Paper Short Abstract:

The historical breed of the Kárpáti borzderes (Carpathian brown) cattle went almost extinct in Hungary during state socialism. Then with a recent revival program, several animals were imported into Hungary from areas where top predators live. This restoration overlaps with the reappearance of wolves in rural areas. The question is how can we find out about the bovine knowledges and experiences regarding predators and how can we learn from them?

Paper Abstract:

This presentation is based on my more than two years ethnographic field work aiming to explore the relationship(s) between humans and non-humans and different imaginaries of nature in rural Hungary. During this research I encountered the story of a bull who overruled the decision of the ‘gazda’ (farmer) when he wanted to herd the cattle to a new pasture. Putna, the Kárpáti borzderes (Carpathian Brown) bull did not allow the cows and calves to move to the new pasture, preventing them from going through the gate. Then, a few days later it turned out that there were wolves roaming in the area. Putna, the bull was raised and socialised in a Transylvanian pasture where there used to be wolves and bears present. In contrast with the gazda, Putna did have memories and experiences, and seemed to know how to deal with predators. I approach this story as an example of ‘multispecies semiosis going wrong’ where humans and non-humans both tried to communicate but failed to succeed. In this interpretation, this story is embedded in the broader context of the revival of the Carpathian Brown cattle which went almost extinct in Hungary during the years of state socialism. Then with the project aiming its restoration, animals were imported into Hungary from Romania and Ukraine – animals with significant knowledges about predators. The question is how can we find out what they know and think about those predators? And how can we learn from them?