts used to serve Magyars (ancient Hungarians) as their shelters. It is part of our heritage that is still worth preserving in our memories. This article briefly sums everything up that you should know about yurts.
The yurt is a round tent with a cupola on its top. Its wooden frame is covered by felt. The felt was attached to wooden bars, therefore, it functioned as a stable “wall” of the yurt. The most significant advantage of this residence was that it was very easy to take apart – this way, the tribesmen could easily continue wandering and could stay mobile. They used to be the
homes of nomadic tribesmen, e.g. peoples of Central-Asia and Eastern-Siberia – Turks, Mongols, Magyars etc. used to live in them.
These peoples relied on their livestock in order to survive. So, they were constantly moving from one pasture to another to feed their cattle – seasonal climate changes forced them to move as well. They had to have different accommodations for the winter and the summer and constantly adapt to nature or enemy threat. This continuously moving lifestyle is the nomadic steppe. So,
being able to move rapidly if necessary was vital in our ancestors’ lives.
Hungarian children learn about this in elementary school, so they know that their ancestors arrived in the Carpathian Basin from the East and that they lived in yurts. To build a yurt, they had to have serious carpenter skills, especially at that time, because it was much more difficult than building a wooden house or a mud-hut. Yurts were used for surprisingly long in Hungary, until around 1301 – the dissolution of the Árpád dynasty. But some Hungarians continued nomadic lifestyle even further, until around 1400.
We only know about two versions of yurts: the Kazakh and the Mongolian. Kazakh yurts had curved slats on the roof, and this way, bigger space was provided inside. Our ancestors also built this model, but it took more experience, more time, and better skill to avoid mistakes. All the components had to be fumigated in order to bend them. The bars of the “kerege” (bar-wall) were also curved, so their joints were strong enough to hold the roofing.
Fortunately, we can see that yurts are becoming more and more popular and raise many people’s interest. Not long ago, yurt manufacturers and even yurt importers appeared. There are many yurt camps in Hungary, Slovakia, Transylvania (Szeklerland), and Ukraine (Transcarpathia) where adults and children can all see yurts and learn about them.
Wine is maybe the most well-known beverage in the world. It has been accompanying mankind in the majority of its history, and we can solemnly state that it contributed to shaping us into the way we are today. But does such a long time mean that we know everything about wine? Or that all the important features are generally known about it? Let us take a look at a lesser-known but rather delicious form of wine that has a great tradition in Hungary: murci.
But what is murci?
Murci is a beverage in a special state. This state is between the must and the ultimate wine. Murci is going through a constant fermentation process, and as time goes by, it inevitably becomes wine – except we drink it. If we do, we can feel something extraordinary.
Photo: www.facebook.com/MurciWineBar
The taste of this beverage is sweet, but we can also taste and feel alcohol in it as we swallow. Besides having a very sweet taste, it has massive alcohol content, above 10%; therefore, it affects us the same way as wine does. However, it is not that conspicuous while drinking it because of its sweet taste. It is like must or wine (most similar to new wine), but later we can realise that it is something very different. Besides alcohol, murci has great sugar content as well, which helps alcohol reach the brain much faster through the blood. This is something that people find surprising after drinking some murci. They think it is a light, sweet beverage, and there is nothing to worry about. But after some minutes, they become dizzy, dopey, and soon, completely drunk.
This special state, taste, and impact have inspired many winemakers to go further. Making murci and enjoying it alone is good. Sharing it with friends and acquaintances is better.
Photo: vecsés.hu
But inviting hundreds/thousands of people to a festival where they can all enjoy murci is probably the best.
This is what happens every year in Hungary in different parts of the country in August and September. Murci festivals are becoming more and more popular in the country, especially around Lake Balaton, e.g. in Ábrahámhegy or Balatonlelle-Kishegy etc. – but near Budapest as well e.g. in
Vecsés.
Vecsés is a traditional German settlement in the agglomeration of the capital. The town is famous for preserving German and Hungarian traditions. VII. Murci festival of Vecsés is going to be organised on 31st August 2019. Apart from murci, visitors can expect much entertainment provided by local music bands and dance groups. Traditional German and Hungarian music is included in the programme, along with the local cuisine’s specialities and – of course – murci.
The radical nationalist Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland) party held its first congress with some 180 participants in southern Hungarian Ásotthalom on Saturday.
If Hungarians know they can rely on the movement, Toroczkai said, then it is “doomed to succeed”.
Toroczkai said the 2022 elections will either see another Orbán government or, “even worse”, a left-liberal one, which is based on the principle “to destroy everything that is tradition and important for Hungarians”.
Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
Mi Hazánk has an enormous responsibility, Toroczkai said. If members “give up now and stand aside”, a new “Gyurcsány government” will rise to power in 2022, with (nationalist) Jobbik delivering the “votes of the radical masses”, he said.
The party has to persevere to represent the “nationalist side” should Fidesz, “which now still rakes in votes with migration and the fence in Ásotthalom (on the Serbian-Hungarian border),” lose its support.
Dóra Dúró, the party’s deputy leader who sits in parliament as an independent MP, said that in less than a year after it was formed, Mi Hazánk has become one of the most credible voices in Hungarian politics. It has had better results at the European parliamentary elections than “some parties with groups in parliament”, she said.
Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
The party’s only standard is the good of the nation, Dúró said. That will determine their action “in the face of leftist demagoguery and Fidesz hypocrisy alike”, she said.
The party would never cooperate with (leftist) Democratic Coalition or the Socialists, “or any of their vassals”, she said.
There is a certain charm to traditional weddings around the world, which can never be forgotten. For Hungarians, a traditional wedding in the countryside meant a loud march on the main street, homemade décor, and a group of cheerful women cooking.
Szeretlek Magyarország writes about a traditional Hungarian rural wedding from 40 years ago, the kind that made a whole village buzzing in the summertime.
Although I am only in my early twenties, I also remember the march that the author of the article describes: the family and the guests walk through the main street of the village, which is observed by everyone who did not get invited. The sight of the bride dressed in an elaborate white dress on the side of the groom is enchanting for a little girl, especially with the sound of drums and accordion accompanying them.
Rural wedding in 1978, photo: Fortepan/Fortepan
At the end of the 1970s and beginning of the 1980s, a wedding would usually last 1.5 days, but there were times when a wedding celebration would last 2-3 days like in the tales.
The women of the village would start preparing the food for the feast two days before the wedding took place.
None of them were actual chefs, but there were no complaints about the food either.
As one would imagine, traditional Hungarian meals were favoured, which meant lots of meat (stuffed cabbage and stew), paprika (find out here why paprika is the favourite Hungarian spice), and greasy sauces. This was paired with the smell of grease and meat lingering in the air for days.
The women preparing the food in Nyáregyháza, 1972 photo: Fortepan/Péterffy István
On the morning of the wedding, the groom would go to the bride’s house and ask her parents to let her go with him. The groom was always accompanied by musicians and relatives, as well as other guests. Once the bridal party arrived, the best man would give a speech with lots of anecdotes and jokes, persuading the parents into letting the bride go. The best man was also the one responsible for keeping the drinks flowing among the guests. Back in the day, the best man had to be a relative, but today, there are professional best men for hire.
The bride and relatives in Kerecsend, 1973 photo: Fortepan/Urbán Tamás
After this ceremony, the bride joined the party, and the whole company continued their way to the town hall, where they would get married according to law. The loud celebration and music would cease as they entered the town hall, showing respect for the institution of marriage.
After the marriage papers were signed, the couple would get married in the church too. However, this was rare during communism.
The guests would usually go home to get some sleep before the reception, while the close relatives gathered together for lunch.
The reception began around 5-6 in the evening with a glorious feast. The community centre was the venue for all weddings, and it was decorated with crepe paper garlands. The tables were not organised separately but in long rows, so people were really close to each other, and the joyous mood could not have been avoided.
The menu consisted of big bowls of golden chicken or beef broth with the meat, noodles, and vegetables on separate plates, followed by beef stew with dumplings. Then, after some dancing, pork prepared in various manners (stew, schnitzel) was served with an endless range and amount of pickled delicacies. The crown jewel of the feast was the ‘light’ stuffed cabbage.
Stuffed Cabbage Photo: Tropical Magazine
The cakes included strudels, cookies, and cakes. In some regions, the families had to bring their own cakes, and everyone got to taste each other’s. The closing number was, of course, the bridal cake. The author recalls that one clumsy and unfortunate bride accidentally threw the cake on the floor.
Drinks did not vary much: there was red and white wine, pálinka, soda, and raspberry syrup for the children.
The dancing never seemed to stop, and there was barely a soul who did not dance.
People would sing along, halloo and whistle, while the base steps of csárdás (two steps to the left, two to the right) would get more and more complicated. The band would play traditional Hungarian songs, but Hungarian versions of the most famous ABBA hits were played, too.
Around midnight, the best man would ‘order’ that the bride dance with the groom, after which she had to dance with other relatives as well, who ‘paid’ for the dance.
In the 15th century, the expansion of the Ottoman Empire started to worry the West. Some wanted Hungary to stop the Turks. However, it became clear at the end of the 1440s that Hungary could not do the job on their own. Help in any shape or form, from any direction, meant a lot.
Pope Callixtus III was elected in 1455. He was aware that if the Ottomans managed to march through Hungary undefeated, Vienna, as well as Rome, would not be safe from the danger of being conquered, either. Therefore, Pope Callixtus III did everything in his power to unite Christianity and stop the Ottoman advances, reports 24.
Unfortunately, he did not win the support of France, Britain, or Italy.
So, he turned to God and issued a papal bull ordering churches to chime the bells each day, praying for the victory of the Hungarians. According to his request, church bells should be rung three times every half hour between 3 pm and 6 pm, and every Christian soul should say the Angelus prayer three times.
On July 4th, 1456, the fateful siege began in Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade). Just three weeks later, on 22 July 1456, János Hunyadi, Mihály Szilágyi, János Kapisztrán, and their Hungarian and Serbian soldiers gloriously defeated the Ottoman army. The good news reached Rome on 6 August. The pope rejoiced in it, evidenced by the fact that he declared August 6th to be the commemoration of the victory, and the Feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated each year on this day.
Therefore, the original purpose of the bells chiming was to pray for Hungary. After the victory, the prayers for mercy turned into expressing gratitude.
Noon bells
However, all this does not explain the story behind the noon bells of today. For that, we have to look back to the 1414-18 Council of Constance. It was decided there that bells should be rung every Friday at noon in memory of the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
In 1500, when the Christian world had to face serious Ottoman threat again, the two events were connected by Pope Alexander VI. He reinforced the commemoration of the siege of Nándorfehérvár, and he extended the Friday bells to be rung every day of the week at noon.
So, church bells have rung for Hungary ever since 1456, commemorating the heroism of Hungarian and Serbian soldiers. Since 1500, the church bells commemorate it every day at noon, all over the world.
The Museum of Ethnography’s new home in City Park in the green heart of Budapest – a facility to satisfy the needs of both professionals and the public – will be completed in 2021 as part of the Liget Budapest Project (Best Futura Mega Project award nominee, Cannes 2017). The design of this exciting new building has won two International Property Awards in the categories of best public service architecture, Europe, and best public service architecture, Global. Currently operating behind closed doors in its building opposite the Hungarian Parliament, the museum is now preparing full-force for the move. Though the vast array of non-traditional tasks involved does not allow for public access to many interesting, behind-the-scenes processes, the museum would nevertheless like anyone interested to be able to follow events as they shape museum history.
Closed building
The current building of the Museum of Ethnography is known worldwide for much more than its large-scale exhibitions. Its impressive interiors, too, have garnered much attention, appearing in such memorable films as Evita, Spy, and Inferno. What many people do not know is that the museum, which has been in operation since 1872 and therefore represents one of Europe’s oldest ethnographic institutions, has occupied the former Hall of Justice building since as early as 1973 (following several relocations). Rightly proud of its collection, while also open to the opportunity of renewal, the social science museum will for the first time be housed in a brand new building – one that meets the needs of professional and visitor alike, and where, plans are, numerous treasures previously hidden in museum storerooms will gain new visibility.
Though from the outside, the current building seems peaceful, inside, preparations for transporting the museum’s numerous artefacts are proceeding full steam everywhere – including former, well-known exhibition spaces. Each article – whether a unique piece from Oceania or a group of hundreds of wine jugs from the museum’s enormous ceramics collection – must be picked up, cleaned, identified, and photographed. The scale of the job is difficult to imagine: some 250,000 artefacts and million odd archived documents, photographs, and photographic negatives must all be moved during the period to come.
“Our institution closed its doors to the public in December of 2017. In the past year and a half, our staff have handled nearly 200,000 of the museum’s artefacts,” notes museum director Lajos Kemecsi. “Objects are in the process of leaving their collections, and though our staff cannot lose themselves in this work at present, it is presenting us with the opportunity of answering a number of questions.” The museum’s professional team are now occupied in a number of simultaneous pursuits: e.g. conceptualising the permanent exhibitions to be installed in the new building, assigning labour to various architectural and construction tasks, curating the institution’s various collections, and performing the ongoing general audit.
Numerically speaking…
“By the end of 2018, we had gone through almost 200 boxes of dust masks, 550 pairs of rubber and cloth gloves, 1000 square metres of banner cloth, and twice that amount of plastic sheeting. We had also climbed 2400 steps and drunk 660 cups of coffee per person,” Collections Department head Veronika Schleicher summarises her staff’s past 15-months’ experience. “Last year alone, 110,000 artefacts were furnished with QR codes and at least 46,000 digital photographs were taken. The work currently underway feels as mechanical as chopping wood, though some of the objects we are moving have probably been resting in the same places for 40 years,” she adds.
Photo: Museum of Ethnography
Digitisation
An important part of ongoing archive work consists in the digitisation of approximately 13,000 endangered nitrate-containing photographs. When this work is completed, the museum’s archives will have grown to include some 90,000 total digital records, to which will be added the institution’s 700 drawings and sketches that are currently being scanned. Further digitisation work, including that related to the tapes in the Audio Archive, targets the cause of artefact preservation. There is also much to be done with the museum’s other analogue media: video cassettes in the Moving Picture Collection must be digitised or discarded; the department must decide which devices to keep as artefacts of technological history, etc. Professionals are now engaged in digitising and archiving several hundred reels of tape and Bakelite disks, while the museum’s unique collection of 4000 phonograph cylinders must be given special handling during the move. This latter body of material is the same one that aided the Musicology Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in creating a map showing where various songs were sung in Hungary 100 years ago.
Conservation
Matters of conservation will be accorded particular attention during this period. The museum’s new Collections Centre will be opening in the vicinity of City Park in 2019. The relocation of the institution’s complex collection will present not only a physical challenge, but also one of reinterpreting museum operations in general. Storage facilities in the new Collections Centre will be realised over more than 10,000 square metres and will involve modern storage systems designed to ensure that space is utilised economically. The museum’s current 3-unit external warehouse base in Törökbálint houses, among other things, its entire Furniture and Lighting, Rituals and Customs, and Ecclesiastical Collections, while the Crafts and Trades, Construction, and Transportation Collections have resided there for some three decades. More than 13,000 artefacts have been prepared in the foregoing period for moving, the more unusual of them including a complete carnival carousel, peasant wagons, and a dugout boat some 7 metres long.
Photo: Museum of Ethnography
Scientific research and publicity
“Despite the challenges and burdens, we would like to remain present in both public, and professional life,” the museum director asserts. The two areas that define museum scientific work are collections research / artefact identification, and the building of new collections (i.e. both artefacts, and documents) in support of the museum’s contemporary studies program. With no exhibitions to aid them, the results of these endeavours are made visible and accessible to others via other, formerly lower-profile systems, including publications, conferences, and professional/public programmes on the one hand, and the media and online services on the other.
As regards preparations for the new permanent exhibition, museum researchers have assembled a volume entitled Polyphonic Museum: Dilemmas Faced by Ethnography Museums in the Early 21st Century, containing selections translated from the international professional literature. The studies included in the volume map out important topics relevant to contemporary ethnography, analysing the relationship between cultural anthropology and ethnography museums, the role of social science museums, the characteristics of contemporary material culture, and changes in the domains of meaning borne by ethnographic objects. The theoretical approaches reflecting these views are rounded out by a discussion of the curatorial practices applied to concrete exhibitions.
An enormous responsibility
“The material and information that have been accumulating in the Museum of Ethnography over the past 150 years represent an enormous responsibility,” Veronika Schleicher continues. “Our job is to preserve our collections in a manner so fluid and to such a high standard that we can, from time to time, present them via new voices and devices. Many people with a committed interest in our heritage regard these collections as cultural gene banks. For them, ours is a credible source, a depository for answers and solutions.”
The schedule for museum relocation will proceed in parallel with the history of the grand expedition that produced the institution’s first collection: the East Asian field collecting trip of János Xántus, the museum’s first director. Both the collection itself, and the exhibition organised from its material bear as much significance today as they did in previous centuries; and by current plans, the new Museum of Ethnography will open in 2022, the 150th anniversary of the year in which the events in question concluded. Until then, stay tuned!
The pilgrimage on Whitsunday is an event that brings together the Székely people and the Hungarians living in diaspora. Today, this event is the largest annual gathering in Romania.
This tradition is worth keeping and that is why it is not surprising that the process of declaring the pilgrimage a Hungaricum is on its way.
We all love the long weekend that comes with Pentecost, but do we really know anything about the holiday itself? Let’s look at some of the traditions to understand what we celebrate, and to finally know why we get to have an extra free day every June.
What do we celebrate?
Pentecost is a Christian holiday which is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples. As other religious holidays, it is based on Pagan beliefs, which the Christian religion builds on, and it has merged into one common holiday.
How do we celebrate?
Most people take advantage of the long weekend and travel around. The wellness centres and spas are always full this time of the year. Those who take the religious aspect of the holiday seriously usually visit the Csíksomlyó búcsú, which is the Csíkcsomlyó pilgrimage in Transylvania.
The Csíksomlyó pilgrimage
The Csíksomlyó pilgrimage is basically the largest Catholic celebration of the year for Hungarians. It is an annual gathering in Csíksomlyó, Transylvania, which attracts between 50,000 and 100,000 attendees each year.
Photo: Facebook.com/Csíksomlyóibúcsú
Pilgrims have been gathering at Csíksomlyó for 450 years during Pentecost to honour the Szeklers of Csík who defeated the troops of John Sigismund during the battle of Tolvajos tető. The king tried to force the Szeklers to convert to Protestantism.
Pilgrims from Hungary travel to Csíksomlyó to honour the miraculous Virgin Mary statue and to be part of this very unique pilgrim meeting. It is a huge event every year with lots of programs and guests.
This year’s event will take place from 7 June to 9 June. Many travel agencies organise special tickets for the ceremony which includes transport, meals and lodging as well.
Pentecost traditions in Hungary
Choosing the Pentecost king
The king’s title can be earned by winning different games of skill. The Pentecost’s king is a very special title to hold, as the king gets invited to all the weddings, celebrations and holidays that year; and he also gets to drink for free everywhere.
Traditional courtship at Pentecost
Traditionally, the suitor has to put a Pentecost rose in the girl’s window, and the girl has to make a wreath and hand it over to the suitor. Another tradition is called ‘mátkázás’. Mátkázás is when the suitor sends a basket of scones and wine to the girl whom he likes. If the feeling is mutual, the girl sends back a similar basket.
Hungarian embroidery has many styles, many shapes and many colours. It is pure art on a piece of fabric, so why is it so unrated and underappreciated? Let us take a look at the history of Hungarian embroidery and the many varieties of it.
Embroidery is a decorative process in which a piece of fabric is decorated with some colourful threads, by sewing the thread onto the fabric in various shapes. According to relics, embroidery could have been around since ancient time. In Europe, the oldest surviving embroideries are from the Middle Ages, around the 11-12th centuries. At that time, the golden and silver embroidery was very fashionable.
In Hungary, embroidery started spreading in the 18th century, especially after the Industrial Revolution. Maria Theresa even made embroidery an obligatory subject at school. In the 20th century, people covered their pillows, tapestry and table cloths in beautiful embroidered motifs. Today, it somehow found its way onto our clothes and into fashion.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/ancient.hungary/
Gentlemen’s embroidery typically refers to a Hungarian embroidery type, which developed in Renaissance Hungary and was influenced by West European and Turkish embroidery culture. The fabric was usually expensive linen, and it was embroidered with silk or metal thread. As its name suggests, only the wealthy could afford it.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The motifs vary from place to place, but the most popular ones are:
geometric shapes (circles, triangles, squares)
flora (mostly flowers)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
animals (birds, deer)
Some more rare ones are people and objects, such as bows, flowerpots or plates.
If you happen to have clothes with embroidery on them, here is a useful tip for you: embroidered fabrics should be ironed inside out with the steaming process.
Read about how Kalocsa embroidery inspired an Arabic designer HERE and how it is taking over Bangkok HERE.
There is no wedding like a Hungarian wedding. Traditional Hungarian food on the table, good wine and pálinka literally flowing everywhere, and people have a great time. However, if you are not Hungarian, and you are about to marry one, here are a few wedding traditions to prepare for.
In our previous article On dating Hungarians, you could read about the three crucial things to consider when dating a Hungarian: (1) be prepared for a dry, sarcastic sense of humour and a somewhat cynical worldview, (2) be careful with your compliments, and (3) avoid unnecessary and superfluous gifts. The three characteristics specified in the previous article still stand, but there are a few additional things to consider too.
Unique wedding traditions
Each nation has its own unique wedding traditions that definitely seem weird to outsiders. Hungary is no exception.
Bride kidnapping
In Hungary, it is a custom to “kidnap” the bride. This means that the families’ younger friends take away the bride to a party or a bar and would not take her back until the groom “paid a ransom”. This is not a particularly safe tradition, and accidents have happened in the past. During one of these kidnappings, a bride was dropped and suffered serious injuries, having to be taken to a hospital.
Candlelight waltz
The gyertyafénykeringő [candlelight waltz] is a way for the bride to say goodbye to her white dress. She dances one last dance with the groom in the dress, while they are holding one candle in their hands. The guests gather in a big circle around the couple holding candles, which the newlyweds blow out while dancing. When all “guest candles” are blown out, the couple blows out their own candle and leaves the room to change dress.
Midnight change of dress
The bride changes dress around the stroke of midnight. The bride traditionally changes into a new dress known as the menyecske ruha [the new wife dress]. The menyecske ruha traditionally has some red in it, or it is often a mixture of red and white. This change of attire is a symbolic gesture: the bride is saying goodbye to her old life and is accepting her new life as a wife.
Coin dance and bridal dance
At a traditional Hungarian wedding, the newlyweds used to do a so-called coin dance. The couple dances while their guests gather around them and throw coins at them (well, not directly at them, but near them). At the end of the coin dance, the couple must clean the coins with a broom and a shovel. It is a rather difficult task since the guests are kicking the coins aside to make the job harder. This used to be the traditional way of gifting money to the newlyweds. Of course, nowadays, people usually go for a more modern way and give an envelope with a nice card instead. The modern version of the coin dance is the bridal dance when the bride is dancing with the guests while the best man yells “bride for sale”. During the bridal dance, the husband and the bride’s mother collect the wedding gifts (most often envelopes). The bridal dance usually happens after midnight, when the bride is changed into her menyecske ruha because it is much more comfortable.
The Netherlands is usually associated with bicycles, Rembrandt, modern designs, tulip fields and wind turbines, while the first words that come to your mind regarding Hungary are kürtőskalács, lángos, pálinka, folk art. But how do Dutch people who have experienced life in both countries see their home culture and Hungary?
Index has decided to ask some Dutch people who were living in Hungary for years now to compare living in Hungary with life in the Netherlands.
Thousands of Dutch people moved to Hungary in the past decades, and while most immigrants prefer the capital city, Dutch people are more drawn to the countryside. Most of them live in Baranya, Somogy and Nógrád counties. Property prices are lower in these areas, but the climate is also an important factor when choosing location.
They say that life is more balanced in Hungary than it is in the Netherlands.
Although the language barrier presents some difficulties when it comes to assimilation (the number of Hungarians speaking German or English is still low), Dutch people say that Hungarians are usually welcoming and open.
In the video below, people talk about the Hungarian values that they have found important and which could possibly be integrated into Dutch living.
Claudia Kussel is an art curator at Mai Manó Ház art gallery, she moved to Hungary two years ago with her family. The first thing that she highlights about Hungary is that workout equipments are installed in most parks – something that you cannot find in the Netherlands. Another positive thing for her is the celebration of Children’s Day, which in her opinion could be introduced in the Netherlands as well, as there only Mother’s and Father’s Day are celebrated.
Claudia said that they were looking forward to trying lángos and kürtőskalács before they moved to Hungary, as Dutch people are keen on good, delicious food.
Tom de Smet spends half the year in Amsterdam, the other half in Budapest. He first visited Hungary in 1986, and 9 years later he began his research on Hungarian gastronomy, and is now a chef at Kelet Café. In his opinion, gastrofestivals in Hungary are one of the best things to happen to a community. His favourite is the Sausage Festival in Békéscsaba, where he is always amazed by the fact that 3000 people gather together to cook and dance, which is unusual for Dutch people.
However, he is often annoyed by pedestrians, who do not respect bikers.
Then we find Elroy Thümmler too, who was featured in Hungarian media frequently in 2017. He came to Bedepuszta in 2003, and bought the houses there with his (mostly Hungarian) friends, who eventually left. For the Roma families, who were living in the small village, Thümmler bought better houses in the villages nearby. Thümmler has ties to Sziget Festival too, but he likes the ruin pubs, the kürtőskalács and the Túró Rudi too.
He told Index that there are no open, green spaces in the Netherlands like there are in Hungary, and he found it strange at first that there are barely any people walking in the forests: in his experience, Dutch forests are always filled with people.
The most important Hungarian values in his opinion are the people’s attachment to the land and their respect of their culture.
Lastly, the video features Lóránt Kibédi Varga, the managing director of CBRE, who has been living in Budapest for 25 years. He remarked wittily that he has a ’Hungarian hardware and a Dutch software’. He highlights the Dutch people’s ability to look for compromises, which he finds useful in Hungary.
Two Hungarian youngsters, Réka and Kristóf, are living on a 43-year-old sailboat and just started their 3 year long circumnavigation around the globe. On their way, in every country where they throw the anchor, they present a Hungarian-themed wayfarer photo exhibition, and they make videos of that country’s folklore in English on their YouTube channel.
The couple founded the Hungarians Around the World Association and announced a photo competition on the topic of Hungarian folklore. Of the more than 100 photos received, 22 photos were selected based on the decision of the 3-member jury.
The 22 photos are the proud work of 11 lucky contestants. The winning pictures are displayed along their journey. The primary goal of the association and the wayfarer exhibition is to strengthen the Hungarian consciousness of the Hungarians living in the diaspora, and to spread and promote the Hungarian folk culture around the world.
Réka and Kristóf in folk costum from Kalocsa region, Hungary. Photo taken by Moraru Beatrice Vivien
The first exhibition was held from 17 to 19 May 2019 in Croatia, in Zaton Bay near Dubrovnik. The authentic Croatian Konoba Dandy, proved to be the most suitable for this purpose.
The event is also mentioned in the Croatian Dubrovnik Press.
The further stages of the traveling exhibition will be Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, after the Atlantic crossing , Brazil, the Caribbean and finally the Pacific.
For more information about the adventurous endeavour, visit the following links:
Many Hungarian residents enjoy trying and eating different kind of gastronomical delicacies from each part of the country. Not only Hungarian people but many tourists are keen on getting to know the cultural and traditional features of another country’s gastronomy; many of them visit Hungary for only its dining habits. Although the capital is still the first in the category of best restaurants, there are fifty-four other honourable mentions outside Budapest.
The main target for gastro-lovers to try out special traditional Hungarian food is still Budapest but at the same time, almost every restaurant on the countryside develops rapidly every day; slowly reaching the level of the restaurants in the Hungarian capital – reports Hello Vidék. There are several places outside the capital with an extraordinary menu which consists of many traditional meals and special ones as well.
Besides the general traditional Hungarian meals, it is important for every county to emphasise their own gastronomy and to include regional meals on their menus – making them even more spectacular among others.
Taking this point into consideration, it is recommended to try out every county’s speciality, for example, the fish soup in Baja or the meat-pancakes in Hortobágy. According to many experts, the gastro-revolution in Hungary takes place in its counties as the market of the trademarked products in each country are more popular day by day. These products wear trademarks because they are specialised in the counties’ culture and traditions.
Photo: www.facebook.com/magyargulyasetterem
These products only contain natural ingredients from the manufacturer county, emphasise the region’s culture and traditions, provide rare and unique Hungarian cultural features and have the best quality in the county.
Gastronomy develops rapidly in Hungary but not just in Budapest. Almost everywhere in the country, restaurants with high standards and exceptional features can be found, and that is why it is highly recommended to conquer Hungarian counties and not just the capital if we are looking for something special to eat. Another major advantage for these restaurants is that they only work with Hungarian ingredients – tasty fruits, vegetables and excellent meats.
The top three restaurants in every Hungarian county – restaurant’s name (location)
Hungarian gastronomy is known for its fatty, greasy foods. Hungarian cuisine also involves a lot of meat-heavy dishes. Even though pork is a favourite addition in Hungarian meals – just think of the famous bean soup á la Jókai, the Hungarian lecsó or black pudding (hurka) -, there are numerous delicious staple dishes that are made with chicken.
In Hungary, the most popular types of meat present in the majority of our staple dishes are pork, beef and, of course, chicken. Turkey is much less consumed, not to mention other, more specific types of meat such as duck or lamb. When it comes to fish, we have the famous fish soup that is also part of the Christmas menu.
Chicken stew is very popular among Hungarians. Basically, every household has their own version – actually, this means that you can make it from other types of meat, too, like pork or beef. The origins of this dish go way back, even before the time of the Hungarian conquest. Stew-like dishes indeed have a long history. However, the version we know and love today is more recent than that, first popping up in 18th-century cookbooks. It is most often accompanied by noodles, but you can choose a garnish that fits your tastes, too.
There is nothing better when you are feeling sick or just cold because of the weather than having a nice bowl of homemade chicken soup. The újházi chicken soup is perfect for this purpose. Interestingly, it is also a popular dish to consume at weddings. Legends say that this soup got its name after a popular 19th-century actor who also loved gastronomy and dabbled in a bit of cooking. By the early 20th century, famous Hungarian writers and essayists even included the dish in their works. Today, it is definitely a staple dish in Hungary that foreigners can enjoy just as much.
Wiki Commons By János Korom Dr.- https://www.flickr.com/photos/korom/21517126688, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51343109
Another favourite Hungarian dish is the chicken paprikash. It is somewhat similar to the chicken stew, with one notable exception: the chicken paprikash is made with sour cream, another ingredient Hungarians love to add to most things. The tender chicken, the mixture of sour cream and paprika in the sauce together with the special Hungarian noodles called ‘nokedli’ make a divine combination. You have to try it at least once. You can make it at home, too; just follow this recipe.
Fried chicken drumsticks
Photo: facebook.com/rezagyu.hu
There are several dishes in the Hungarian cuisine that have Austrian origins, understandably so when we look at history. The fried chicken drumsticks are prepared similarly to the famous Wiener Schnitzel. However, while the schnitzel is officially made from veal, occasionally from pork (in which case it can only be called Viennese style schnitzel), in Hungary, a popular dish for Sunday lunch is chicken in batter. Some like to make it from chicken or turkey breast, but chicken legs work equally well. Add some mashed potatoes or rice, and you have the perfect Sunday meal.
In Hungary, fried cheese is also extremely popular; if you feel up for a vegetarian alternative, check out the recipe HERE.
Mother’s Day is an international celebration when many countries worldwide dedicate a whole day to celebrate mothers and motherhood. The date of this celebration is different in every culture – in Hungary, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May each year.
[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/government-official-support-of-mothers-remains-a-priority/” type=”big” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Government official: Support of mothers remains a priority[/button]
Celebrating mothers and motherhood comes from ancient times in Greece where people usually held spring-celebrations for Rhea, the “mother of Gods”, and every Greek mother in the country. In the 1600s, Mother’s Day celebrations were broadened with religious relations in England where this celebration was held on the fourth Sunday after Easter. On this day, every servant got a free-day when they could travel home to celebrate their mothers.
Statue of Rhea (Photo: Wikimedia Commons by Rolf Krahl)
Before visiting and celebrating mothers, the people of England usually baked the traditional “Mothers’ Cake” the day before the celebration.
In the United States, Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1872 in the city of Boston. An American woman, Anna Jarvis, is considered to be the founder of Mother’s Day celebrations in the United States because, in 1907, she demanded making this celebration a national holiday in the USA. Her hard work and tremendous efforts became a reality in 1914 when Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States, declared Mother’s Day a national holiday.
Anna Jarvis (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
In Hungary, the first Mother’s Day celebration was held in 1925 which was also a celebration related to the Virgin Mary. Three years later, an official statement by the government made Mother’s Day a mandatory celebration in every educational institution. On this day, children usually make presents, buy flowers and recite poems to their mothers to express their gratitude and love towards them.
Pénzcentrum reported that rapid positive changes happened when it comes to statistics of Hungarian mothers. In 2018, 67.5% of Hungarian women with children had a permanent job which is the third biggest increase among the countries of the European Union (9% since 2010) – only Ireland (9.9%) and Malta (22.6%) have a bigger percentage. This phenomenon is partly due to the fact that the Hungarian government announced several surprising points to protect family policies.
According to the latest statistics, the situation regarding working women in the country increased by 4.7% in eight years. In the European Union, Hungary is the third country which showed this kind of rapid increase in the past years.
ORBÁN STATE-OF-THE NATION ADDRESS IN BUDAPEST – FAMILY PROTECTION ACTION PLAN
Every woman under 40 years of age will be eligible for a preferential loan when they first get married. The preferential loan of the family home purchase scheme (CSOK) will be extended; families raising two or more children will now also be able to use it for purchasing resale homes. The government will repay 1 million forints of the mortgage loan of families with two or more children. This measure was first announced in August 2017 for families with three or more children, with the government paying off 1 million forints of families’ mortgages for every third and subsequent child from January 2018. The measures have now been extended to include families raising two children.
[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/orban-state-of-the-nation-address-in-budapest-here-are-the-surprising-announcements/” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] READ MORE HERE[/button]
The Hungarian pálinka is probably the best-known alcoholic drink besides our most famous wines. It has a long history and tradition, and it became a part of Hungarian culture a very long time ago. The traditional fruit brandy drink is famous all over the world, but as it is a true Hungarikum, only Hungary and four Austrian provinces are allowed to use the word “pálinka” for the drink.
[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/palinka-in-danger/” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Is pálinka in danger? [/button]
The usual ingredients of pálinka are plum, cherry, grapes, pear, apple and peach, but in general, this truly Hungarian drink can be made out of any kind of fruit – reports Magyarországom. According to Hungarian law, the name “pálinka” only stands for drinks made in Hungary out of Hungarian fruit and ingredients.
The history of pálinka is as old as the method of distillation. The first drink made with this method comes from 14th-century medieval Hungary. In a 1656 book, it is written that Róbert Károly’s (Hungarian king [1288–1342]) wife Elizabeth cured her arthritis with rosemary aqua-vitae which was distilled alcohol. Another part of the book mentions the Hungarian town of Bártfa in 1438 and describes the equipment the town made to use for distillation.
The first written mention of pálinka comes from 1630 from the Slovakian word “palenka” and meant distilled fruits, cereals and wine at the same time. The first fruity pálinka was born in 1658 in Hungary. From the 17–18th century, archaeologists found several types of equipment which prove that making pálinka became a separate industry in Hungary. The word “pálinka” became part of the Hungarian language in the same period.
Photo: www.facebook.com/palinkafesztivalgyula
By the 19th century, more than a thousand distilleries were established which produced pálinka for Hungary as well as to export to the international market. During the World War, the production decreased, and several strict laws and rules were introduced which set new standards for pálinka makers in the country. After 1989, the Hungarian factories had to be renovated due to their outdated equipment, and the lack of ingredients was also a serious problem. In 2008, Hungary established the ‘pálinka law’ which protects this Hungarian product all over the word from illegal usage.
An interesting fact is that in the 1900s, pálinka had the nickname “coffee of the poor”.
In Hungary, some parts of the country are ideal for only one type of fruit due to its climate. This region usually grows only one type of fruit (e.g. apple, peach, plum, grapes, etc.) and at the same time produces pálinka with the best quality. These pálinkas are:
Plum pálinka from Szatmár (today: Romania)
Peach pálinka from Kecskemét (Bács-Kiskun County)
Pear pálinka from Göcsej (Zala County)
Peach pálinka from Göncz (Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County)
Apple pálinka from Szabolcs (Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County)
Sour cherry pálinka from Újfehértó (Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons by Rachael Ludwick
No matter our excellent wines and other alcohols, Hungarians and foreigners buy more pálinka each year than any other drink in the country. It is tasty, popular and historic at the same time which makes people love it more than any other drink they consume.
Featured image: www.facebook.com/palinka.hu
Disclaimer: Always drink alcohol in moderation. If you need help with this, the alcohol monitoring systemsof Soberlink might help.
Expert tells how to drink pálinka properly
Gabriella Borbáth is a well-known Hungarian pálinka expert. Her grandfather worked as a winemaker, so she got familiar with this ancient profession quite early. According to Borbáth, identifying a good pálinka is much more about the taste; one needs to know a lot about the chemistry of its making as well as proper fruit growing. Luckily, there is an increasing demand for premium quality pálinka in Hungary. There is a huge variety on the market, and consumers know a lot more about the drink than they used to. Consumers’ taste is very different today than it was ten years ago. This change of demand resulted in a great variety of high-quality pálinka that is available today.
[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/expert-tells-how-to-drink-palinka-properly/” type=”big” color=”orange” newwindow=”yes”] READ MORE HERE[/button]
Budapest Folk Fest is a celebration of cultural diversity in the Carpathian Basin and its roots.
In Budapest many different cultures meet, this city has a live folk tradition, since the music and dances originally played in the villages has now living on in the city through vivid dance houses, world music concerts, urban folk goups: is a real revival of traditional culture. Authentic folk music, gispy songs and dances, urban folk and world music, dances houses, kinds of music from Central and Eastern Europe and some guest from outside are all welcome at Budapest Folk Fest.
Venue: Budapest, Hungary – Fonó Music Hall, Hungarian Heritage House, Kobuci Kert Date: 22-25 May, 2019
Budapest Folk Fest – Programs
Wednesday 22 May
Dance Teaching and Festival Opening Concert
Venue: Fonó Music Hall
18:30 Festival Opening Concert, Guest: Bazseva band feat. Dalinda
Ticket price: HUF 1000
Thursday 23 May
20.00 III. Meybahar evening – “Ek vatheon”(GR) K.Tapakis, N.Paraoulakis, L.Metaxas, Meybahar
Venue: Fonó Music Hall
Voices of Minorities:
19.00: EtnoRom
20.30: Goran Bojcevski Quartet (SLO), Refugees For Refugees (BE)
Venue: Hungarian Heritage House (Hagyományok Háza)
Just like most nations, Hungarians have their own take on celebrating different holidays. This year brought about stunning weather, which made it possible to relive our Easter traditions.
Easter Monday marks one of the most emblematic Hungarian traditions, the sprinkling of girls:
Szentendre, Photo: MTI
Mezőkövesd, Photo: MTI
Nyíregyháza, Photo: MTI
Nyíregyháza, Photo: MTI
Cikó, Photo: MTI
Cikó, Photo: MTI
Being a religous holiday, Hungarian and Transylvanian church heads welcomed Easter in the following ways:
