Written by István Vaskor
Monday 14th of October 2013
Those who are interested about Romani culture in Hungary, were invited by the Village Road Trip to the “citadel”, the only Roma Ethnic Museum of the country in Hodász.
Nowadays Roma origin is researched by many people. There is a consensus of opinion, that in the Roma culture, customs and traditions there is a very important role of the community, and helping each other. The members of this community are responsible for each other at all times.
The Roma music is incorporated into everyday life, it’s melody and rhythm are unique and inimitable. The Roma gastronomic flavours are also enjoyable. The latter is not a coincidence, since the Hungarian peasant dishes characterized by strong seasoning just like gipsy cuisines. In their kitchen culture play a big role the food, which can be prepared easily, such as meat cooked or roasted in a clay pot, on a skew over coals.
In history many crafts are connected to their migratory lifestyle. Within the smithery they were specialized for making hoofs, nails, tinker, kitchen utensils and for utility stove.
The locksmiths, coppersmiths, bell caster, and goldsmith were walking around the country and catered the needs of the locals. The wood-craver specialized also on: tube, spoon, platter, mortar, walking stick, basket and broom. Roma earned their living on leathering, horning, grinding, and textile making. Their profession belong their “caste” such as loam makers, charcoal producers, soothsaying and healing.
The history of Roma is an eventful, whose culture, customs, traditions should be preserved for the future generations. It says also by Melinda Rézműves, who has achieved everything that no one has succeeded among Roma: She graduated in Budapest as an ethnographer, graduating from the University of Pécs doctoral school and founded the first Roma Ethnic Museum in the country. It is in Szabolcs-Szatmár- Bereg County in Hodász- in her native village.
In the country there are more than three hundred ethnic museum, but it is the only- in our country and in Europe- in which by an exhibition the visitors can have an insight into the Romani culture,customs, and learn about their subjects too. The museum of Hodász aims to fill the gap of 40 years and hopefully be an example to other Romani communities to start similar initiatives.
In 2001 the museum founder and creator Melinda Rézműves, bought the two-bedroom house. It is settled in the middle of the Romani settlement. The renovation came true by grants and later a half dug house was build into the ground, which shows the housing conditions of the period of Second World War.
The museum collection is growing nicely. The focus is on the house contemporary installations and household objects. Beside them, it is important to present the traditional Roma crafts tools, utility and decorative items.
The photo collections are constantly expanding. The museum’s educational service is to present some housework what can be linked to festive preparations –Easter,Pentecost, Christmas.
On their handicraft presentation are showing different crafts- nail forging, wood carving, beading, glass painting, leathering, weaving, donut baking, bokoji (bread) making- describe the workflows for the visitors.
On the imaginary flag of the house there is also the community building. The short-term goals are to organize the community of children’s, to deepening their identity and expansion of their knowledge. The long-term tasks of the house to give direction, chance to the local Roma communities for social advance and preservation of local values.
Melinda Rézműves says:we should sensitize the society, that the Roma cultural differences bring wealth and this culture not the same with poverty. Therefore it is worth to visit Hodász the country’s first Roma Ethnic Museum during our Village Road Trip.
