by Ann Beaglehole
A decorative wooden gate (székely kapu), carved in Transylvania, stands at the entrance of Wellington’s Hungarian park. It celebrates Hungary’s presence in New Zealand and the friendship that has developed between the two countries.
Such friendship was hard-won. In the 1950s, over 1,000 Hungarians sought refuge in New Zealand from political conditions in their home country. Settling into their adopted country was not easy; old political tensions still tugged and cultural differences baffled Kiwis and Hungarians alike. Today, however, the community is well integrated, and some still foster and celebrate their culture and language.
Main image: Louis Somogyváry, who escaped from Hungary in 1956
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