TORDAY-CONGO PROJECT
EXPEDITION-EXHIBITION-BOOK- CONFERENCE-WEBPAGE - FILM

With the recommendation of Fábry Sándor, National Geographic, African-Hungarian Union and Port.hu.

2009 is the 100th year anniversary that the Hungarian origin Africa-researcher Emil Torday completed his final expedition in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The life and work of this prominent, Hungarian born scientist represents great cultural and scientific values through his outstanding ethnographical collections of various objects, recorded in the British Museum and in the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest. Since the death of Emil Torday, no comprehensive work has been collected, neither about his life nor his scientific accomplishments. On top of that, most of his publications are available in French and English, while only a few books have been translated into Hungarian. The purpose of this exhibition, book, website, and conference is to introduce the life and work of Emil Torday, and the outcomes of the Torday-Congo Expedition to the public. This project is supported by an extensive printed and electronic media campaign.

PROFESSIONAL PARTICIPANTS OF THE EXPEDITION

Ildikó Szilasi, main organizer, anthropologist, africanist (African-Hungarian Union, University of Pécs, PhD)
Attila Lóránt, photographer
Dávid Reisinger, director of photography (Afrimage)
Charles Ngwabwanyi Kunda, anthropologist (Institut des Musees Nationaux de Congo, Kinshasa)

FURTHER PARTICIPANTS

Sándor Balogh, president of the African-Hungarian Union,  designated Honorary Consul of the DRC
Sándor Fábry, Hungarian celebrity
Judit Szerbin, African-Hungarian Union
Sándor Zimits, inner architect, experienced Africa-traveler

The Torday-Congo Expedition took place between June 25, 2009 and September 3, 2009. The participants travelled 6000 km (3730 miles) in water, on the roads, and in the air, crossing through six provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Members of the expedition sailed 1000 km (620 miles) on the Congo River and participated in the National Art Festival in Gungu. In perspective of the 100 years, we have revisited and rediscovered important places where Emil Torday did most of his prominent scientific work. Following his footsteps, the expedition accomplished to record his work in todays context in Mushenge and Misumba, in the Cuban Kingdom. Various cultural aspects were documented of seven ethnic groups: Vagenya, Bangongo, Babunda, Bapende, Bashilele, Bakuba (Bushongo and Ngongo). Ever since our return back home we have been processing Attila Lóránt’s magnificent photographs, Dávid Reisinger, our cameraman’s substantial films, and Ildikó Szilasi’s significant anthropological data.

Elements of the project:

EXHIBITION- 100 years of continuities 100 years of change. On the tracks of Emil Torday in the Congo

„It behooves us to piously preserve the memory of the man who worked so hard and devoted so many years of labor,  who wrote, preached, and acted on behalf of the good name of Hungarian science, who sacrificed so much for  his country in order to win friends for Hungary around the globe.”(Halász Gyula: Öt világrész magyar vándorai, 1936)

Between 1900 and 1909 Emil Torday (1885-1931), the Hungarian Africa researcher, carried out three expeditions to the Congo River basin.  In the summer of 2009, on the one hundredth anniversary of his last journey, a Hungarian expedition traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to retrace part of Torday's itinerary.  The expedition was successful in reaching the sites where and the ethnic groups among whom Torday executed his most significant research and collecting of art and artifacts. The expedition was documented by Attila Lóránt as photographer and Dávid Reisinger as cinematographer.  Ildikó Szilasi, the leader of the expedition, carried out anthropological observations and collected artifacts in collaboration with the Congolese anthropologist  Charles Ngwabwanyi  Kunda.
The contents of this exhibition include some of the writings of Torday and photos taken by Torday or his fellow-travelers at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the photographs, videos, documents and objects assembled during the expedition in the summer of 2009.  The aim of the exhibition is to acquaint the public with the opus and achievements of Torday. Furthermore to show the public the cultural processes and social phenomena taking place in the Congo nowadays.

Information: www.congoexpedition.com, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Contact: Ildikó Szilasi, anthropologist, +36205410757

BOOK- 100 years of continuities 100 years of change. On the tracks of Emil Torday in the Congo

The book contains extended texts and more archive and recent photographs of the exhibition.  Congolese scolars are also participating in the writing of the book. Planned time of publishing: December, 2010.

CONFERENCE - 100 years of continuities 100 years of change. On the tracks of Emil Torday in the Congo

A one day, interdisciplinary, scientific international conference will be dedicated to Emil Torday in April, 2011. The conference will be organised in collaboration of the Torday-Congo Project, the African-Hungarian Union, the Museum of Ethnography, Eotvos Lóránt University and University of Pécs.

FILM AND WEBSITE

A documentary will be produced made out of the 34 hours film material and 72 interviews recorded during the Torday-Congo Expedition. The website will sistematically present in different languages photographs, films, voice recordings, and ethnographical documents of the Torday-Congo Expedition. 

This project is recommended by:

African-Hungarian Union, Sándor Fábry; Royal Museum for Central Africa (Belgium); National Museum of Congo (Kinshasa), Museum of Ethnography, Budapest; Museum of Geography (Hungary);  Hungarian Academy of Sciences; University of Pécs.