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Investigation of folk traditions, crafts – preservation of cultural values at the Folk Art Association of Hajdú-Bihar County
9-19Views:48The mission of the Folk Art Association of Hajdú-Bihar County (the Association) is to represent the profession and the interest of contemporary folk art artists, investigate, present and develop the values of folk art crafts. Among the systematic programmes of the Association, there are research programmes, collecting materials in museums and on site, creative camps, professional further training programmes, exhibitions, organisation of regional and national conferences. Among the priority programmes of the Association, the International Pottery Festival and the Handicraft Festival of Debrecen are representative. Regarding creative houses and folk art craft workshops, artists of the Association work in the “Tímárház” studio in Debrecen and maintain workshop galleries (in the towns of Nádudvar, Hajdúszoboszló, Hajdúnánás and Balmazújváros). Of the main research projects of the Association, the following are particular focal points:
- The Association began to revive the traditions of the almost extinct “Debrecen style” pottery nearly two decades ago. As a result, nowadays eight potters are engaged in the modern interpretation of the pottery traditions of Debrecen in the town and county.
- Renewing and reviving the “cifraszűr” (embroidered felt-cloak) and clothes made by felt application technique.
- Exploring and re-teaching the traditions of “Debrecen style” wood goldsmith craft.
Our present study focuses on our ongoing research projects, results achieved so far and further plans, ways of further investigation of the above mentioned three areas.
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Corruption as a concomitant phenomenon of the lack of democratic traditions or thoughts on the margin of failure of the democratic experiment in 1945
15-26Views:45For decades, there has been an open debate among historians about whether there was democracy in our country in 1945, and if so, what those few transition years were like, and what caused the failure of democracy. The study, – instead of the democratic state of the electoral system, the rule of law, respect for freedoms, self-government and civil society organization, – attempts to highlight the presence or absence of democratic traditions, which is generally less attended to, but undoubtedly was also part of the failure of the democratic experiment in 1945. Perhaps surprising, but the political and moral traditions of a society determine the chances for the development and survival of a democracy. In a corrupt, morally inferior society, it is more difficult to establish and operate democracy. Thus, democracy is guaranteed not only by the appearance of institutions and elections, but also by the thinking of the people living in it and by the norms that determine their behavior. The study illustrates the peculiarity of Hungary with examples mostly from Szolnok that in the 20th century the interchanging systems were struggling with a serious deficit of democracy, and therefore no democratic traditions could be formed in the society, and in 1945 they could not go back to such antecedents. Therefore, after 1945, Hungarian society appears as corrupt as it did before 1945. Corruption has affected not only politicians but also those at lower levels of society and has engulfed society as a whole. Thus, in order to consolidate democracy, it will not be enough in the future to replace politicians and reform institutions, but the society as a whole must change too, especially in its way of thinking and behavior.
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The place and role of Debrecen style honey cake at the the Folk Art Association of Hajdú - Bihar county
82-96Views:56Debrecen style honey cake making has been registered in 2014 in the collection of Hungarian values of Debrecen and Hajdú - Bihar county. Thus it is worth and reasonable to study the roots and history of honey cake making and especially Debrecen style honey cake making, as well as the future perspectives of the profession. The evolution process of honey cake as a traditional open air market product to its many current forms was long and exciting. Operation of the National Value Pyramid, history of honey cake making was investigated and honey cake makers working in Debrecen and Hajdú - Bihar County are introduced in the present paper. The efforts of the Folk Art Association of Hajdú - Bihar County have been summarised, including how it promotes the honey cake - with its thousand year tradition - to remain a popular product and how it supports its members. While innovation is always a key issue for professionals, ensuring that this product is made of (traditional) healthy ingredients stays popular are the foci of Hungarian honey cake makers.
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System Changes and Their Effects on the Society in Szabolcs-SzatmárBereg Country in the last one and a half centuries (part 1)
6-15Views:51Starting from the mid-19th century numerous changes can be classified as systemic changes or shifts. The change of the landscape has shaped the ways lands were tilled and also caused changes in the economical structures. Then the Treaty of Trianon triggered ethnical, political, administrative and cultural changes with the new borders. The key issues of the most recent system change in 1989 the mobility of the society (and what threatens it) the survival of local traditions (and whether they are still followed) and the effects of being a border region of Hungary and the EU. The peripherical situation of the region threatens with lagging. This is threat is strengthened by the regions ethnical and social situation worsened by the decline of the educational system. Self-government is also severely damaged by the loss of local control over public bodies. Paradoxically enough, despite all system changes the life of local people improved only moderately and the region is still among the nation’s most vulnerable ones.
