NATION IN FLOW OF HISTORY: Ministers in Hungary speak the Kazakh language
It is no coincidence therefore the Kazakh language is of interest and is learned not only in Kazakhstan but also in other countries. For example, in Moscow, in the Center for the Kazakh language and culture, in which students study theory and practice of Kazakh, listen to the national music, watch TV channels of Kazakhstan. In Warsaw, the Adam Mickiewicz Poznan University, the Polish students do learn "Words" of Abay in the original language and Henryk Jankowski, a teacher, translated this philosophical legacy of the great Kazakh educator into the Polish language.
The 10th International Olympiad in Kazakh - "Kazakhstan - Aлматы жұртүм, қaсиетім - Aнa тiл", held this year in Astana, brought together representatives from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Mongolia and China.
Recently, a group of Taraz students has returned from Astana, where the Hungarian Embassy in the ceremony of children from Taraz awarded diplomas to the winners of the 18th International Children's Competition of Fine and Applied Arts "Rainbow 2012", which is conducted annually in the Hungarian town of Zanka.
"The Ambassador of Hungary to Kazakhstan Imre Laszloczki handed diplomas to children of Taraz contest "Rainbow 2012 ", says the head of the department of vocational guidance center Olga Sagandykova. "And at the reception in honor of the winners of the competition, which created friendly and warm atmosphere, there was a possibility to talk with the Ambassador of Hungary to Kazakhstan Imre Laszloczki. Of course, I was very worried. Meeting with the Ambassador is such a responsibility, and most importantly, it is important to remember what connects the two so far and so similar countries. Kazakhstan is considered not quite an Asian country, and Hungary is not quite European. Until then I have learned from the Internet that approximately 350,000 Hungarians in today's cultural and ethnic terms ( they lost their native language at the end of XVIII century) feel today descendants of Koon-Kuman-Kipchak tribes who migrated to Europe from the North Caucasus, Southern Russia and Kazakhstan about 750 years ago.
- In Hungary, as far as it is known, there is a "Union of Kipchak of Hungary" ...
- Yes, it's one of the amazing community projects. A few years ago, in the city Kartsag - the capital of the Hungarian Grand Cumania - there was established and is operating "Union of Koons (Kipchak) of Hungary." Its main task this public organization considers preservation of historical roots and development of spiritual and friendly relations with their relatives in Russia and Kazakhstan. In 2009 there was held the first World Summit of Kipchak. The association includes autonomies of Big and Small Kipchakiya. The main purpose of "Consortium of Kipchak" is keeping and further development of age-old traditions and historical rituals, activities in the fields of science, education, culture and tourism.
In a conversation with the Ambassador of Hungary Imre Laszloczki we talked about the "western Kazakhs" - "Eastern Hungary." In 1996 the first Ambassador of Hungary to Kazakhstan Joseph Torma came to Zhambyl region, who also handed us the certificates and prizes for participation and victory in the contest "Rainbow". Hungarian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Imre Laszloczki said that he was personally acquainted with Joseph Torma, the author of many works on fate of the nomadic peoples of Central Asia in Hungary, he did much to create "Union of Kipchaks of Hungary." And the main purpose of his trip was then to conduct research about Kipchaks. Imre Laszloczki said that this was the only ambassador who had a direct cellular connection with President Nursultan Nazarbayev and had perfect knowledge of the Kazakh language. Today, the descendants of the Kipchak occupy high positions in Hungary. For example, Sandor Fazekas - Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chairman of the Kipchak of Hungary also speaks the Kazakh language.
- It is known that the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev is the honorary leader of the European Kipchak.
- Indeed, "Consortium Kipchak" has always stressed the importance of promoting cultural historic homeland - Kazakhstan - to preservation and prosperity of the Kipchak heritage of Hungary. According to Imre Laszloczki, the peoples of Hungary and Kazakhstan have a lot in common, and above all - a common history that goes back more than one hundred years, kinship of peoples with Turkic awareness.
Hungarians are the only former nomadic people in Europe, we are the descendants of nomads. In no other culture in Europe, the horse plays the same role as in Hungary. Hungarians are as good horsemen as Kazakhs. Nowhere else in Europe people eat horse meat or drink mare's milk. By the way, the Hungarian Embassy, where we were, there is hanging half a portrait of Khan Arpad. As explained to us by Imre Laszloczki, Arpad Khan is their ancestor, the leader, who led nomadic people of Central Asia to the Danube steppes of Central Europe, and the Hungarians feel very honored. Many scientists believe that about a thousand years ago the ancestors of today's Hungarians roamed the territory of modern Kazakhstan. There did not exist ethnonyms like "Hungarians" or "Kazakhs". However, in Kazakhstan and now there live Madiyars, now forming part of the Middle Horde. Hungarians also call themselves Hungarians and consider themselves descendants of Arpad Khan, who conquered Central Europe and the Carpathian Basin. Seven tribes then came under him, united by blood contract.
In later times the Madiyars terrified the whole Europe by their raids. By faith the tribes having come to Europe were Tengriants. Catholicism, adopted much later, the Madiyars needed to strengthen their position in Christian Europe. Thus Christianity adopted national traits of Madiyars, retaining many Tengrian customs. Recent genetic analysis confirmed that the Kazakhs Hungarians and Hungarians are very close relatives by blood. In the modern Hungarian language there are hundreds of words that are clear to all Turkic people. For example, the ancient Hungarian home-tent is called "Shatyor". Traditional Hungarian play "kerembe" - struggle for the carcass of a goat - is very similar to the Kazakh kokpar. Any Kazakh will understand Hungarian words "kosh" (sheep), "sakol" (beard), "tozeg" (dung), "keshon" (yesterday), "Anya" (Mama), "alma" (apple), "kerek" (I need), "kichi" (small), "balta" (ax) and so on. Besides the language, there were common traditions like weddings, funerals, faith, and fine art.
The memory of the East, of their eastern origins, the Hungarians have preserved throughout the centuries after getting their European homeland. Today, among the Hungarians there is growing interest in everything that is connected with their distant nomadic history. On the other hand, many Kazakh students continue their studies in higher education institutions of Hungary - Economic and Central European University, and International Business School. ungarian young people are having fun studying the Kazakh language at the Eotvos Lorand Budapest University and University of Science in Szeged.
"The initiative of language learning should be based on domestic demand, it is impossible to impose or introduce a directive", said O. Sagandykova. "And what we see today in the world - increasing interest to Kazakhstan, increased interest in our culture, our language, the study of the Kazakh language by representatives of other countries and peoples - speaks much. This indicates first and foremost correctness of the policy pursued by our President, the tolerance of our people, respecting the language and culture of other countries, carefully treating their own historical heritage and native language."
KAZINFORM Note: In the world the Kazakh language is spoken by about 12 million people. Of these, in Kazakhstan - 9 million people, 2 million - in other CIS countries, and 1.5 million - in China. In addition, the Kazakh language is known in Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Germany.