ERFUNDENE TRADITIONEN, FESTE UND TOURISMUS IN DEN WEINBERGEN SÜDWESTUNGARNS
INVENTED TRADITIONS, FESTIVALS AND TOURISM IN THE VINEYARDS OF SOUTH-WEST HUNGARY

Summary/Abstract: Geographically the research covers the vineyards in the southern part of Zala County, in south-western Hungary. In the article I seek an answer to the question of how and to what extent the vineyard plots that were earlier used in part for commodity production (for the grower’s own use and to a lesser extent for the market), and in part as hobby gardens are being transformed into an area offering leisure-time activities for others (vineyard tourism). On the basis of data collected during fieldwork I examine the festivals and events designed to preserve and create vineyard traditions (vineyard festival, protective saints and sacral relics, grape harvest festival, chestnut festival) and tourism opportunities according to their economic, social and cultural functions. In the southern Zala region examined a wide variety and complex forms of these events arose and they play a not insignificant part in shaping and strengthening local and micro community identity. Creative individual or micro community initiatives play a very big part in the present processes of the preservation and invention of tradition, but the events can only be kept alive and become tradition if they are accepted by the community.

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