Each year on beautiful Raft Island in Washington State, Ti Ti Tábor brings together over 100 participants for a week-long total immersion experience of Hungarian folk culture presented by expert teachers from Hungary. Ti Ti Tabor offers music, song, and dance instruction for adults and a thematic folk arts program for children. Participants represent over 15 states, several Canadian provinces and include 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation Hungarians as well as Americans.
Young musicians at Ti Ti Tabor
The 2016 Ti Ti Tabor Folk Camp in 2016 focused on one of life’s “Transitions” – the Hungarian folk wedding. The Camp’s staff presented a traditional wedding from the Hungarian village of Szék. Campers were involved in playing various parts and each person was assigned to either the groom’s family or the bride’s. Dance teachers brought an extra suitcase containing traditional Széki wedding apparel. The children helped with painting signs and making props for the wedding. Earlier in the week, Szék dances were taught in the beginner class and wedding songs were presented in singing classes to use during the wedding presentation. The Hungarian teachers also prepared a traditional Hungarian wedding banquet.
We believe that the study of traditional folk arts presents a unique opportunity for people to reconnect with their heritage, illuminate diversity, and connect us to each other. – Sue Isely
Ti Ti Tabor’s young violin students
Through the HIF grant, the Camp organizers were able to provide for a second year a beginner/intermediate level dance class with the addition of two Hungarian dance masters from Hungary: Szilárd (Sziszi) Szabó and Ildikó Németh. This year, the camp had 161 participants, 10 young people in 2016, ages 16-30, compared 11 in 2015 and 13 first-time campers in 2016 compared to 20 in 2015. In 2016, the organizers increased community awareness of the camp’s cultural programs throughout the year using a new promotional video.
We increased participation in our music program by 67% this year. Of campers who came for the first time in 2016, 50 % returned for the second year. – Sue Isely
The Hungarian Honorary Consul who was present at the opening of camp, presented an award to Dűvő, the camp’s invited band from Hungary, for their 20 years of teaching at camp and to the camp itself for successfully providing a diverse group of people in the United States with the opportunity to learn Hungarian folk traditions for the past 24 years.
Receiving HIF’s grant helped increase awareness of Ti Ti Tabor’s Hungarian cultural programs. Campers and community members have expressed appreciation for our new programs made possible through the support of Hungary Foundation. – Sue Isely
