William Penn Life, 2013 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2013-06-01 / 6. szám
n ^ Tibor's Take kolbász, rétes or hurka. In Hungary, only city people buy those prepared foods. My cousins wrote, "If we don't make these things, we will not eat!" Cousins Árpád and Géza were amused that we bought our pork from the West Side Market. In short, they make or trade for whatever they consume. They live "Hungarian" and take that lifestyle as a given. They may dress "American," listen to American music sung in Hungarian and view mostly Americanmade television shows, but in most ways, they live and celebrate life in the same way my great-grandparents did as residents of Csőt 100 years ago. In Hungary, this sense of tradition is expected of everyone. We, as American Hungarians, have a much more difficult time adhering to our ethnic history in these regards. We are Americans first and foremost; only a small fragment of our Magyar culture is woven into our American fabric. In a recent correspondence with relatives in Csőt, my apa mentioned a few songs that my brother plays on his Bohak cimbalom. "We remember some of the songs," they replied. They also said they have seen some of my brother's performances on the internet. "That Endre plays beautifully," Cousin Olga remarked. But, our relatives also said they can't recall the last time they saw a live performance by a cimbalom player or band like those we see and hear at every WPA Fraternal Fest. The traditional Magyar folk music played by American-Hungarian musicians is not really popular with the folks in Hungary. It seems like the zene music of Sándor Lakatos or Lajos Bodi is not intended for native Hungarians, but for the foreign tourists. My apa likes to share an interesting anecdote concern-Let's hear your take Let me know how you enjoy my thoughts and views on growing up Hungarian Style. If you have any questions or comments about me or my column, please email me at: silverkingl937@yahoo.com, or drop me a letter in care of the William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. ing this phenomenon. My parents and other 2012 WPA Tour members visited the Lázár Horse Farm outside of Budapest, where music was provided by the Attila Farkas Orchestra. Members of the tour noted that the band was playing American tunes exclusively. Although each selection was beautifully played, the four-piece orchestra was not performing what the WPA group wanted to hear. My father asked the band leader if he could play "Pacsirta" ("The Lark"). Without hesitation, the violinist began to make his hegedű (violin) cry with the lilting melody of the lark. The primas hung around the WPA contingent for the remainder of the night. My father also explained to the band leader that they were American Magyars. Initially, the band thought the WPA group was just another tour entourage from America, they were performing music they thought was most familiar to mainstream Americans. Although our cousins in Hungary have fewer material objects and live what we would consider a more difficult life, I wonder how reassuring it is to them to know that their offspring and future generations of their family will have the opportunity to live right where they live now. It must be a comfort that most of us will never know. I often wonder if my great-grandparents ever wanted to return to Hungary. What made them leave their homeland to come to America? Did they want to make their fortunes and return to Csőt? Were they truly happy here in America? As Americans, we strive to better ourselves. We enjoy the highest standard of living. America has set the benchmark by which any and all future civilizations will be measured. I would never live anywhere else. But, many of us leave the comfort of our old neighborhoods to make more money elsewhere. We have scattered ourselves and our families. We do not pass our homes to our children or relatives. In the quest for a better future, we often inadvertently abandon our past. In the next few years, I will have to make decisions on where to live and where to make my professional career. It is with these considerations in mind that I must start to determine what is important. Éljen a Magyar, Tibor II Tibor Check Jr. is a member of Branch 28 Youngstown, Ohio, and a student at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He serves as a host of the “Souvenirs of Hungary” weekly radio show broadcast on WKTL-90.7 FM in Struthers, Ohio. William Penn Life 0 June 2013 0 7
