Székely

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Székely

Total population

Estimated: 665,000 in Romania
180,000 outside Romania
Regions with significant populations
Romania (mostly in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and parts of Mureş), southern Hungary and the rest of the world
Languages
Hungarian
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic, with Hungarian Reformed and Unitarian minorities
Related ethnic groups
Hungarians
For the village in northeastern Hungary, see Székely (village)

The Székely (pronounced [ˈseːkɛj]) or Szekler people (Hungarian: Székely, Romanian: Secui, German: Szekler, Latin: Siculi), are a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group mostly living in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mureş in Romania, with a significant population also living in Tolna, Hungary. Based on official 2002 Romanian census numbers,[1] approximately 1,434,000[2] ethnic-Hungarians live in Romania, mostly in Transylvania. Of these, about 665,000 live in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and parts of Mureş with a Székely majority. The Székely therefore account for a significant part (45%) of the Hungarian minority in Romania. When given the choice on the Romanian census between ethnically identifying as "Székely" or "Hungarian," the overwhelming majority of Székely choose the latter. Note that they were not allowed to choose both of them. Therefore, on the 2002 Romanian census only 150 persons declared their ethnicity as "Székely".

Contents

[edit] Aranyosszék exclave

There are about 10,000–15,000 Székely living in the former territory of Aranyosszék. Examples of Székely villages there include Felsőszentmihály (today part of Mihai Viteazu Commune), or Felvinc (part of Unirea Commune). Unlike other parts of the historical Székely Land, the territory has a mixed Romanian-Hungarian population.

[edit] History

Main article: History of the Székely people
Székely people in the Kingdom of Hungary
Székely people in the Kingdom of Hungary

The Székely were considered the finest warriors of medieval Transylvania. They were part of the Unio Trium Nationum ("Union of Three Nations") a coalition of the three Transylvanian Estates, the other two nations being the (also predominantly Hungarian) nobility and the Saxon (that is, ethnic German) burghers. These three nations ruled Transylvania, usually in harmony though sometimes in conflict with one another. During the Long War, the Székely formed an alliance with Prince Michael the Brave of Wallachia against the army of Andrew Cardinal Báthory, recently appointed Prince of Transylvania.

[edit] Controversy about origins

The Székely have historically claimed descent from Attila's Huns, and feel that they played a special role in shaping Hungary. After the Magyar tribes settled in Pannonia, they believed that they had special rights to that land as an inheritance from Attila. Székely people adhere proudly to their Hungarian identity.

A "Székely gate"
A "Székely gate"

While the idea of Székely descent from the Huns remains an important part of Székely tradition and folk culture, the theory has lost scholarly currency in the twentieth century. Theories have been advanced suggesting Avar, Gepid, or Turkic ancestry, and some have dated their presence in the Eastern Carpathians as early as the fifth century. A small number of scholars believe that they are related to Scythians who might have joined the Magyars on their trek westward and assimilated into the proto-Hungarian culture. Some have also suggested the Székely are simply Magyars, like other Hungarians; according to this theory, their strongly distinguishable cultural differences stem from centuries of relative isolation in the mountains. Some scholars believe in a two-fold Hungarian migration of Transylvania and the Pannonian Plain, one prior to the main Magyar conquest of the Pannonian Plain in 896. According to this theory, the Székely are a Hungarian group that settled in Transylvania during this first migration.

[edit] Symbols

The Székely Sun and Moon
The Székely Sun and Moon

The Sun and Moon are the symbols of the Székely, as can also be seen in the coat of arms of Transylvania and on the Romanian national coat of arms. The Sun and Moon symbols represented proto-Hungarian gods, but after the Hungarians became Christians in the eleventh century, their importance became purely visual and symbolic. Their religious significance was lost. The Székely have largely succeeded in preserving their traditions to an extent unusual even in Central and Eastern Europe. The most comprehensive description of the Székely Land and traditions was written between 1859-1868 by Balázs Orbán in his Description of Székely land.

[edit] Population by county

Székely pottery (stove tile)
Székely pottery (stove tile)

The Székely live mainly in Harghita, Covasna and Mureş counties. They form a majority of the population in the counties of Covasna and Harghita.

County Székely % of county population % of worldwide Székely population
Harghita 275,841 84.6% 32.7%
Covasna 164,055 73.8% 19.4%
Mureş 227,673 39.2% 26.9%

The relatively small and isolated Székely population on the border of Cluj and Alba counties (former Aranyosszék) assimilated more significantly during the 20th century than inhabitants of the compact Székely areas. They can be estimated to be less than 20,000 today.

The Székelys of Bukovina form a culturally separate group with its own history.

[edit] Autonomy

Ethnic map of Harghita, Covasna, and Mureş based on the 2002 data, showing areas with Hungarian (Székely) majority
Ethnic map of Harghita, Covasna, and Mureş based on the 2002 data, showing areas with Hungarian (Székely) majority

Ever since the abolition of the Hungarian Autonomous Province by the Ceauşescu regime in 1968, some of the Székely have pressed for their autonomy to be restored. Several proposals have been discussed within the Székely Hungarian community and by the Romanian majority. One of the Székely autonomy initiatives is based on the model of the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia.[3] A major peaceful demonstration was held in 2006 in favor of autonomy [1].

[edit] Fiction

In Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, the eponymous vampire count regards himself as a Székely, and very explicitly presents them as a separate nation from the Hungarians. He describes a history for his people, claiming a descent both from the Huns and also from an "Ugric tribe from Iceland". He even goes so far as to claim that "after the battle of Mohacs, we threw off the Hungarian yoke". However, this version of Székely history owes far more to the imagination of Bram Stoker than to any historical fact. The historical Vlad III Dracula was actually a Vlach leader of Wallachia.

Far more accurate in their depictions of the Székely are the novels of Tamási Áron, a twentieth-century writer from Farkaslaka who set universal stories of love and self-individuation against the backdrop of Székely village culture.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ (English) (Romanian) (Hungarian) Hungarians in Romania, on the site of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. Accessed 16 July 2006.
  2. ^ Population census of 2002 (Romanian) - recensamant 2002 --> rezultate --> 4. POPULATIA DUPA ETNIE
  3. ^ (Romanian) României îi este aplicabil modelul de autonomie al Cataloniei (The Catalan autonomy model is applicable in Romania), Gândul, 27 May 2006

[edit] External links

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