Repository of Built and Intellectual Heritage of the Upper-Tisza Region

The Choma Yurt Museum

The Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (THCA) in cooperation with the Transcarpathian Hungarian Tourist Board (THTB) has won the opportunity to create village house museums in the Berehove district within the framework of the HUSKROUA program announced by the European Union. As the final chord of the project called the “Repository of the Built and Intellectual Heritage of the Upper Tysa Region”, the renovated or newly created institutions are opened. The first of this kind was the Choma Yurt Museum, which opened its doors to visitors on October 27.

At the ceremonial opening of the yurt museum, András Mester, president of the THTB, greeted the attendees first. Highlighting the importance of live village house museums and summarizing the results of the project, he said that four such museums in Transcarpathia were included in the program, each of which presents a defining craft characteristic of Hungarians and those living in the countryside. “The theme of the yurt museum in Choma is the era of the conquest and the revival and presentation of equestrian traditions, so visitors will be able to practise archery and horse riding here,” András Mester emphasized, adding that the village house museum created in Muzhiyeve includes viticulture and fruit processing, in the Shalanky village house museum, the cooper's craft is the focus, while in Vyshkovo, the already existing village house museum was expanded with a blacksmith’s workshop and a flax processing pavilion. “The interesting thing about the village house museums is that they are live museums, that is, everywhere a specialist in the given theme will present the specific craft, they will be connected with village house museums in Hungary, which means that in every museum there will be a monitor on which one can watch a short film about the other village house museums as a teaser, so if someone visits Choma, for example, he will be able to see what is on offer in Kisvárda, Vyshkovo or even Shalanky and if he feels like visiting it, he can go there as well,” pointed out the president of the THTB.

The Yurt Museum in Choma is unique not only because there are no others like it in the region, but also because it is located next to the conquest memorial park and the petting zoo, as well as the riding stables under construction, thus providing visitors with a complex presentation of the life of the conquering ancestors, the times of a thousand years ago, and the most ancient crafts and customs of the Hungarians.

“You can only build the future by knowing the past. [...] Local history speaks of the past, but it speaks to the present,” said Hungarian Consul in Uzhhorod Károly Szepesi in his speech. The diplomat said that the primary aim of the creation of the village house museums is to preserve Hungarian folk traditions and to present local heritage to future generations. “These museums have a decisive role to play in the exploration and dissemination of these values and in strengthening the sense of identity,” the consul said, adding that “today's event also proves the importance of community spaces, and the importance of preserving and nurturing Hungarian folk culture in an institutional way.”

Ildikó Orosz, president of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association, the representative of the territorial council, greeted the gathering with an eloquent thought quoted from Gyula Illyés: “Only those people can respect other peoples, their customs and traditions, who respect their own. Therefore, it is important for everyone to be aware of their own values in order to recognize other cultures with respect and to see the values in them,” she added. “This is what today is all about: an opportunity for those who come here to learn about the culture of our ancestors,” said Ildikó Orosz.

In his speech, József Sin, president of the Berehove Middle-level Organization of the THCA, said that adherence to traditions plays a decisive role in the survival of the Transcarpathian Hungarians, which is also embodied in the village house museums. “The idea of establishing such museums was first raised in Hungary and among Hungarians about a hundred years ago. Knowing the historical realities, the time was not really suitable for the establishment of village house museums in the midst of the two world wars and during the Soviet regime. Nevertheless, the first museums were established in Hungary in 1962, and they were expanded in number until the regime change. The importance of this was quickly recognized by the THCA as the interest protection organization of Transcarpathian Hungarians, since these institutions significantly contribute to the formation and preservation of local communities, and to the preservation and retention of the Hungarian identity of young people,” stated József Sin. “Village house museums built on the material and spiritual culture of our ancestors are the pillars of our nation. This was the most important argument in favour when our presidency decided to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the European Union and submit a tender for the creation of these museums. And today we are happy to take possession of the yurt museum that has already been completed,” he confirmed the result, continuing: “You can't start getting to know folk traditions and education aimed at preserving them early enough. Even in the globalized, electronic world, I say that we should keep our folk traditions, our unique cultural heritage, and then we will keep our national ties, we will keep our communities here in Transcarpathia.”

After the speeches, consul Károly Szepesi, József Sin, András Mester, László Horváth, deputy mayor of the Berehove territorial community and János Rácz, president of the local basic organization of the THCA, cut the ribbons symbolizing the handover. Reformed pastor Árpád Dávid then asked for God's blessing on the yurt museum, the sessions taking place here, and those present.

The Choma Bokréta (Ribbon) tradition preservation group presented dances from Satu Mare, then Vivien Beca performed Eszter Jekkel-Falussy's poem If you are Hungarian, and finally the Tüzes Liliom (Fire lily) tradition preservation group of the Hecha Cultural Centre sang about the Hungarian identity and the importance of preserving it.

After the event, a sapling was planted in the memorial park, which was dug up by Károly "Katyó" Takár, a retired salt miner from Solotvyno, and brought back on his bicycle from the stump of a huge oak tree on the outskirts of the village of Nagyar in Hungary. The oak is also known as Petőfi’s tree, because tradition has it that the most famous Hungarian poet wrote his poem The Tisza, inspired by the landscape, under the canopy of this tree.