Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival
odd: label: Introduction
content: Hungary is a small country in Central Europe, roughly the size of Indiana. Its population is approximately 10 million, but another 2.5 million Hungarians reside within the seven countries that surround its borders (Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia) and another 2 million Hungarians live in other parts of the world. These people speak Hungarian - known as Magyar (which is also the word that refers to a person of Hungarian ancestry). The Magyars' unique language helped them survive as a cohesive ethnic group and also to develop a distinctive identity and culture.

Throughout its thousand years of history, Hungary has been a multiethnic country, drawing and incorporating new peoples and traditions. The territory has been an area of contact in Europe's geographic center, welcoming influences from all directions. The resulting culture expresses itself in a rich and diverse heritage of music, dance, costume, arts and crafts, gastronomy, speech, and even the conventions of naming (Hungarians place the family name before the given name).

In the 1970s, popular interest in folk music and dance traditions was revived by the so-called táncház (dance house) movement. This urban grassroots movement reinvented the institution of the village dance in urban settings. Young people were searching for traditions that were "true" and "authentic," and their interest focused on learning dances that were varied, improvisational, and performed to live musical accompaniment. They strove to understand the original techniques, performing styles, and contexts of the dance and the accompanying vocal and instrumental music. Their teachers were remarkable personalities in rural areas of Hungary and neighboring countries who had been able to preserve these traditions in spite of twentieth-century modernization.

A similar motivation to preserve traditional Hungarian handicrafts has provided a boost to a flourishing crafts revival. The táncház and the crafts revival provided refreshing alternatives to the mandated, ideologically controlled Socialist youth movement and forms of entertainment of the time. Their practices became not only an act of protest, but also a new channel for the expression of collective memory and identity.

Thanks to the transmission of traditional knowledge from these "last preservers" to the succeeding generations, 2013 saw a rich repertoire and high standard of dance, musical, and crafts knowledge throughout the country. What had started as an amateur movement thus revolutionized the methods and concepts of choreographed stage performances, thereby creating new sensibilities and possibilities for both contemporary and traditional dance. Recent experiments in music, design, and fashion are reshaping the boundaries and meanings of tradition.

The Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival program at the Festival demonstrated not only the diversity of these contemporary traditions, but also the worldwide significance of the Hungarian folk revival movement. Featuring highly skilled masters and apprentices from rural areas, as well as musicians, dancers, and artisans from more urban settings, the program highlighted the vitality of this culture, as well as the strength it derives from the reinterpretation of traditions.

James Deutsch and Ágnes Fülemile were Program Curators and Zsuzsanna Cselényi was Program Coordinator. The Curatorial Advisory Board included: Miklós Cseri and Eszter Csonka-Takács, Hungarian Open Air Museum; László Diószegi, György Martin Folk Dance Association; Gabriella Igyártó, Festival of Folk Arts and Crafts; László Kelemen, House of Traditions; and János Tari, National Museum of Ethnography.

The program was produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in partnership with the Balassi Institute, Budapest. Major support was provided by the Hungary Initiative Foundation and National Cultural Endowment of Hungary. Additional support was provided by the Hungarian American Coalition, American Hungarian Federation, Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy of Hungary in Washington, D.C., Center for Humanities of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Ferenc Liszt University of Music, Hungarian National Tourist Office, William Penn Association, Hungarian American Cultural Association, City Council of Karcag, Hungarian Communion of Friends, and Tisza Ensemble Washington.
label: Presenters
content: Ágnes Fülemile, Andrea Navratil, Bob Cohen, Boldog Anna, Csiki István, Eszter Bíró, Fruzsina Cseh, János Mihaly Tari, Judy Olson, Kálmán László, Kálmán Magyar, Kiss Réka, László Károly Diószegi, László Orbán, Laura Götzinger, Lisa Overholser, Mary Taylor, Csaba Mészáros, Pál Richter, Simon Ervin, Sivo Marta, Szilágyi Gyula, Tekla Tötszegi, Váradi Viktória, Vendégh Gábor, Veress Janka, Zoltán József Juhász, Zsuzsa Seres
label: Participants
content: Musicians

Mátyás Bolya, zither, Solymár, Hungary

James Cockell, 1971-, violin, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Bob Cohen, 1956-, violin, Budapest, Hungary

Anna Csizmadia, 1992-, vocalist, Budapest, Hungary

Péter Deáky, French horn

Elisabeta Dezső, 1950-, vocalist, Suatu, Cluj, Romania

Balázs Istvánfi, 1972-, bagpipes, Zebegény, Hungary

István "Dumnezeu" Jámbor, 1951-, fiddle, Ceuaș, Mureș, Romania

Martin "Florin" Kodoba, 1977-, fiddle, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Andrea Navratil, 1978-, vocalist, Budapest, Hungary

András Németh, 1984-, hurdy-gurdy, Pomáz, Hungary

Csilla Németh, drum

László Orbán, 1960-, fiddle, Sammamish, Washington

István "Gázsa" Papp, 1959-, fiddle, Budapest, Hungary

Bálint Schmidt, trumpet

Gábor Schmidt, trumpet

Jake Shulman-Ment, 1984-, violin, Brooklyn, New York

Áron Székely, 1984-, viola, Brooklyn, New York

Tibor Tillmann, trumpet

István "Kiscsipás" Varga, 1974-, fiddle, Huedin, Romania

ESZTER BÍRÓ AND BAND  -- ESZTER BÍRÓ AND BANDEszter Bíró, 1977-, vocalist, Budapest, HungarySándor Födö, 1981-, percussion, Páty, HungaryMáté Hámori, 1986-, guitar, Budapest, HungaryPéter Papesch, 1973-, bass, Szentendre, HungaryNikola Parov, 1960-, clarinet, Nagykovácsi, Hungary

HEVEDER  -- HEVEDERGyörgy Bajna, 1977-, double bass, Gheorgheni, RomaniaAlbert Fazakas, 1985-, viola, Sfântu Gheorghe, RomaniaLevente Fazakas, 1981-, fiddle, Sfântu Gheorghe, RomaniaSzabolcs Molnár, 1978-, fiddle, Miercurea Ciuc, RomaniaLászló Szilágyi, 1981-, viola, harmonica, Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania

JUHÁSZ FAMILY  -- JUHÁSZ FAMILYDénes Juhász, 1986-, flute, Budapest, HungaryRéka Juhász, 1983-, vocalist, gardon, Budapest, HungaryZoltán Juhász, 1955-, bagpipes, flute, Budapest, Hungary

PARNO GRASZT  -- PARNO GRASZTMária Balogh, vocalist, Paszab, HungarySándor Horváth, 1974-, spoons, Paszab, HungaryJános Jakocska, 1968-, guitar, Paszab, HungaryIstván Németh, vocal, percussionJózsef Oláh, 1971-, guitar, Paszab, HungaryJános Oláh, 1972-, double bass, Paszab, HungaryKrisztián Oláh, 1992-, accordion, Paszab, HungaryViktor Oláh, 1990-, guitar, Paszab, HungaryLászló Sándor, 1968-, tour manager, Budapest, Hungary

SZALONNA AND HIS BAND  -- SZALONNA AND HIS BANDRóbert Doór, 1964-, bass, Gyermely, HungaryAttila Gera, 1978-, wind instruments, Nagytarcsa, HungaryTamás Gombai, 1970-, fiddle, Budapest, HungaryGyula Karacs, 1974-, viola, Veresegyház, HungaryIstván Pál, 1980-, fiddle, Budapest, HungarySándor Ürmös, 1976-, cimbalom, Budapest, Hungary

Dancers

Dalma Bangó, 1990-, dancer, Gödöllő, Hungary

Zsófia Bartha, 1989-, dancer, Győr, Hungary

István Berecz, 1987-, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Dóra Cseke-Császár, 1990-, dancer, Lenti, Hungary

Péter Darabos, 1988-, dancer, Tordas, Hungary

Andrea Dobi, 1973-, dancer, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Péter Ertl, 1968-, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Tamás Farkas, 1984-, dancer, Kamut, Hungary

Annamária Fekete, 1995-, dancer, Gödöllő, Hungary

Dezső Fitos, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Kristóf Fundák, 1985-, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Richárd Hideg, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Brigitta Horváth, 1990-, dancer, Lenti, Hungary

Lili Kaszai, 1988-, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Kata Kádár, 1985-, dancer, Érd, Hungary

Kata Kovács, 1990-, dancer, Győr, Hungary

Zoltán Kovács, 1993-, dancer, Dunaföldvár, Hungary

Dániel Légár, 1991-, dancer, Zákány, Hungary

Máté Módos, 1991-, dancer, Győr, Hungary

Ahmed Moussa, 1990-, dancer, Gödöllő, Hungary

Zoárd Pálffy, 1986-, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Gergely Papp, dancer, Gödöllő, Hungary

Máté Papp, dancer, Gödöllő, Hungary

Rita Radics, 1964-, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Tünde Schnelczer, dancer, Budapest, Hungary

Mariann Temkó, 1984-, dancer, Szatymaz, Hungary

FASHION MODELS

Bernadett Foeldi

Luca Glavatity

Dalma Kármán

Ágnes Kerék

Lili Mosonyi

Communities of Tradition

GYIMES (TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA)

Csaba André, 1987-, dancer, Lunca de Jos, Romania

Irén André, 1995-, vocalist, Lunca de Jos, Romania

Lóránt Bodor, 1991-, dancer, Lunca de Jos, Romania

Henrietta Simon, 1996-, fiddler, Lunca de Jos, Romania

KALOCSA

Éva Bagó, 1941-, machine embroiderer, Kalocsa, Hungary

Erzsébet Romsics, 1941-, folk painter, Homokmégy, Hungary

Mária Pandúr, 1942-, folk painter, Drágszél, Hungary

Ilona Bolvári, 1940-, embroiderer, china painter, Kalocsa, Hungary

Rózsa Tóth, 1963-, embroiderer, Újtelek, Hungary

KARCAG

György Csontos, Sr., 1953-, shepherd, cook, Karcag, Hungary

György Csontos, Jr., 1976-, shepherd, cook, Karcag, Hungary

Péter Csontos, 1979-, shepherd, cook, Kecskemét-Katonatelep, Hungary

KISHEGYES (BÁCSKA, SERBIA)

Ilona Kollár, cook, egg painter

Péter Utasi, cook

MÉRA (TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA)

György Muszka, 1957-, dancer, Győr, Hungary

Ilona Muszka, 1969-, dancer, Győr, Hungary

Enikő Pálfi, 1975-, dancer, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

András Tötszegi, 1957-, dancer, Mera, Baciu, Cluj, Romania

Szilárd Tötszegi, 1986-, dancer, Mera, Baciu, Romania

SÁRKÖZ

Ágnes Komjáthi, 1958-, weaver, Szekszárd, Hungary

Julianna Minorits, 1945-, beader, Őcsény, Hungary

SZÉK (TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA)

Klára Serestély, wool processor, weaver

Zsuzsanna Zsoldos, wreath maker, weaver

CRAFTSPEOPLE

Zsuzsanna Angyal Csupor, 1955-, gingerbread and candle maker, Csókakő, Hungary

Andrea Barcsay, 1973-, potter, folk crafts teacher, Békéscsaba, Hungary

Bernadett Tenk Czefernek, 1973-, horsehair jewelry maker, Veszprém, Hungary

Balázs Fodor, 1975-, leatherworker, Enying, Hungary

Tibor Gáts, 1949-, instrument maker, Budapest, Hungary

Zoltán Gosztonyi, 1952-, bone and horn carver, Kaposvár, Hungary

György Jakab, carver, sculptor

Sándor Konyári, 1963-, coppersmith, Debrecen, Hungary

Gyula Mihalkó, 1949-, hat maker, Balmazújváros, Hungary

József András Molnár, 1958-, folk games teacher, Budapest, Hungary

Béla Nagy, 1952-, shingle and thatch roofer, Zalaegerszeg, Hungary

Katalin Nagyari, 1952-, folk crafts teacher, Salomvár, Hungary

Árpád Péter Román, 1978-, oven builder, Szentendre, Hungary

Levente Lehel Sütő, 1954-, furniture maker, Budakeszi, Hungary

Márton László Szakács, 1982-, saddle maker, Pilisszentlászló, Hungary

Éva Székelyi, 1947-, basket weaver, Hévizgyörk, Hungary

Gábor Miklós Szőke, sculptor

Ildikó Marietta Tóth, 1962-, blue-dyer, Győr, Hungary

Róbert Vágó, sculptor
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.2013, Series 2
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials