Week in the Life of the Hungarian Diaspora: Literature Exhibition, Scouts in Muzslya and Maypole Dance

In our recurring Week in the life of the Hungarian Diaspora series, we’ll be looking back at recent events and exploring the many success stories of the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Program, which targets Hungarians outside the Carpathian Basin, and the Petőfi Sándor Program, which focuses on dispersed Hungarian communities beyond the borders of Hungary.

“Fabled Empire/Literature” exhibition in Collegium Hungaricum in Vienna

The so-called “Mesés (B)irodalom” exhibition is periodically organized by the Literature House of Debrecen. The unique exhibition guides every attendee on a journey through Hungarian folklore and introduces them to the magical world of Hungarian folktales as well as the works of “The Great Folk-Tale Teller,” Elek Benedek, and the “Shakespeare of Ballads,” László Arany. Using playful nostalgia, the display brings the heroes of the retro tales to life.

“Turul őrs” scout association celebrates its 30th anniversary.

It has been three decades since the Vojvodinian Hungarian Scouts began their work in Muzslya. The members of the association paid their gratitude and respect to their predecessors – the “Turul őrs (Turul Post) – by inaugurating a memorial plaque on the third of May. After its reveal, the plaque was blessed and wreathed. At the end of the ceremony, the participants listened to the scout march, sang Himnusz together and ended the night with a festive dinner.

Rock and Roll and Operetta in Szent István House in London

Rock and roll and operetta concerts were held in one of the largest Hungarian cultural hubs in London. The first band to give an outstanding concert in Szent István House was László Benkő’s Budapest Gold Stars, Hungary’s newest supergroup. After this, rock and roll band Müller Péter Sziámi AndFriends fascinated the audience with their performance.  Later a talented Hungarian operetta group named Operettissimo dazzled the audience with its outstanding performance. The band, which consists of four singers, a violinist and pianist, left the Hungarian Opera in Kolozsvár to tour and perform operetta classics.

Maypole dance and Gasztrohunyad festival in Csernakeresztúr

This little village hosts one of Europe’s longest running folk festival traditions: the maypole erection. This year, the event took place at the same time as the second annual Gasztrohunyad festival, a gastro-cultural event. In spite of the unpleasant weather, many came to watch the folk dancers dress the Maypole and present their Bukovinian Szekler dance.

Featured photo via korosiprogram.hu