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Paper short abstract:

Through the study of a contemporary pagan festival in Hungary, this paper explores phenomena of “re-enchantment” from the perspective of the forms of ritualization they draw on, arguing that they may be better defined by studying the formal particularities of the specific practices that compose it.

Paper long abstract:

In Hungary, contemporary pagan revival, a protean movement inspired by romantic nationalism and ethnogenetic theories, is emblematic of the emergence of new religious forms since the fall of the Iron Curtain. Persons engaged in (re)creating pre-Christian Magyar beliefs and practices creatively adapt historiographic and folkloric sources to craft new rituals and gatherings that allow them to act in the spirit of the nomad ancestors they claim to descend from. This, in turn, affords them a spiritual sense of national belonging. Attracting thousands of visitors, the Kurultaj festival is certainly the most conspicuous expression of this movement, especially as it is financially and ideologically supported by the current Hungarian government. The three-day event offers participants spectacular combat demonstrations, archaeological exhibits, neo-shamanic rituals, folkloric performances as well as lectures on the archaeology of the Huns and other Central Asian nomads.

Considering the Kurultaj as an instance of “re-enchantment”, this paper will attempt to understand phenomena categorized as such from a pragmatic standpoint, notably through the forms of ritualization it draws on. In order to do so, it will examine how ancestry is displayed in the festival’s exhibits and how changing the context of the objects exhibited, from a scientific to a religious one, establishes a ritual frame. The underlying hypothesis of this approach is that “re-enchantment” may be better defined by studying the formal particularities of the specific practices that compose it. Thus, it allows for an understanding of how archaeological objects may “enchant” and elicit a heightened sense of national belonging.