The Living Tradition of Master of Ceremonies at Hungarian Weddings
The Living Tradition of Master of Ceremonies at Hungarian Weddings
The living tradition of Master of Ceremonies at weddings is a characteristic element of Hungarian folk culture, a tradition that has experienced a continuous revival over the period from the 18th century to today.
The master of ceremonies in traditional culture – the person responsible for the smooth running of the reception following the wedding ceremony – elevates the event with playful riddles and rhymes, oversees the order of dishes served to the guests, and entertains them with humorous games, songs and dance. European origins and parallels may be found in German- and Slovakian-speaking parts of Europe, but the richness of the tradition connected to the function in Hungary is incomparable. Today hundreds of masters of ceremonies – mainly semi-professional, but a large number of them professional – work at weddings in the country, not to speak about the uncountable number of relatives and friends, that take up the function from time to time.
The responsible institution for the professional coordinating of the UNESCO Convention in Hungary:
Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Hungarian Open Air Museum
