Greeting by Dr. László Felföldi
The values of Deszk at the beginning of the 21st century
Deszk is a settlement with a history dating back more than 500 years, whose way of life has been shaped by its proximity to the confluence of the Maros and Tisza rivers, the unique climate of the marshy landscape between the Tisza and Maros rivers, and the fertility of its land, which is criss-crossed by riverbeds. The fate of its Serbian and Hungarian inhabitants was shaped by the Gerliczy estate and the influence of the free city of Szeged. Its Hungarian identity is part of the medieval traditions of the Szeged region, while its Serbian identity preserves the rich customs and traditions of the Serbs of the Banat and the Maros Valley (Lálák), which are still alive today. These characteristics form the basis for the value-discovery and identity-strengthening activities that have been taking place in Csongrád-Csanád County since 2012, following the Hungarikum Act, and within the framework of the local value repository established in 2015. As a result, today the local repository lists nearly thirty identified “values” in Deszk. This publication aims to document and raise awareness of this value-preserving, heritage-building work. The volume is intended as a kind of report, serving to refresh the memory of the local community and strengthen their identity. It will help shape the local school curriculum, further develop cultural programs with a focus on heritage, and create well-thought-out long-term plans for community development. It can strengthen the sense of community and belonging among Hungarians, Serbs, and other nationalities living together. I sincerely hope that the work of discovering and preserving values will become a continuous and joyful activity for everyone in Deszk, from schoolchildren to members of the pensioners’ club, and that in a few years’ time, the values presented in this volume will multiply many times over. The heritage created and preserved in this way will represent a “cultural capital” for the people of Deszk, enabling them to plan a secure future together with other settlements and cultural communities.
Dr. László Felföldi,
ethnographer and chairman of the Deszki Local Heritage Committee