by Borbála Görög
In the middle of March 2023, the Hungarian community of the Seattle area gathered to remember the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. The event took place at the Mercer Island United Methodist Church, where the Hungarian Scouts and Hungarian School meet every second Saturday. We commemorated the events of the revolution, celebrating the brave souls that gave their lives for the idea of a free country.
As a Hungarian living abroad, it is my mission is to spread the word about our beautiful culture and traditions, and it was a pleasure organizing a program that focuses on this theme that is so very dear to my heart. Honoring the important historical events of our nation is not only uplifting, but it is a great way of keeping our traditions alive. When Hungarians gather around the world in their communities to observe our holidays, it feels as if our hearts are beating as one. No matter the location or the time I think it is a true treasure.
This year, attendees were treated to a special guest, Ferenc Huszár, an authentic Hungarian hussar reenactor, who visited all the way from Hungary with his lovely wife, Mária. The saying nomen est omen, which means “the name is a sign”, cannot be truer for Ferenc. Dressed in his beautiful cornflower blue hussar uniform, along with his shako (hat) and his sword, he captivated the audience with a fascinating presentation on the origins of the Hungarian hussars and their role in the 1848 revolution. His horse didn’t accompany him this time, but we happily overlooked that. Engaging listeners of all ages, Ferenc even allowed attendees to try on pieces of his uniform. Fun fact, Mária and Ferenc are the parents of our KCSP scholar, Marci Huszár.
Afterward, the scouts paid their respects to the fallen Hungarian heroes by laying flowers at the headboard. The official part of our event ended with a program that recalled the memorable events of the revolution and singing the famous songs of March 15. Finally, we had some time to mingle and chat over some delicious refreshments.
Szeretném megköszönni minden kedves segítőnek és résztvevőnek, hogy hozzájárult a rendezvény sikerességéhez és színvonalához.
I would like to hereby express my gratitude to all the dear members of our community who helped organize the event and those who joined in our celebration. Wishing you a very happy spring!
