The Eighth Tribe, 1980 (7. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1980-08-01 / 8. szám
August, 1980 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 3 Guest Editorilists:— Nancy J. Chomos Bocche and Raymond If'. Boeche What does it mean to be a first-or-sccond generation Hungarian-American? What are our responsibilities — our obligations? As children our up-bringing was unique. We got used to pronouncing our last names innumerable times to the teacher — not understanding why it was so difficult for them — and finally reconciling ourselves to the relatively close Americanization they gravitated to. Saying the Lord’s Prayer in Hungarian while your classmates mumbled on in English. Knowing what soccer was before you got turned away to football. Going to a “different” church your classmates had never heard of. Wondering what some of the concoctions were at “school lunch” —and wondering if this was typical American food. As we grew older we got used to pizza and spaghetti — and people stumbling over our names. It seemed like we were bombarded by “one-ness” — the need to feel like we were perfectly normal — not the slightest bit different. Some of us might have left our church for an “American church.” When we reached maturity in our late teen, we began to realize just bow amazing our parents/ grandparents were — how much they had accomplished. We began to wish we could remember more of the stories and tales of the “old country”, and their quest and courage in forging a new life here in America. We wished we could remember more of that toungetieing Hungarian language we tried so hard to forget during our Americanization process. Our menus and palates longed to turn back to our mother’s style of cooking. We wished we could go back and do it all over again — But we can’t. And that brings us to our responsibility now — to find out and preserve our uniqueness — our difference. To become more knowledgable of our heritage, both here and in Hungary, so our children will know the glories and majesties of a Hungary past. “One-ness” is an admirable thing — this wanting not to be different — but listen — when our parents are gone where will our link with Hungary be. It will be buried with them. Please don’t let us become so tied up in “one-ness” that we let our heritage slip away into oblivion. We need a place where we can go and be charged up again, to get our heads on straight because we’re proud of who we are and were. Not just American, but Hungarian. Time is against us. We need to start on the Hungarian Cultural Institute now — before our heritage is buried forever in the soil. Think of the legacy we could leave our descendants — all for a few dollars. We can still go to our parents and grandparents when we yearn and need to know why we’re special — but where will our children go? In marrying into a Hungarian family, I've found that I've also been wed to a rich and varied heritage. A heritage with the romance of the noble Huns and Magyars, the brilliant analytical minds of scientists such as Edward Teller, and the sensitive spirits of musicians and artists such as Franz Liszt, Béla Bartók, Eugene Fodor, and Zoltán Szabó. Writers 6uch as Sándor Petőfi and Joseph Pulitzer and military minds such as Colonel Michael Kováts, who died fighting for this country’s freedom. The contributions that these and the thousands of other Hungarians have made, not only to this country, but to the entire world, have enriched our lives inmeasurably. The world recognizes these accomplishments, but only the Hungarian people can claim them as their own. As a teacher, it has been my opportunity to inform children of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the contributions that have been made by all peoples to humanity. As a Hungarian-by-marriage I feel that it would be my obligation and responsibility to let my children know of the accomplishments of their people. A knowledge of one’s heritage grounds a person with a sense of confidence and pride that what others have done, he can do also. It is my fervent hope that all people of Hungarian descent accept the responsibility of teaching their children about their great heritage. Dear Editor: The Governor’s Heritage Affairs Advisory Commission, formally established on January 10, 1980 by Governor Dick Thornburgh, provides for and encourages the awareness, understanding and appreciation of the traditions and cultures of Pennsylvania’s ethnic people. The commission establishes a direct link between the Governor and the heritage groups of Pennsylvania and serves as the Governor’s media center for the state and national ethnic press. In order to keep the Governor and the commission informed of the news of your ethnic community, I would appreciate receiving copies of your publication. In addition, you will be placed on our press mailing list for news releases and our monthly newsletter. Thank you for the courtesy extended us as complimentary subscribers to your publication. If the commission can be of any assistance to you, please feel free to contact us. Sincerely, Marcy Carey The 34th Annual Conference Meeting of the American Hungarian Reformed Presbyter’s Association to be held on Sunday, August 31st and Monday, September 1st, Labor Day, in the new conference room on the hill of the Bethlen Home for the Aged, and at the Holiday Inn, Ligonier Pa. The Conference will start at 2:30 at the Bethlen Home, Dinner at 7:00 P.M. in the Holiday Inn, followed by continuation of the Conference. Monday, September 1st at the Conference Room 9:00 A.M. start: Speakers: Rt. Rev. Dezső Ábrahám, Bishop, Hungarian Reformed Church in America; Rt. Rev. Dezső Parragh, Bishop. Calvin Synod; Rt. Rev. Tibor Dömötör, Deputy Bishop, Hungarian Reformed Church in America.
