Re: Subject: Sarmatians in Hungary vs Székély/Sicui in Transilvan

My info about the Secui / Székély people closely relates with what Rex H.
McTyeire already said (<wave> hi, Rex! :o) what about that beer?...). The
most plausible hypothesis is that they were an Turkic ethnic group that
somehow stuck with the Magyar migration and finally settled with them in
that East part of Transylvannia (see also Rex's reasons why there) and took
the language. They consider themselves as Magyars, but a different sort of
tribe (somehow like the 13the Judaic tribe).

A couple of years ago I've done some social research (study of ethnic
relations) in a small Transylvannian village with a Secui majority (Secui --
that's the Romanian spelling) and a guy more history-conscious (sort of a
revivalist; the guy was crazy with bows and archery!) told me about this
Secui branch -- more or less what Rex said.

Beyond some rationalizations, he showed me / told me about some totemic
artifacts that speak in favour of the Turkic origin. For instance, on the
graves they do not raise crosses -- or, at least, they didn't use to -- but
funeral posts covered with significant non-figurative basoreliefs. From him
I've also heard about that runic writting, but I didn't actually see any of
it, only the funeral posts (some pretty old). He also told me about the
horse-tails markers that used to adorn the chiefs' funeral posts.

The 'true' Magyars consider the Secui as a somehow backward people: Magyars,
ok, but rather provincial / paysan (the same attitude the Magyars from
Hungary have with regard to the Magyars from Transylvannia -- it's a sort of
pecking order :o) ).

Final comment for those reading these messages: do not confuse the Iazygian
story / problem with the Székély one. Due to the way Alberto phrased his
questions and to the subsequent flux of answers, one might think that the
Székély and the Iasi / Iazygs are the same thing. Nope... :o)

O zi buna tuturor! (A good day to you all!) :o)

Mirel Palada
Bucharest, Romania