On October 8th, we were invited to an extraordinary event at KultúrKikötő. Gábor Baráth has been organizing roundtable discussions for years about the Busó festivities (busójárás), preserving traditions, and knowledge transfer between generations. This time, however, another important question was brought to the table: by what means can the authentic understanding and education of the Busó festivities be supported in schools?
With the approach of winter, the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács moves the locals even more than usual. Numerous new ideas and initiatives have already been born, but bringing them to fruition requires cooperation and persistent work. Gábor Baráth also created a storybook specifically for this anniversary, which helps children learn about the Busó festivities, the Sokac folk costume, and old expressions in a playful way. The story depicts a young boy and girl getting to know each other through folk customs, while the boy has to find seven seals for his water-carrying yoke intended as a gift.
Thanks to the multi-year cooperation between the Csányi Foundation and the Mohács500 Project, we have previously presented our results so far at the Guidance Festival, as well as at the event of the Hungarian Association for Local History. However, this is by no means the end of the process, as we are now embarking on realization with new shared goals.
The tradition of the Busó festivities is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, so it is of paramount importance that we preserve and pass on with dignity what our ancestors left behind for us.
