William Penn Life, 2015 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2015-04-01 / 4. szám
Did you know they're Hungarian? Tibor's Take Academy Award-winning actor Adrien Brody was born on April 14, 1973, in New York City. His mother, Sylvia Plachy, was a photojournalist who was born and raised in Budapest to a prominent Roman Catholic family. Upon graduation from college, she came to America and settled in New York. There, she met and later married Elliot Brody, a retired history professor. Adrien Brody attended Joseph Pulitzer Middle School and graduated from the Fiorello H. La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He began his career at the age of 13 as a magician for parties. He attended several acting camps and performed in many amateur plays. He credits his mother for developing his talents: “She taught me how to be at ease in front of any camera.” Brody has appeared in more than 50 movies and several television programs. He played the role of another famous Hungarian, Harry Houdini, in a 2014 miniseries. In 2002, at age 29, he became the youngest actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in “The Pianist.” He prefers to do his own stunts and has been injured several times, including breaking his nose three times. One of his most recent roles was in the 2014 Oscar-nominated “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Brody is slated to star in at least three movies this year. I came to Washington free from cultural bias and state-sanctioned discrimination; my great-grandparents and millions of Irish, German, Italian, Eastern European, Asian, and Hispanic newcomers to the United States cannot say the same. I have a newfound respect for the Hungarians that made the most of the opportunities available in the U.S. Most of all, I have a newfound understanding of the importance of heritage. I used to think assimilation was a good thing, that it is natural and right to leave one cultural identity behind as you put another one on. I had thought that my practice of Hungarian traditions was academic, that it was a sort of living history project. While I always knew that my heritage was important, this knowledge was vague and theoretical. I did not really understand what it meant to keep Hungarian traditions alive. Now that I live far from my home, I understand. After attending that Ohio event, I understand how important it is to maintain one's cultural heritage, especially in the face of a strange and unfamiliar new place. In downtown Cleveland, there is a nondescript sandwich shop that I grew very fond of while in law school. Clevelanders frequent the place, but none of them would really say that it is particularly memorable. But, that is because they happen to live and work just down the road from that sandwich shop. To me, however, that sandwich shop is the embodiment of home. Hungarians must feel the same way. To me, everything in Hungary seemed significant because it was new and exciting and was a physical manifestation of everything that I had heard and learned about for my entire life. But, Hungarians pass by their country's landmarks and the symbols of their heritage without time for thought, and it is because they happen to live among the trappings of their national and cultural identity. They have the opportunity to pass by a building or listen casually to a violinist because they can experience their homeland whenever they want. Clevelanders can pass by the sandwich shop because it is always going to be there tomorrow, just like kolbász and csárdás for Hungarians. I cannot say the same. To me, my culture has taken on a new sense of urgency. Back in Cleveland, I used to delete mass emails from the university or the bar association without ever reading them. Now, I open each and every one, as it is a treasured reminder of home. I now truly understand why so many people have called the "Souvenirs of Hungary" radio show, or have feared up listening to an old song played on a violin or cimbalom. It's not because of the song's inherent beauty; it's because the song represents their home. In the case of elderly Hungarian expatriates, their home may now only exist in their own hearts. I urge you all to take a moment to reflect on your heritage. In the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our lives, it's easy to overlook the significance of the small, seemingly insignificant fragments that form the entirety of a country's or a state's or a people's cultural identity. If there is an old Hungarian record that you haven't listened to in a while, listen to it. If there is a sandwich shop in your hometown that you haven't been to in a while, get lunch there one day. Never forget your heritage, and the things that comprise your heritage. There may be a day when you have to leave your hometown, and only then will you realize the importance of those traditions and songs and foods. They not only connect you to your "homeland" but they also connect you to your loved ones, whether they may be 300 or 3,000 miles away. / Éljen a Magyar! Tibor II Tibor Check, Jr., is a member of Branch 28. Let's hear your take 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. William Penn Life 0 April 2015 0 5
