William Penn Life, 2015 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2015-01-01 / 1. szám

MANY PHRASES ARE USED so often that their meaning is nearly lost: blue ribbon task force...limited edition... fact finder...handcrafted...limited lifetime guarantee...lose 10 pounds without dieting. You can create your own list without much thought. Such phrases begin with noble intentions, but overexposure morphs them into catch phrases, expressions which make little or no impact.

The word "resolution" falls into that category.

During this time of year, many will make resolutions. Unfortunately, those lofty goals will be all but a distant memory by the end of January.

With that idea in mind, I have decided to rename my "Resolutions for 2015" as "Decisions 2015"

The idea to rename resolutions "decisions" came while observing a certain Akron, Ohio, native who currently plays basketball for Cleveland's NBA franchise. He has used the term "decision" on two different occasions. Each decision yielded personal and monetary successes epic in proportions.

I like to keep my decisions private, so if I fail to live up to them, others will never be aware of it.

In this Take, I offer 10 ideas for composing your own decisions. These suggestions target American-Hungarians

who have interest in preserving our unique culture and traditions. I promise that each suggested decision will not encompass in any way, shape or form the deprivation of foodstuffs or imbibing.

• DECISION: Join at least one American-Hungarian organization, church or club. (WPA doesn't count; this will be explained later in this story.)

• DECISION: Patronize shops, stores or companies that are owned/operated by American-Hungarians.

• DECISION: Listen to an American-Hungarian radio/ television program. This may be difficult for those living in areas with no such local programming. However, there are internet sites that offer access to programs originating from Hungary.

• DECISION: Attend an American-Hungarian event. The get together can be either informal or formal

and can be either historical, cultural or religious in nature.

• DECISION: Obtain information about family history. Do you know the five W's concerning your Magyar ancestors prior to their American immigration? Ask older relatives for addresses of family and relatives living in Hungary.

• DECISION: Communicate with relatives living in the

OVER THE YEARS, I have had many conversations with Hungarians who sadly project the following sentiment: other than at the Northeast Ohio Hungarian Cultural Center, or in some obscure areas of Romania where there is a large population of Hungarians, the wooden kapu (gate) is a thing of the past.

Until recently, I agreed. But, my travels through rural Hungary changed my mind. The kapu is a quaint tradition that is alive and well in the land established by King Stephen!

I learned that most houses located outside of the large cities do have a gate in one form or another.

The modern gates do not possess the majestic, imposing or artistic aura of old gates that we see in historical photos, but the concept of a kapu is evident throughout Magyarország. The gates of today are usually not made of ornately carved wood, but consist of materials such as aluminum, steel, particle board, pressure-treated lumber or extruded panels made from recycled plastics. Whatever the materials used, the time-honored culture and history associated to the kapu remains in full force.

The kapu is a romantic part of Magyar ritual, custom and hospitality. While visiting cousins in and around Csőt, my family went to dozens of homes and each had a kapu. Some gates were in need of repair while others were well maintained. Each home followed the "kapu protocol." First, we would arrive at a home, stop at the gate and wait there until someone came to open the gate and greet us. You, as a guest, do not open the latch of the gate; it is opened by the host.

Some gates featured an electric doorbell, others an actual bell with a string you needed to pull to make it ring. A few gates had a knocker, while a few gates had no device to warn the occupant a visitor was present. But, the most popular welcoming device was the family dog, as every Hungarian household in the falu (village) had at least one kutya (dog).

I spent a bit of time casually watching the everyday movements of the residents on Petőfi útca in Csőt. I observed several neighbors informally visiting each, and all followed the kapu protocol. From what I can gather, this is an everyday tradition that will be part of Hungarian culture for generations to come.

4 0 January 2015 0 William Penn Life