Who Are the Csángó?
The Csángó (Romanian: Ceangăi) are a Hungarian-speaking Catholic community living in the Moldavia region of eastern Romania, outside the historic boundaries of the Hungarian kingdom. Numbering estimates range from 60,000-250,000 depending on definitions, with perhaps 40,000-60,000 speaking Csángó Hungarian. They are descendants of medieval Hungarian settlers, refugees, and Székely migrants who maintained Catholic faith when surrounding Romanians were Orthodox. Their archaic Hungarian dialect, isolation from Hungarian national development, and Romanian assimilation pressures have created a unique community caught between national categories, neither fully Hungarian nor Romanian in identity.
Origins and History
The Csángó presence in Moldavia dates to the medieval period, with multiple waves of migration. Early Hungarian settlers arrived in the 13th century; Hussites fled religious persecution in the 15th century; Székely escaped taxation and military obligations in the 16th-17th centuries. These groups maintained Hungarian language and Catholic faith, distinguishing them from Orthodox Romanian neighbors. Isolation east of the Carpathians preserved archaic Hungarian features lost in Hungary itself. The 1646 union of some Romanian Orthodox with Rome created the Greek Catholic Church, leading to religious overlap with Csángó. Under Romanian national regimes, assimilation pressures intensified; Hungarian instruction was banned; Csángó identity was denied or romanianized. Church opposition to Hungarian-language masses limited religious protection of language.
Language and Identity
Csángó Hungarian preserves medieval features—phonological archaisms, vocabulary lost elsewhere—making it valuable for historical linguistics while creating mutual intelligibility challenges with standard Hungarian. Debates rage over Csángó identity: Are they Hungarians, Romanized Hungarians, Magyarized Romanians, or a distinct people? Romanian authorities historically denied the population's Hungarian character; Hungary considers them part of the Hungarian nation. The Csángó themselves exhibit varied self-identification. Younger generations increasingly speak Romanian; Hungarian language transmission is failing. Hungarian NGOs have established supplementary Hungarian education, but Romanian authorities have sometimes opposed these efforts. The Csángó represent how small communities between nations face pressure to assimilate while identity becomes politicized in national conflicts.
Contemporary Csángó
Modern Csángó communities in villages along the Siret River and its tributaries face cultural erosion. Economic underdevelopment drives migration to Romanian cities and Western Europe for work, disconnecting youth from traditional communities. Agriculture remains important but provides limited income. Traditional customs—elaborate wedding ceremonies, folk music and dance, distinctive dress—survive but diminish. Catholic parishes, historically conducting services in Romanian or Latin, have begun some Hungarian-language masses amid controversy. Cultural organizations work to document folklore, teach Hungarian, and promote Csángó identity. European institutions have recognized Csángó minority rights, though implementation is limited. The Csángó demonstrate how centuries-old communities can persist in isolation, then face rapid transformation when globalization penetrates previously protected villages.
References
- Tánczos, V. (2012). Language Shift among the Moldavian Csángós
- Benda, K. (1989). Csángó Hungarians
- Sándor, K. (2000). National Feeling or Responsibility: The Case of the Csángó Language Revitalization