44th National Táncház Festival & Fair • 4–6 April 2025
Issue:
Starting page: 3
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Remembering Mrs Pulika János, Tankó Gizella (1933–2021 Feb. 1.) of Gyimesközéplok/Lunca de Jos, Harghita County, Romania. She met her husband traditional fiddler Pulika János when she was 14. Ten years older than her, he was already making his living as a local traditional fiddler. They eloped when she was 16. By the time she was 21 she had 4 children. Then according to custom in Gyimes, she learned to play hit cello (in Hungarian „ütőgardon”), so she could accompany her husband when he played at local events. The traditional band in Gyimes consists of two musicians: a fiddler with usually his wife playing hit cello. Together they played for balls, work parties, weddings, christenings, and other celebrations in the Gyimes region. Her husband died in 1989. Hungary recognized her as an excellent traditional musician with the title of „Master of Folk Arts” in 2009. She was an exceptionally kind woman, well known by the táncház movement. By András Orsolya.