The Eighth Tribe, 1977 (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1977-06-01 / 6. szám

Page 6

THE EIGHTH TRIBE

June, 1977

Recent Graduates

Nancy Julia Chomos, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sándor E. Chomos, of Greensburg, Pa., graduated with Highest Distinction with a Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Education at Peru State College, Peru, Nebraska. She was elected to Who’s Who among students in American Universities and Colleges in the United States and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an Honor Education Society.

Nancy has accepted a Vocal Music Teaching position in the Humboldt School District in Nebraska. She was married on May 17th to Raymond W. Boeche of Nebraska City, Nebraska, who also just graduated with High Distinction at Peru State College.

Steven Douglas Balogh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Balogh of McKeesport, Pa., and a member of the Free Hungarian Reformed Church of McKeesport, recently graduated from The Pennsylvania State University. After attending both the McKeesport and University Park campuses, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with a major in Accounting. He achieved the Dean’s list seven times and graduated with distinction. His academic achievement

(vérszerződés), which was a common practice among the Turkic peoples of the steppes. According to this custom, the seven tribal leaders mixed their blood in a cup. Then each of them drank from this mixture, and thus swore blood brotherhood to one another. Simultaneously, they also swore allegiance to the elected ruler of the new nation. They accepted that the office of the ruling prince was to be hereditary in the family of Álmos and Árpád, and they also followed the old Turkic custom of naming their nation after the leading tribe, headed by the prince. It was thus that the Magyars finally came to call themselves “Magyars” after Árpád’s tribe. At first, however, after the same old custom, they must have called themselves “Hétmagyar” (Hét-Magyar — Seven Magyars), to signify that there were seven tribes who unified into a nation.

While this tradition connected with the “blood oath” reflects something of history, our current understanding of that period is slightly different. We now generally believe that the Magyar tribes had in fact unified into a “tribal federation” already over two centuries earlier. This union probably occurred in the second half of the seventh century, when they were leaving their original homeland of the Volga-Kama area (the “Magna Hungária” of later centuries), and were moving down to the Azov Sea area. At that time they were already led by their first prince, Levedi (Lebedi, Előd) — not to be confused with the tribal chief of the same name at the time of Álmos. As at this time the Magyars were living under a degree of Khazar suzerainty, Levedi was given a Kliazar princess as a wife, and he was confirmed by the Khazar Khagan (supreme khan) as the ruling prince of the Magyars. This was obviously a dynastic marriage, and Levedi’s confirmation in his office may have started among the Magyars the institution of the “double kingship” to be discussed below. This same Levedi was also responsible for giving his name to the new homeland of the Magyars: Levedia or Lebedia.

The Magyars lived under Khazar rule for at least one hundred and fifty years (670’s-920,s). During this period they picked up much of the Khazar culture, way of life, as well as social and political system. One of the most important aspects of the latter was the above-mentioned institution of “double kingship.” As described by the Kohorzani statesman Djahani in the early tenth century (and preserved for us by the chroniclers Ibn Rusta and Gardizi), the Magyars “call their ruler kiindii (or kende). But this is only the title of their special king. For the man who exercises the power of rule over them is called dzhula (or gyula). In matters of war and defense, as well as in all other matters, the

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enabled him to be elected to Beta Gamma Sigma, national honor society in Business Administration. He is a member of Beta Alpha Psi, national Accounting fraternity, and Alpha Kappa Psi, professional business fraternity, and also participated in various intramural sports. During his college years, he held positions with Penn State University and United States Steel Corporation.

At present, he is actively seeking a general or managerial accounting position in industry or an administrative or managerial position which would enable him to utilize his accounting and business education.

Noel J. Barboe will be receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. June 2nd; he was the recipient of scholarship aid from the Hungarian Protestant Scholarship Fund, New York-New Jersey, in 1974,