Acknowledgements

At the age of 12, my music teacher, Father Teodóz Jáki OSB, a distinguished researcher of the Moldavian Csángós, asked me to perform folk songs dressed in traditional folk costume at one of his lectures. From that point forward, acquiring knowledge about folk music and folk culture became a permanent part of my life, as I actively participated in performing folk songs at various locations both inside and beyond the borders of Hungary. On such occasions, before it was my turn to sing, Father Teodóz would jokingly introduce me as a csángó kislány (‘a little Csángó girl’). Even though Győr, my birthplace, is located in western Hungary, almost 1200 kilometers away from Moldavian Csángó villages, he successfully convinced the audience. These remarkable events, together with our dialect collecting trips to isolated Csángó villages and Father Teodóz’s wholehearted commitment to this community, sparked a great desire in me to grasp the messages of the songs and the authors’ mindset in depth. I am thankful to the late Father Teodóz for introducing me to the Moldavian Csángó culture and inspiring my curiosity.

My special thanks go to my dear and esteemed teacher, mentor and colleague, Professor Zoltán Kövecses. He encouraged me to publish my dissertation as a book and guided me down the route that led to the creation of this volume.

I am grateful to Ádám Galac, PhD student, who undertook the laborious task of glossing the Hungarian folk songs and translating them into English.

Thanks is owed to my parents, Mária and Zsolt, who have raised me to maintain an open and sensitive attitude to the important issues in life. They have always stood by me through the delights and difficulties encountered in my research.

And of course, I thank my husband, Balázs, and my little son, Ágoston, for their love and patience that allowed me to create this book.