Benguela – The extraordinary and plenipotentiary Hungary ambassador to Angola, Zsolt Maris, has announced his country’s intention to produce a feature film on the travels of Hungarian explorer, László Magyar, to the central region of Angola, between 1848 and 1857.
The also geographer László Magyar (1818-1864),whom the Africans also called “Enganna Komo”, was born in the Hungarian city of Szombathely.
He arrived in the Benguela region (Angola’s centre-west) on 09 December 1848, from where he afterwards travelled to the interior, in the central Bié region in January 1849 and there he married Ina Kullu Ozoro, one of the daughters of King Kajaja-Kajangula.
During his expedition, exploring territories in the interior of Angola, László Magyar travelled through the Kwanza river source, and also down to the Kamba and Kwanyama kingdoms, the Kunene and Kubango regions, as well as to the eastern and south-eastern regions.
Speaking in Benguela Province – in the ambit of the itinerant exhibition in commemoration of the 205th birthday of László Magyar – the Hungarian diplomat, Zsolt Maris, explained that his country does value the contribution of the said explorer.
He then informed that the Hungary Embassy will work with the Public Television of Angola (TPA) to see ways to materialise the intention to produce a feature film on the adventures of László Magyar.
László Magyar died in 1864 in Benguela, but the news of his death only reached Hungary four years later.
In view of the importance of this European explorer and geographer, the Embassy of Hungary and the Culture Ministry of Angola unveiled last Tuesday, in Benguela City, a plaque in memory of László Magyar.
JH/CRB/jmc
