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Mapping the Land of Headhunters: János Xántus in Borneo
21-48Views:252This article studies the travel account of János Xántus on Borneo, presenting the island based on his journey made in 1870. The paper examines how Xántus provides both Hungarian scientists and armchair travelers with fascinating descriptions of the island, often switching between different writing styles and using various tropes of travel writing. Borneo is portrayed not only as unfamiliar but also as uncivilized and particularly un-European. While providing accounts of this little-know area, Xántus does not simply involve binaries of Self and the Other but also reveals his views on European colonization and domination in the region, in particular, he contrasts English and Dutch systems of authority and control, favoring the former and criticizing the latter. Besides the discussion of European influence, the paper also deals with Xántus’ portrayal of the Dayak people. At the end of the article, a translation of excerpts from Xántus’ publication is provided, discussing Dayak (headhunting) traditions, the situation of Dayak women, slavery, and local customs.
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Memories from Java: Ernő Zboray’s Collection at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts
223-238Views:140Ernő Zboray brought a set of wayang golek puppets along with other objects to Hungary from West Java in 1931. The collection was exhibited in the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts in the same year and received wide coverage in the contemporary press. Although there are some unanswered questions concerning the exact origin of these objects, the collection is relatively well-documented. The records of the 1931 exhibition survived in the Archives of the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts, provide a context which enables to view these pieces of art not as mere items from a strange world but as a set of objects that gave an insight into the traditional thinking of the people of Java.
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Gedenktafeln für die Galeerensklaven des Reformierten Kollegiums Sárospatak
173-197Views:59Sárospatak is a prominent academic town in eastern Hungary, where three memorial
plaques were unveiled between 1936 and 1939 in memory of the galley slaves. The college
itself is a place of remembrance, representing 500 years of Protestant culture. There are
memorial plaques here to the school’s patrons, former teachers, scholars, and the many
traumas of the 20th century (World War I and II, Trianon, the Gulag camps). It is therefore
surprising that, among the eight other memorial plaques located at the entrance, three
plaques commemorate the galley slaves. The study explores the context of their creation,
the idea, the application, and the unveiling, and interprets the phenomenon. The history of
galley slavery contains not only religious but also national elements of memory, and was
suitable for depicting the world of great cataclysms and tragedies in every age, as well as
for analogically showing the ways of escaping from them. -
In de dienst van de VOC: Een voorlopige inventarisatie van Hongaren in dienst van de Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (1602-1795)
25-108Views:789This paper presents a preliminary survey of people coming from Hungary who were employed for the Dutch East India Company (VOC) between 1602 and 1795, drawing some conclusions from the point of view of national identity, education, social class and ethnic background. The survey was conducted using the database of sea-voyagers of the Dutch National Archive, containing detailed information of the background of the people who entered the service of the VOC. There has never been done a detailed survey of Hungarian immigrants coming to the Dutch Republic in the Early Modern period. So far, only students coming from Hungary to the Netherlands have been studied, but the majority of them have returned to their home country after university and did not stay here. The aim is to introduce the source material and its context in general, which can be the basis of further investigations. So far, almost 118 Hungarians have been identified. The majority of the Hungarians occupied modest positions on the ships and did not return from the east.
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Middelbaar eindexamen Nederlands als vreemde taal in Hongarije
75-102Views:185This article considers the examination methods for L2 learners in Hungary. A short history of past and current methods of examination for Dutch learners is covered in order to attest to the evolution in complexity and effectiveness that has taken place over the course of the years. The theoretical, statutory side of L2 examination is briefly taken into account, but the focus is on the practical aspect of L2 examination. The different elements of an ideal exam (reading, listening, writing and speaking proficiency, and correctness) are discussed with attention to detail and with the use of examples.