This was the first thematic cultural event in the history of the American Corner in Pécs that lasted a whole week long. The aim was to present the history and traditions of a distant ethnic group, which is probably not even that foreign in its spiritual nature from us, Hungarians. (Click on the pictures to see the complete Gallery of the Native American Week!)



The week kicked off with the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition, attended by the Cultural Attaché of the US Embassy in Budapest, diplomats, professors and of course an enquiring audience. Following the reception a book preview was held with a special honorary guest, Tamás Cseh, who enchanted us with his anecdotes about his Native American “second life.” He even sang to his audience, leaving an unforgettable memory.



Starting Tuesday, the mood turned more youthful. High school and university students attended the open seminar, where English majors from the University shared their Hungarian transcriptions of contemporary Native American authors. Later that day, children and adults together were taught by local “Indians” to prepare axes, mini teepees, kechua braids in a crafts workshop. Some of the participants even had their faces painted. The award ceremony and exhibition of the drawing contest were held during the workshop, to which winners were attended by their teachers, friends, and parents. All the walls of the main conference room were covered with colorful, child visions of the living surroundings of Native Americans.



As the week progressed, various kinds of programs unfolded. One evening was closed with an authentic dinner with Native American meals. We had a storyteller for kids and for adults, who enriched his performance of ancient tales, myths and legends with a touch of pantomime.

Friday brought another “Hungarian Indian” to Pécs. Peter Szatmári has been involved in Native American culture since his childhood. He prepares his own clothes, tools, musical instruments, so it was not a surprise that his interactive presentation of North American Indian life proved engaging and exciting. His evening concert on his “love flute” inspired the audience to take part in a Lakota Indian dance workshop. Rarely does a dance house turn out to engage guests on such a deep, intimate, spiritual level.

It was a delight to experience the invited presenters throughout the week who were all connected by a spirit that is fading out of our world; they represent a vanishing culture, who feel that the human virtues of North America’s native peoples are gaining ever more significance in our alienating societies.

Read news reports about the events on the website of the Hungarian Higher Education News-Agency: Story 1, Story 2.