var slotId = 'div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-box-3-0_1'; (Dzien Wszystkich Swietych Dzien Zaduszny) In case St. Nicholas could not make the visit personally, his gifts were placed under the pillow during the night, which made children and parents sleepy the next day from waiting and watching to be sure that the children were sound asleep when St. Nicholas arrived! Wrocaw decided to organise a family event with wreath-floating, starting from 3 pm and lasting almost until midnight. var ffid = 2; Czech went westward, Rus to the east while Lech went north. A Polish historian wrote of what he called the Oblewania. Easter in Poland is an important holiday marked with fairs, markets, special foods, and traditions. Polish Traditions (Tradycje Polskie) All Saints All Souls Day, November 1st and 2nd (Dzien Wszystkich Swietych Dzien Zaduszny) Christmas Day (Boze Narodzenia) Harvest Holiday, August 15 (Dozynki) Feast of Greenery, September 8th (Matki Boskiej Zielnej) Feast Of the Three Kings (Trzech Kroli) Palm Sunday in Poland Pisanki (Polish Easter Eggs) The Three Kings day was also the traditional day to take down the Christmas Tree, which was erected and decorated on Christmas Eve. The dish was set down in a place of honor on a bench near the Wigilia table and it was the first dish to be eaten. ins.style.width = '100%'; var cdn = window.StacklaGoConnectConfig ? container.style.maxHeight = container.style.minHeight + 'px'; The custom of pouring water is an ancient spring rite of cleansing, purification, and fertility. On Tuesday, and every day thereafter until the time of the Green Holidays Pentecost the women doused the men.. Meet the Slavs covers topics related to the Slavic culture, history, mythology and more. April 9, 2019. Dyngus began somewhat around five in the morning, and the custom demanded that the house where the women slept be secretly invaded. Polish only know one way to make and eat their sandwiches and that is open. In modern Poland, wianki is an event most commonly organised by city councils in major Polish agglomerations. The Wild Hunt An odd number foretold that someone would not live to the next Christmas Eve supper. The marriage cap was usually a gift to the bride from her godmother. Because of its origin, many over the years have tried to put an end to this tradition, unsuccessfully. The Kutia was made from hulled barley or wheat, which was cooked and sweetened with honey. It is also said that if somebody is too loud, misbehaves, or curses, Skarbnik may hit one with a lamp. Then they are taken home and placed by the holy picture of the Blessed Mother, and remain there until the next year. The rest of the meal reflected the products of the familys labor, Barshch (Barszcz), a beet soup; dishes made from beets, cabbage, sauerkraut, beans, noodles, dumplings, potatoes, dried fruit, fresh apples, and nuts. Eggs were once a part of Polish pagan tradition and still symbolize spring, renewal, fertility, and eternity. This most delicious of Polish customs offers one last chance to overindulge on anything and everything sweet which the largely Catholic population foregoes for Lent. However, Polish heraldry was composed of local Slavic communities by mercenaries whose aim was to show who are they working for. I met a Rodzimowierstwo practitioner living in Portland, ME. by Stanley Garczynski from PGS of Texas Polish Footprints Vol.XII No.4 Winter 1995. Sw. Mikolaj does not live at the North Pole, but up in Heaven. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Wed love to hear how you embraced the myriad of Polish customs you encountered on your last visit. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. In some sections of Poland old custom forbade the exclusion of anyone in the village from being invited to the wedding. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The Obra Water Monster is a creature related to a folk tale similar to the one of the famous Loch Ness monster from Scotland. First, the engagement period Zareczyny or Zrekowiny. There was screaming, shouting, and confusion. And the more they are annoyed, the more we dump water on them calling, Dyngus Smigus! Copyright Trafalgar Tours, all rights reserved. Eggs are blessed. So was the case with Polish mythology and folklore which stems from the folklore and beliefs rooted in Slavic religion also known as Slavic paganism which was observed by the Slavs before the introduction of Christianity in the period from the 9th to the 12th . The severe cold weather and deep snows made family hold their festivities near the hearth within family groups. They include the Polish Easter basket ( wiconka ), prepared on Holy Saturday, and Easter eggs ( pisanki ). Starting on Palm Sunday, the girls will begin gathering eggs, which will become pisanki. He believes, this type of sacred place could bring Pagans together despite their low numbers. More info about Krakw Wianki 2018 here. Regardless of whether these historical events have influenced the generous hospitality of the Polish, their warm, welcoming nature is one of the most treasured of Polish traditions. The story goes that King Boleslaw and the knights sleep in a big, dark cavern, lying with their swords, bows, and lances. Marzanna was the goddess who personified winter. The myth about the Polish Eagle is one of the most recognized in Poland since this bird is the symbol of the Polish Republic and it is also a focal element in the Polish crest and the Polish coat of arms. Very often, those people have problems with finding or maintaining their jobs. Verm, one of our interviewees, was taught folk Witchcraft by agrandmother and an aunt. It was the responsibility of the males to go into the forest and bring back boughs of fir and spruce to decorate the house on this special day. The Starosta sang a song to open up and the door was opened by the mother who stood before the stoop, sprinkling the married couple with holy water. When their buds open in a few days, this is regarded as a good omen According to some theories, the monster is a giant catfish which have been reported as creatures who attack water birds and small animals. Jacke became thin as a twig out of sorrow and suffered all the time, learning that no happiness is possible without sharing. Old fire in the house is put out, then a large bonfire is made in the churchyard. Janoshik was the staple character of many novels, films, and poems in modern times. On Holy Saturday afternoon, the mother of the family or an older child carries a basket filled with eggs, hams, sausage, pastries and Easter seasonings to be blessed by the parish priest. Tomasz Rogalinski is one such practitioner. Adherents tend to use a reconstructionist methodology to rebuild their native faith, which has not spread through the English-speaking world as widely as some other European-based Heathen religions. Polish demons and mythical creatures dont live underground but in mountains, forests, or swamps where they can meet people and animals. Although Poles have some very ancient traditions reaching back to their pre-Christian roots, not many of them have survived up to these times. Polish traditions of the celebration of the dead is on April 30th, the second being on October 31st. You can celebrate the Kupala Night in a real olden-days style by attending the event at Pomeranian Dukes' Castle in Szczecin. Growing up, I never connected with my Polish ancestry, even as it marked me with the unwieldy last name Swankowski. The popular and colorful celebrations were held by the nobility and larger landowners those owning large tracts of land that required hiring farmers from all around the countryside who had to be rewarded for their hard labor. Manage Settings The rules were to rise early, say your prayers earnestly and carefully, wash thoroughly, dress cleanly, and then peacefully and patiently attend to your work. In Slavic legend, a sacred oak tree was the home of all beings; the top branches were the heavens, the trunk and lower branches the realms of men, and the roots were the underworld. Christmas day had its traditional menu, but there was no special number of courses. . He encouraged him to carry on with his pursuit and told him that he will soon celebrate his victory. When the groom arrived with his Starosta, groomsman and family members, the maid of honor began dressing the bride. If there were many stars, they rejoiced, for as many stars as there were in the heavens, that many sheaves of grain would be harvested the next year. By Stanley Garczynski from PGS of Texas Polish Footprints Vol.XII No.4 Winter 1995. In the scriptures, the Holy Family was en route to Nazareth when the Virgin Mary went into labour, forcing the family to find shelter. The interest in such practices is marginal, but is becoming bigger.. After each psalm is sung, a candle light is extinguished to signify the sorrow over the torture of Christ. He was dressed in a long white robe, wearing a tall head piece much like a bishops mitre, a long white flowing beard, and in his hand he held the shepherds staff. All told, while laws and aspects of the culture present very real obstacles for Polish Pagans, the small community does enjoy the freedom to practice and continues to eagerly expand despite the very large shadow of the countrys dominant religion. ins.dataset.adClient = pid; Make sure to check if similar events are in your city as well, if it is not included on our list above. Reportedly, in the early history of Poland, the banks of the river Vistula were lined with tiny wooden huts where farmers lived. pulling a wagon on which stood the driver, cracking his whip for everyone to get out of his way. In Poland, fortune telling sets the mood for this evening of merriment which might be the theme for an autumn social gathering. XI No.1 Spring 1994 by Stan Garczynski. This was done with one glass which traveled from hand to hand. We use cookies to analyze our traffic, enhance our websites functionality and performance, and a better experience for our users. The Polish Legend of St.Johns Night was born in early ancient Slavic times when a ritual of water and fire was performed to honor the shortest night of the year. cultural traditions (first of all, the works of Vechaslav Ivanov and Vladimir Toporov are distinguished). The first preparation for Christmas Eve began very early, right after midnight. It wasn't as bad as another kid in my elementary school classMichael . Popular sweet treats, especially loved on this day, are Pczki, Polish-style doughnuts, and Faworki, otherwise known as angel wings, which are crispy pieces of pastry dipped in sugar. One of the traditional dishes was Kutia, which was served in both the homes of the nobility and the serfs. Every year around 21st and 22nd of June, when the nights were extra short and the June solstice arrived, pagan people celebrated fire, water, fertility, love and joy - quite a pagan alternative to modern-day Valentines! What do Polish cities have in store this year? Today, All Saints All Souls Day is celebrated in a very solemn manner in Poland. The Legend of the Dragon of Krakow (Wawel Dragon), 4. Wherever the initials K M B for Kaspar, Melchior and Baltazer, with a cross between them, were seen written in chalk at the top of entrance doors, it was evident to a wayfarer that a Catholic family lived there. Terence P Ward is a moneyworker, journalist, Hellenic polytheist and convinced Friend who lives in the bucolic Hudson Valley with his wife, five cats, and multiple household shrines. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'stat_source_id', 44); According to a completely different version or interpretation of this legend, the Treasurer is a humanized creature with a white beard and a lamp who is forever stuck in the coal mines because he is punished for the murder of his daughter. Generally, it was worn by a young girl involved in the harvesting, or someone who was considered a very good worker. Throughout all of Poland, the time after supper was a time for the family to gather together to sing carols and exchange gifts which were deposited by Aniolek, (an angel), under the Christmas tree. At the conclusion of the prayer, the most important ceremony of the night, sharing of the Oplatek, and the exchange of wishes began. Still, this being one of the most important celebrations of Christianity as well as one of the most anticipated of Polish spring traditions, it is loved and celebrated both by . The shadow it casts on the wall is said to reveal the girls marriage prospects: if its shape resembles something used by a man, she will marry within a year. Holidays and Celebrations Szczodre Gody (Generous Festivities) - Winter solstice - December 21-22 Putting a tree of life at home, a ritual feast Jare wito (Spring Festival) - Spring equinox - March 21 Burning a sacred fire, drowning mammon, decorating eggs Noc Kupay (Night of Baths) - Summer solstice - June 21-22 If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. In some areas of Poland, a loaf of common, everyday bread was placed on top of it and topped with more Oplatek. It is believed that the brave kings life ended in the mountain Giewont which forms a great part of the Tatra mountains and that if one looks at it from far, they will see the head of the King and his knights. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This ceremony is a reminder of the humility with which Christ washed the feet of his disciples. Mirrors were turned to the wall so that the soul would not be captured in the room. The first recorded Polish writing on Dyngus dates back to the Middle Ages. The legend of Janosik who is considered the Polish Robin Hoon, tells the story of Juraj Janosik who was a Slovak highwayman. Many of the Pagans are solitary, making their numbers difficult to estimate, but they appear to be concentrated in the cities. According to the Polish folk myth from the pre-Christian Slavic tradition, the . They visit the boys and sprinkle them with water. He was supposed to pass down what he learned to the eldest in the next generation: my mother. To go caroling with Turon required that at least one of the participants be dressed in some type of animal costume and mask. The spirit of Dyngus is described in this lively description from the Poznan region during 1800s: Barely had the day dawned on Easter Monday when I woke the boys and gathered some water to start throwing it on the girls. The girls are shrieking and hollering, but in their hearts they are glad because they know that she who isnt gotten wet will not be married that year. According to the legend, the brothers Lech, Czech, and Rus were hunting together when each of them headed to a different direction where they would later settle and establish their tribe. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. From very early on, everyone was careful of conduct and observed everything that occurred in the house, garden and heavens. His name is celebrated more in some Central European countries than is Christmas itself. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); Tradition dictates that this be a meatless dinner, that there should be an uneven number of dishes served. The Polish have a deep respect for their past and a pragmatic outlook on their future, which youll discover in great depth during your next visit to Poland. The Polish also make a different version of these open sandwiches, however. From drowning winter to getting hitched twice, Polish traditions and customs often border on the bizarre but are certainly a highlight to discover. This legend was very popular in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and in the 19th century, a number of writers and activists used the character of Janoshek as a symbol of resistance to many kinds of oppression and this practice was extended even during the Second World War when anti-Nazis partisan groups praised or bore his name. The sound of snow bells and horses hoofs could be heard on the cobblestone pavement, while eager young faces with their noses pressed to the window panes shouted, he has come! It is, in fact, unique among Pagan paths. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); The most popular Pagan path practiced in Poland is Rodzimowierstwo (native faith), an indigenous form of Slavic polytheism. Jacek found the flower and made a wish to become rich. It was decorated with flowers, ribbons, hazelnuts, and the fruit of the mountain ash tree. Starting on Good Friday and through Saturday, every one visits the various churches in town to view Christs sepulchers so beautifully and artistically arranged and bathed in flowers. The schedules also includes making flower wreaths and then floating the crowns on the Oder river, so make sure to attend if you want to feel like a real Slav! Gniazdo is a magazine created by the Rodzimowiercy, but there are other publications that, according to Rogalinksi, mix traditional and New Age beliefs without providing any context. Its the best day of someones life, so why not celebrate twice? The pagan Poles bickered with nature Dingen by means of pouring water and switching with willows to make themselves pure and worthy of the coming year. Some say it is a pagan tradition handed down from the earliest settlers in Poland. It is looking for similarities and helping those who are nearest to us, it is not about fighting other people.. I never got back to the business to get his contact information either. They were able to suppress particular Pagan traditions, but the beliefs and practices simply lived on as folklore or embedded itself in the conquering faith or found a million other outlets through art and literature etc. What would be more surprising to see would be people dressed as goats, horses, roosters, a devil, and grim reaper. Verm also is familiar with cases in which being public didnt serve the individual well, highlighting a difference between the urban and rural experience. God and the heavenly creatures decided that they will leave the soul of Walenty in the mines but in the body of a majestic creature called Skarbnik (or Treasurer). However, if a man believed their stories and was seduced by them, his life would soon tragically come to an end. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. When the newlyweds, followed by the wedding party and invited guests, finally arrived to the Dom Weselny (wedding home), they found the door closed to them. The Polish leave the chair open in the hope that these brave men would return. To this day, eggs are a major item at Easter. An important part of the funeral ceremony were the feasts, called strawa in the old Polish tradition, and from the 16th century on, the Latin stypa. My Belarussian grandfather married a Polish woman. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". According to this legend, the King and his knights were fighting a battle where Boleslaw lost his life. In Polish villages, people would scare youngsters with the story about Latawiec that would seduce and get them if they werent careful enough and finally eat them alive. Large or small, the Polish open sandwich will include pretty much whatever you have lying in your fridge cheese, lettuce, tomato slices, egg, dill, whatever. Wigilia Christmas Eve Dinner. Everyone would gather at the home of the bride to accompany the bridal couple to the church, but also to witness the blessing and symbolic farewells of the bride with her parents, relatives, and friends. window.StacklaGoConnectConfig.cdn : 'assetscdn.stackla.com'; Every year on the night of 2nd November, the Polish people pay their respects to their late friends and relatives by lighting candles in cemeteries across Poland. It was published in Czech by Grade Publications, a.s. http://www.grada.cz. Easter is naturally a Christian holiday and commemorates Christ resurrection but it is at the same time inseparably bound with the pagan traditions related to the beginning of spring. In the more well-to-do-homes this was 11 or 13, with 13 being the preferred number as it represented the number that sat down at the Last Supper. And Polish Easter, besides the spiritual factor, is mostly that. The host leaves an empty chair for the deceased and sweeps it away before everyone sits at the table to excuse the soul who isn't there. It was also the official day for caroling to begin. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); According to the pact, the nobleman had to give his soul to the devil in exchange for wisdom and supernatural powers. My mistake. var pid = 'ca-pub-6145023705656770'; If a father could afford it, the wedding sometimes lasted three days. The custom was called Oczepiny. The Myth of the Mermaid of Warsaw is one of the major myths in Polish history especially when it comes to the city of Krakow. First, invitations were issued to relatives or friends to act as groomsmen or bridesmaids. When he became a king, the secret was revealed and he was banished from the country. These unique representations of our world and humanity offer a multilayered world of imagination that opens up a whole new universe of perception and understanding of history, nature, culture, anthropology, etc. When he came back to the village, no one recognized him and he went back to his castle.
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