5th Folk song competition along the river Szeret - in Bako/Bacau

Being the real feast of the Csango folk culture, the folk song competition was organised by the Association of Csango-Hungarians in Moldavia on the Saturday November 22nd, 2008.
Considering that it was the 5th time that the best-throated singer pupils, who arrived from the in the Hungarian education program involved villages, met; this time we had the meeting in the city, in the county town.
We had been looking forward in the flurry of excitement how would this day go, sith there had never been an all-day Hungarian culture program in this large town lived at least in fourth by Csangos.
Yet in the early morning there was a great milling at the location of the competition. The children, their guiding teachers, parents and pulling schoolmates arrived one after the other from the villages.
A bevy of young adults arrived by bus from Csikszereda and Kostelek, we rent as well a bus so as we can transport the participants from Somoska, Klezse and Kostelek. By 10 in the morning the school, where the competition took place, became full of life. After the abundant breakfast the smaller and bigger competitors appeared one after the other in their colourful folk wear from the
dressing room.
The competition started at 11. This time small (6-10 years) and older pupils (11-14 years) sang in different locations. In both locations the song of the last year's winners and of the leaving students opened the manifest encouraging the competitors. Better-throated children came one after the other and sang more beautiful songs. The adjudicators couldn't cope with questioning. It might not have been a competitor, who wasn't asked to sing an extra song by the jury. It can be said that the competitors who came with a rich repertoire were really well-prepared. While the jury was making a decision about the places, we could have lunch and f or some fine magic it started to snow hard for the first time this year. The announcement of results followed after lunch as top of excitement.
Tunde Ivanovics and Geza Fabri, two members of the band 'Save as' inducted the awards ceremony with a short show. Then Geza Fabri and Maria Domokos, the presidents of the 2 juries shared their ideas regarding the competition with us. The children came for the presents according to their place.
Who smiling, who tearfully but everybody took their award pridefully and gaily. This time the coach teachers also received a present, the mistresses and masters came one after the other being accompanied by the applause and ovation of the children.
Each could find a pleasing activity for him or herself during the afternoon. Children could make handicraft, dance and sing by the guide of our teachers. The group of Kostelek started right a spontaneous bean-feast.
Our probably most expected event, the gala followed from 7 in the evening. The wonderful hall of the theatre of Bako became full with children, teachers, parents, interested persons. The first song intoned by the last year's winner of the competition, by Stefania Horvath from Gajdar. Adrian Solomon, the president of the Association of Csango-Hungarians in Moldova opened the gala and the wonder continued! The mature performance of the dancers from Kostelek made the spectators applaud even more times. Some from the members of the dance group CARASELUL from Dioszen can already speak hard in Hungarian, but even so, they came with great pride and joy and acquitted
themselves well! The dance of the children from Somoska filled the stage with life. The schoolleaver students from Csikszereda came with song, yarn and flute music. The ranking competitors of the morning went on the stage then the storyteller grooms from Leszped made a great serenity with their in Csango way told humorous stories.
The people, who appeared, were greeted by Oszkar Füzes, the Hungarian ambassador of Bucarest.
Before the last chords of the gala our throat became verily tight while we were listening to the affecting speech of Iulian Bucur (Nicolae Balcescu) from Ujfalu. The collaborator of the museum of Bako spoke sincerely and pridefully about the language and culture of his ancestors, he talked searching to the children, to all of us. Aunt Erzsi Palinkas took us on her wings with her songs brought from Somoska so as the band 'Save as' makes us fly on. The lyre play of Geza Fabri and the singing voice of Tunde Ivanovics will resound for long in our soul.

The final result of the competition:
1st - 4th Class
I. Valeria Pustinau - Pusztina
II. Maria Turbuk - Magyarfalu and Gabor Vata - Kostelekről
III. Hodea Francsiszka - Dioszen and Sándor Andrea - Lészped
5th - 8th Class
I. Julia Roxana Tamas - Pusztina
II. Paulina Laszlo, Ioana Laszlo - Buda
III. Maria Janku - Magyarfalu and Gyula Csorba - Leszped
The members of the jury:
1st - 4th Class:
Maria Domokos, Marta Csoti, Erzsebet Bajtai
5th - 8th Class:
Tunde Ivanovics, Zsuzsa Nemes, Geza Fabri

Thanks for the help in organisation of the program:
To Oszkar Fuzes, to the ambassador of the Hungarian Republic in Bucarest, who undertook the head patronage for the program. To his wife, Erzsebet Bajtai, who helped our all-day work with her active presence!
To the Maria Domnita Elementary School for assuring location for the competition!
To the George Bacovia Theatre in Bako for assuring location and technical background for the gala.
To Gabor David, Levente Ormossy, Szilveszter Nagy, to our friends from Dombovar (and to the godparents), who collected and delivered for us the great mass of presents needed for rewarding the competition!
To the Hungaroton Records and Etnofon Records for the support provided for the rewards.
To the Foundation Gyepuk Nepe and to Tamas Tundik, who - among others - recorded the voice record of the competition.
Special thanks:
To the members of the jury for their conscientious work!
To the groups, soloists, who appeared in the gala and to the people, who prepared them for their performance of high standards!
To everybody, who added anything to the organisation of this beautiful feast!

Endre Farkas-Ferencz

Applause, in an Other Way

The 5th Folk Song Competition along the river Szeret has ended, some of its gestures are unforgettable for me. Do imagine, the preparing teachers also got a present. Thanks for it, I consider it for a surprising and very nice attention.
The last moment of the gala is unique though. Two members of the band 'Save as' ended the program. Their enormous success was thanked with a common sing and a round of applause by the smalls and the big ones. Then something happened... The beautifully singing lady, who was standing on the stage, applauded back to the audience. There was every existing acknowledgement
in that applause. For the children for taking on the difficulties coming with Hungarian lessons, may it be a physical or psychic expense. For the teachers, many of them are taking on this adventurous life even after their 20s and 30s years, and for the people, who work in an office and are curtailed of
the joy of teaching children.
Dear colleagues! We can be proud that this more and more broadening group is so good after all. Do put our job through in a manner so as we can be worthy for these gestures and get real acknowledgement coming from the hearts, either in a form of applause or in an other way. Shall we appreciate how we are appreciated in the village, where we are working and living.

With thanks, Krisztina Mathe, Frumosza

Judit Kolozs translated the article from a Hungarian language

2008.11.26.

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