Magyar News, 1991. szeptember-1992. augusztus (2. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1992-03-01 / 7. szám

HEATHER LEIGH KOVÁCS: HOLDING ONTO A

One of the requirements for the Mary Katona Scholarship, given out by the American Hungarian Heritage Association, is an essay on an experience in the Hungarian community. This was written by one of our applicants.

As a child, I lived with my parents and my mother’s parents in Norwalk, CT. My grandmother was bom in Hungary and spoke the language well. On the other hand, my grandfather, mother, and father were also Hungarian but were bom in the United States. Though my mother and grandfather spoke Hungarian well, my father only knew short phrases and words like I do now.

Looking back at my childhood, I could recall many joyous events. I could remember sitting around the dinner table eating Hungarian food and listening to my family speak in Hungarian. I believe not being fluent in this other language was a disadvantage for me. My family could say things that I would not understand. Though I learned phrases and basic words, I was never able to speak fluently. The more I understood them, the less they would speak. Eventually, they also only spoke a few phrases in Hungarian.

Throughout my childhood, I grew up with Hungarian relatives, ate Hungarian food, went to a Hungarian church, and

learned about the Hungarian culture. I listened to Hungarian music and played with Hungarian clothes. The older I grew, the more I learned about my nationality. Unfortunately, the one thing I truly wanted to learn was the language, however, there were no lessons available. My grandparents were willing to help, but they did not know the proper grammar and were unable to explain how words should be used.

Outside of home, growing up was an unusual experience since many of my friends did not know anything about Hungarians. From personal experiences, I have deducted that not many Hungarians live in my area. As a matter of fact, it would be very unusual for me to encounter someone of the same nationality as me. When I would tell my friends that I was Hungarian, they would be astonished. In a way, it made me feel special. Being a proud Hungarian, I would introduce my friends to Hungarian food and attempt to teach them simple Hungarian words or how to count in Hungarian. As a result, my friends were truly intrigued.

Though I was different, it did not bother me. I enjoyed being different. For many years, I traveled thirty miles every Sunday to attend church. I used to attend Sunday School until I received my communion and was confirmed. Following my confirma-HERITAGE

Heather Kovács receiving the scholarship from Bette Johnson, Chairman of the Mary Katona Scholarship Committee.

Photo: Steve Havery

tion, I taught Sunday School. During Christmas, I would go caroling with my church; and when there were festivals, I would help bake Hungarian pastries which were sold at the festivals.

Unfortunately, now that I am attending college far from home, I can’t attend my church every Sunday, but I do my best to go when it is possible and help when I am needed. In conclusion, I have experienced an interesting, exciting life as a proud Hungarian.

OUR HELP AND LOVE TO REFUGEES IN CROATIA

The word came on the phone. “HELP.” This word is repeated more often today then “LOVE.” The reason is turmoil all over the world, economic problems, national hatred, lack of education. This world is ready for a change. In Norwalk, through videotapes, our Hungarian Meetings made it possible for the members to see the situation of the Croatian Refugees in Hungary. Children, adults, and elderly are sheltered in churches, schools, private houses and tents. The churches are most helpful, as is the good heart of Hungarians. A minister from Hungary explained that his parishioners really took their share in helping, but they have only so much.

We, the Norwalk Community, realized the need for help and started to call on our good-hearted people for clothing and shoes. The response was brilliant. In less than a week a large room was packed with bags and boxes, full of clothing, coats, shoes.

Many people in America arrived here only with a suitcase. But now it is time to send from the plenty to the country of our ancestors. Nice results were shown in this effort in Wallingford, Fairfield, Greenwich and Stamford. So much was collected that additional transportation facilities had to be arranged. We, from Norwalk, took the clothing to New Brunswick with Jack Zakhar, a conscientious and good consistent member. The very same night his daughter, Jessica Zakhar, played a part about Refugees in a show at Norwalk City Hall.

The message for today’s world is “Help” more often than “Love.” The churches, when societies are collapsing and tragedies happen, become shelter and helping hands to everyone, not only to those who find refuge in God.

Many people met and started to know each other through this “Refugee Program. ” Their work brings pride to the next generation. Those who had it good here helped their churches, built them, kept them up and saved them in more favorable locations. God reminds us that we and our children and grandchildren are only “Refugees on Earth.” Let us bear this in our minds and souls. pev Dr Joseph Vásárhelyi

THIS YOU HAVE TO READ

We have decided to start a program to gather information on the beginnings of our local Hungarian community. We are going to call it TUE EARLY YEARS. Naturally it will be built on the center points of our Hungarian community, on the Hungarian churches’ history in our area. This will not

be exclusively about our churches, and hopefully your participation will give us ground to expand our research all the way to some individuals, too. Taking a look at the history of our churches, we find that the early connections with Hungary, the Hungarian people, are scarce or even missing. It would be interesting to know where people came from, for what reason, what their dream was and what they accomplished. This includes the clergy, too. Somehow the documentations on these matters did not get into the files.

I am sure that many members of our community experienced interesting parts of our past Some might remember stories told by elders who are not with us any more. There are old letters and documents in boxes cluttering the cellar or the attic. It would be a good idea to salvage these and let these account for the rich and exciting early years of our community.

You may write these memories down, it doesn’t have to be in perfect grammar, or somebody in the family could make a cassette on a tape recorder. Whatever you have could be sent to Magyar News; our address is on the back page. Our churches already started to make a heritage room, or they are considering one, so you could drop it off at those places, too. Make sure that you mark the information on it with your name, address and telephone.

We will keep this program on the front burner.