The drum also called the Dob in Hungary. The drums we saw were played with two sticks and are often used in ceremonial music. Then we were lead into the castle’s tournament arena. A queen and king were chosen from the audience and they happened to be friends from our Fulbright group. They were given robes of gold (for the king) and red (for the queen) along with crowns. During medieval times, the king and queen would preside over all official tournaments and choose the winners of the festivities. Today, there are no kings or queens in Hungary, but these elements are meant to draw in the audience and make them feel a part of the story. After that the show began. The knights showed us amazing feats! There was archery/weapons throwing, falconry, and sword fights. During the archery show, they stood further and further away from the targets; it was truly incredible to witness. The knights mostly wore red padded material, though the lead performer was dressed in navy blue and wore a hat remisincant of the fictional character Robin Hood.
I was also very impressed by the falconry. This is where birds of prey (hawks and falcons) are trained to fly and return, to catch objects mid air, or even to hunt. In fact, in Hungary falconry is viewed as an ancient tradition that predates the medieval era! I find this interesting because one of the Turul bird, which is a giant bird of prey that was an omen/figure in Hungarian mythology. It makes me wonder if the significance of falconry as a sport and way of life helped promote the image of the Turul bird. The Turul bird is everywhere, depicted on flags, statues, seals, and much more.
