Silent Solitude: I Listen To Elderly People's Stories To Capture The Remains Of The Old World

I've known auntie Rózsi since I was a child, but it was three years ago that I first visited her. When I listen to her stories, I can live through her experiences, good and bad ones

We are in the Northern region of Hungary, Palócföld, where inhabitants often say that in World War II not even Russians were able to find them

A few years ago Rózsi still whitewashed her house. Instead of using water in the house she always draws it from the well for cooking and washing

Rózsi had eleven siblings, each of them had only one dress, which were sewed by her mom. According to her, she got married rather late, when she was over 21

"I don’t know how I’ll bring in my firewood next year, but everything will be solved somehow", says Rózsi

"Three years ago I was in a hospital. The doctors said I needed an operation, but I came home. Who would have looked after the hens and the garden?"

"I say three Rosaries every night. Others watch TV when they can't sleep, but I'm not interested in things like that. Most often I pray for the young"

I often heard her say, "The most important things in life are faith, hope and love. Where would I be now without these three?"

"I sometimes think - what’s the point of having such a big garden.  And then spring comes, the time to have the garden ploughed. It's very expensive but this is how the things should be"

"Take some parsley and basil, I would send home a few plums as well, but there weren't much fruit this year"

As we say goodbye, she says again, "Faith, hope and love are the three things which keep me going", and she adds with a cheerful smile, "and strong will"

On my way home I recall her words and flip through the photos. I think again, we must hurry to take photos of these people. There are fewer and fewer of them left who are kept going by their will