On the Székely National Costume Day, many people go to work, run errands, and go shopping in national costume.
On Saturday, the Day of the Thousand Székely Girls is held in the Csíksomlyó mountain saddle, the purpose of which is to popularize Székely folk costumes and preserve traditions.
According to the announcement of the organizers, the Day of a Thousand Székely Girls, which moves the population of many settlements in Székelyföld, has grown into one of the most important community events in the Hungarian block region. The members of the amateur folk dance ensembles mostly march on carts to Csíkszereda and from there to the Csíksomlyó mountain saddle.
Csíkszereda Mayor Attila Korodi said at the press conference announcing the event on Wednesday: the Day of the Thousand Székely Girls is one of those holidays when the people of Székely can experience their national identity and self-identity by putting on their clothes and proudly look back on the legacy of their ancestors. He encouraged the residents of the city to dress up in national costumes and participate in the event.
The preparation for the holiday starts already on Friday, June 30, with the Székely Folk Costume Day, when many people go to work, run errands, and go shopping in folk costumes.
According to Zoltán Füleki, the director of the Hargita Nemzeti Székely Népi Együttes, the main organizer, the Day of the Thousand Székely Girls starts on Saturday at 9 a.m. in Szabadság Square in Csíkszereda. The participants gather here, and after a short dance together, they march from here to the Csíksomlyó mountain saddle, which is the permanent location of the Csíksomlyó Pentecost farewell.
In the saddle between Kis- and Nagy-Somlyóhegy, there will be a celebratory mass from 11 a.m., followed by a performance by traditional folk dance groups, among others, the Hargita National Székely Folk Ensemble will take the stage.
Handicraft demonstrations and fairs, craft demonstrations, and skill games for children are held as an accompanying program. Those interested can also view the folk costume exhibition compiled from the costumes of the Hargita ensemble, and try on the costumes and headdresses of each landscape unit in the folk costume fashion corner.
As this year's honorary host of the event, the municipality of Csíkszereda presents a pair of carved chairs to the village of Csíkszentdomokos, which will play the role next year, which will be placed in their church and used at weddings.
As part of the event, Katalin Daczó's book "If a thousand girls go on a journey... Chronicle of the first years of the Thousand Székely Girls of Csíksomlyó Nap" will be presented on Friday afternoon at the town hall in Csíkszereda. The volume explores the period of the series of events between 1931 and 1940 based on recollections, contemporary newspaper articles, archival documents and photographs.
MTI
