Zsolt Repasy: Hungarian Folklore

“I’ve been in love with folklore and cultural heritage for longer than I can remember, as well as the often invisible or unknown lifestyle of these communities.”

Traditional clothing of the Hungarian Shepherds.

Zsolt Repasy is a Hungarian photographer whose work focuses mainly on some of the national communities and traditions from Hungary.

The first tradition he touches upon takes a look at the shepherds, which is one of the oldest and most traditional professions in the country. It is also very demanding, both physically and emotionally.

The second tradition, the Busó festivities (Poklade), consists on men dressing up with hand-carved, scary wooden masks, as well as wool coats. These men visit houses and attempt to entertain and also scare the other people. On the last day of the event, they light a massive fire and a few days later, some cross the Danube in rowing boats, reproducing the image inherited from the original myth.

If you liked these pictures, make sure to visit @zsolt.repasy for more content! His work has been published in outlets such as National Geographic and NatGeo Travel.