The Eighth Tribe, 1977 (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1977-10-01 / 10. szám
Page 10 THE EIGHTH TRIBE October, 1977 on with the task of establishing themselves. At times, they feel discouraged. The complaints I heard while at Latina were not directed at living conditions in the camp. Rather, these refugees echoed their sentiments of discouragement, of being forgotten by those who could help them. They feel hopelessly neglected and rightfully so. Some have been there for as long as two years seeking asylum if possible in the U.S. But, American law is stringent and breaking through the bureaucratic red tape is a lengthy, often exasperating process. Besides, there is little concern shown for the fate of these refugees and no one with the power to act seems to care. They are not among the Asian hoards swallowed up in an American war; nor can they be grabbed up by the Jewish cause. The conscience of America does not support them. Yet, one questions why not. It is true that the U.S. feels no immediate guilt about the fate of the ordinary East European citizen. Eastern Europe bears no immediate reminders of American destruction as does Vietnam. The only minority whose cause is espoused by a powerful lobby in this country is the Jewish minority. The Eastern European Jew can emigrate to the U.S. with relative ease. He does not sit for years in Latina. Freedom-seekers have neither to be Asian or Jewish. The desire for human rights is universal. Hungarians can feel just as oppressed as the Jews behind the Iron Curtain. They can crave liberty just as much as the Asians. Tens of thousands died in a revolt in Hungary in October of 1956. We, in the West, have forgotten that revolt, but for the Hungarians who remained in their homeland, the wounds are still there. These Hungarians have tried to make it in the context of a system they once tried to reject. Some can’t adjust. They continue to flock to the West. Many end up in Latina. My visit to the camp was disconcerting. I carried my message of distress to the U.S. Consul at the American Embassy in Rome who attends to the problems of refugees in Italy. Mr. Samuel Villanova listened to my story. I explained the difficulties the Hungarians in Latina were experiencing in their attempts to obtain permission to emigrate. Their applications, it seems, are not being processed and they could remain in exile endlessly. He pointed to the need for sponsors in the U.S. I highlighted the fact that even those who had sponsors were being detained. I questioned the seriousness of the relief effort involved, both on the part of the U.S. Government and the various religious organizations who could exert influence. Mr. Villanova listened attentively but somewhat reluctantly to Prince Álmos, was made pregnant by the sacred turul, which act then destined Álmos and his son, Árpád, as the founders of a great dynasty.) Later, however, the spirits of many animals received similar veneration. Their bones — with their spirits allegedly enclosed — were worn as amulets to ward off known and unknown dangers. Their strength was also invoked to help defeat an enemy, as well as to make barren women fertile. For this same reason, many male children were named after such animals. (Diószegi: Hitvilág, pp. 1-135). Although by the time of their conquest of the Carpathian Basin, the Magyars had been in contact with Islam, Christianity and Judaism for many decades, shamanism — as expressed in totemism and the ongon cult — was still their primary religion. One of its by-products was the belief that the Magyar clan and tribal chiefs owed their prominence to some miraculous intervention of their totem animals. Because this was regarded as a supernatural act, the chiefs were generally thought of as born heroes; and not even their defeat in battle could dim their “heroism.” (This is evident, among others, from the heroization of Lél/Lehel and Bulcsú, both of whom were defeated and hanged by the Germans after the Battle of Augsburg in 955.) Thus, whether pagan or Christian, the deeds of the chiefs were usually incorporated into heroic epics, and in the latter case some of them were even canonized. This is best shown in the exalted position of the kiindii (the sacred ruler in the system of double kingship), whose very title is derived from the sun (kiin/giin — sun). An extreme form of this heroification is the case of the Japanese and the Inca emperors, both of whom were held to be descendents of the sun or Sun God. This tradition may also explain why the members of the Árpád Dynasty enjoyed such prestige and power among the Magyars at the time when the feudal kings of contemporary Europe were only “first among equals” (primus inter pares), and thus often at the mercy of their feudal vassals. The religious beliefs of the Magyars of the pre-conquest period is amply reflected in their art works, where the representations of the World Tree or the Tree of Life, and the various totem animals are plentiful. But while the symbolism and the high quality of their art is now generally known, the Magyars are still thought to have been bearers of a culture that knew nothing of literacy. As a matter of fact, this was not so — although their literacy was not on par with the literacy found in medieval Christian monasteries or Islamic medresses (theological schools) of that period. 58 my plea for action. He acknowledged that a little push from Congress on behalf of the refugees might help move things along. For this reason, I believe it is desirable to enlist the help of members of Congress, asking them to draft a brief letter to Mr. Villanova. They should request a statement from Mr. Villanova ás to what exactly is being done to help spur the departure of these Hungarian escapees from Latina. Get the Facts on SOLAR HEATING! a 160 pages book with valuable information for homeowners, builders and architects. ’’ENERGY BOOM and SOLAR HEATING” Introductory Price: $8.00 Order from: BETHLEN PRESS, P. O. Box 637, Ligonier, Pa. 15658
