AUCKLAND HUNGARIAN CLUB

On May 25th, the Richmond Road School classroom once again came to life as the Auckland Hungarian Club organized a special afternoon for the local Hungarian community of all ages. We had been preparing for this day for weeks, a day entirely dedicated to the children. The afternoon began with skill-based games: the kids completed seven activity stations, collecting stamps to earn their well-deserved reward – cotton candy. There were tasks like moving paper sheets with a straw,

I was born in Csíkszereda and completed my secondary education at Márton Áron High School. After a short detour in Cluj-Napoca, I earned my degree in accounting and business informatics at the Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, also in Csíkszereda. After university, I lived in Cluj-Napoca, then in Brno, and for the past two years, I’ve been living in Auckland. I have been working as a software developer since 2011. Currently, I am part of the data engineering tea

There are few holidays in the world — aside from religious celebrations, New Year’s, or Labour Day — that touch the hearts of multiple nations. One of these is the subject of today’s article: ANZAC Day. April 25 is a national holiday in both Australia and New Zealand, as this is the day when the two countries commemorate the soldiers who fell in the First World War. However, it is not only about those who lost their lives — the day also honours the veterans who returned home

While Hiding the First Flag, I Thought About a Place or Activity Deeply Rooted in Hungarian CultureThat’s how I ended up choosing horse riding. All you have to do is think of the ancient Hungarians, our world-famous hussars, the historically significant National Riding School — and, of course, our legendary racehorse, Kincsem. I tried horse riding relatively late in life, in 2022, at the age of 28 — but I fell in love with it instantly. I was in Őrség with a dear friend who’s

In Mid-April, to Celebrate Earth Day, We Set Off on a Hike with Our Enthusiastic Community MembersWe wanted to spend a sunny Saturday together in nature, and we chose the Ōmanawanui Track, located about an hour from Auckland. Even the drive there turned out to be an adventure — a winding gravel road led us to the starting point of the hike, where two cars could barely pass each other. We hadn’t even started the climb when the youngest member of our group, Márk, got stung by a

It so happened that Fanni and I decided to go on a trip to Piha Beach. This beautiful coastal area is only a 40-minute drive from Auckland. It’s a long stretch of black sand beach, flanked by towering cliffs and hills on both sides. Our original plan was to hike up to a lookout by climbing the coastal rocks. However, we were a bit unprepared and forgot to check the weather forecast. On the day we set off, it started pouring with rain — but for some reason, that didn’t deter u

In 2025, the Hungarian Government has declared the Year of the Next Generation in national policy, placing special emphasis on supporting Hungarian youth living in the diaspora. As part of this initiative, the Weekend Hungarian Schools Meeting was once again held in Budapest, where representatives of Hungarian communities from around the world shared their experiences and achievements. The event also included discussions on the most important programmes, grant opportunities,

We travelled to Wellington to commemorate the 1848 Revolution and War of Independence in a dignified way, albeit a little later. The event was not only about remembrance, but also included the placement of two commemorative stones in the Hungarian Millennium Park. Our plane departed early Friday morning, so we arrived in the capital by 9 a.m. Klára Szentirmay, former Honorary Consul, enthusiastically guided us through Wellington’s main attractions before we arrived at the Hun

On Sunday, we commemorated the 1848/49 revolution and the heroes of the fight for freedom in Auckland in an uplifting atmosphere. KCSP scholarship holder Áron Darvasi recited Gyula Juhász's poem "March on Ides", and then Dr. Tamás Gábor Nagy, Ambassador of Hungary to New Zealand, paid tribute to the holiday with an inspiring speech recalling the historical events of the time. The programme was made even more memorable by Fanni Csényi, KCSP scholarship holder, who led a dance

When you are offered the opportunity to spend nine months in New Zealand on a scholarship representing your country, a lot of things go through your mind. You think about what it means to be Hungarian. What makes me Hungarian? Maybe it's a bit like a belief in God, that it's a journey, a process of searching. And then I started to think about how to transmit this sense of being Hungarian in a way that is special and unique. How could we weave our small country into this cul

We recently completed New Zealand’s legendary multisport race — the Coast to Coast — with great success! This iconic race crosses the South Island of New Zealand, stretching from Hokitika on the West Coast all the way to Christchurch on the East Coast. Over the course of the event, competitors cycle, run, kayak, and cycle again — covering a total distance of 240 kilometers. The Coast to Coast is one of the largest sporting events in New Zealand, attracting more than 1,500 ath

Dear Readers, I completed my studies at the University of Public Service in Hungary, where I earned a degree in International Administration. I began my career at the Press and Communications Department of the Ministry of Finance, but I soon realized that office work was not my calling. I’ve always been full of energy, and sport has been a defining part of my life since childhood. I tried many different disciplines, but eventually my heart was captured by acrobatic rock and r

The 2025 Hungarian Festival and Market took place on February 15, 2025, in the Onepoto volcanic crater, which today is a vast and lush green park. Preparations began as early as 8 a.m., with stalls, tents, and the stage being set up, and of course, the unpacking of goods brought by local Hungarian producers. As the setup continued, the scent of sizzling sausages and bubbling Hungarian goulash wafted through the air. A large number of multigenerational Hungarians attended the

Amikor 18 éve Új-Zélandra érkeztem, megismertem egy családi barátot, Vasista Jutkát. Sajnos már nincs köztünk, és óriási űrt hagyott maga után. Jutka egy fantasztikus humorú, hihetetlenül önzetlen hölgy volt, akit csak rövid ideig volt szerencsém a barátomnak tekinteni. Nagyon fiatalon ment el, két lányt, Brigittát és Katit hagyva maga után. Kati az édesanyjával, Jutkával élt; a szomszédom volt, a mellettük lévő lakásban laktam. Kati kerekesszékben él évek óta; egyéni kommuni

Hello Everyone! This spring/autumn, our family also had the chance to visit Hungary and Vojvodina to spend a few weeks with our loved ones. During these trips, we usually travel with the grandparents so we can spend more time together and get to know the motherland better. This year, we chose to visit the town of Gyula, where we spent four wonderful days. Gyula is a beautiful little town on the Great Hungarian Plain, full of interesting sights and attractions. We stayed at th

Petra Lipóth, Honorary Consul and President of the Auckland Hungarian Club, represented the Hungarian diaspora of New Zealand at the 13th Session of the Hungarian Diaspora Council in Budapest on November 20, where diaspora leaders from four continents gathered to consult and share their visions. The Council unanimously adopted the proposal to designate 2025 as the Year of Future Generations. In the closing statement sent to the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), the Council emphasi

Thank You, All of You! How could I possibly put these past few months into words? I had just graduated when I got the call: I had been accepted into the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Scholarship Programme and would be heading to New Zealand. I had only a few hours to decide whether I’d be flying to the other side of the world within two weeks. Needless to say—I said yes. The first two months were very difficult. I struggled to fit in, I didn’t quite feel I had found my place, and in my

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to tell you about what I saw in Budapest. In one of the photos, you can see that we were eating Túró Rudi. That day we stayed in a hotel, which had an elevator, and on the elevator door there was a very funny painting. It was very hot in Budapest. On the second day, we went to the Budapest Zoo and saw a sloth, a lizard, red and white snakes, black and red birds called finches, and an owl. We also saw small turtles and big turtles. We saw a tamarin

The now-traditional Bogrács Festival was once again met with great enthusiasm and preparation this year: during the October club day, five cauldrons of delicious food were simmering in the heart of Auckland, and the aromatic cloud could be smelled from afar. While our chefs were busy in the yard, the indoor program began: first up was the latest performance by the Auckland Hungarian Folk Dancers, which was met with great success among the audience. We also commemorated the ev

Jenő Lisztes, cimbalom virtuoso Originally published on Auckland Live on the 24/10/2024. Introduce yourself and your arts practice. My name is Jeno Lisztes, and I am a cimbalom player from Budapest, Hungary. I started playing the cimbalom when I was just 4 years old. It has been a tradition in my family for generations, as I proudly follow in the footsteps of my great grandfather as then fourth generation of cimbalom players. What’s your favourite thing about what you do? The