Transcript Traditions in Poland

Short presentation about the most important
traditions in Poland, made by
Michał Jaworski

Is the time of the fasting, prayer
and focus on divine service, and
lasts four weeks. This is the
period which leads up to
Christmas and during this time
there are no parties or festivities.
It is a a time of devotion and
prayers for those who have died,
as it is believed that those who
have died can also harass the
living. In the time of Advent there
are treats early in the morning in
all churches (the so called Rotary
or Jutrznie) along with prayer to
celebrate the Advent of Christ.

It is the most festive evening of the year and the beginning of Christmas, which
belongs to the family feasts of the year which is full of traditions, atmosphere and
excitement!
The Holy Evening typically includes dishes which are prepared from the ingredients
of the field, the orchard, the garden, the forest and the water. A festive menu must
contain: soup from red beets, mushrooms or fish. A central dish would be herring
or carp which could be prepared in several ways. On the table it is not be permitted
to miss cabbage-dishes, compote from dried fruit, noodles with poppy seed,
sweets, poppy seed cakes or poppy seed with dried semi-tropical fruit - the so
called “Kutia” -. Various Christmas cakes can be served including honey-cakes,
biscuits and curd cheese cakes. And no Holy Evening table would be complete
without nuts, fruit and various assorted sweets.

In the colloquial language
“Christmas Day”, formerly
called Godami, Godnimi or
Godnymi (dignity-festivityday). Christmas Day
commences with the
participation in an early mass.
On this day no one works and
in earlier days, it was a day of
rest without social gatherings
or guests with the exception of
family. Nowadays people have
moved away from this attitude
and do socialize however it is
low-key and spent with the
family.

The day after Christmas Day.
The patron saint of the day is
the “Holy Szczepan”, the first
Christian martyr. Traditionally,
mainly in the villages, people
consecrated oats, or other
corn-sorts, during the divine
service in memory of the first
Christian martyr, who was
stoned to death. At home the
whole family, neighbours and
acquaintances enjoy the
various corn-sorts. The Holy
Szczepan also signals the
beginning of carnival, ad time
of festivities and the tours of
the balled-singers.

Still in the XIX century the New Year’s Eves were almost exclusively
celebrated in affluent families. Nowadays the dancing, festivities and
parties are considered a time-honored tradition. New Year’s Eve- and
New Year’s festivities are spent mostly among family or with close friends
at a private party, disco, in a restaurant or some other location where
people reserve their place far ahead of time. However, it is not
compulsory to celebrate this as big as possible. Many people prefer to
spend the evening sitting snugly in front of the television or at home, but
the fact remains that no one is supposed to be alone on this day. On this
day it is appropriate to wish someone, in the old Polish language, “do
siego roku” which means “I wish you well” but the most fun is had
drinking champagne and at midnight ringing in the New Year with
fireworks in the European way.

After an old Polish habit called “zapusty”, is
the time from New Years up to Ash
Wednesday. This is a time of pleasure, feasts
and dancing which takes place right before
the long fasting period.

On the fourth Sunday in the time of fasting is a ceremony of
destruction. Destruction, or Death is represented by a doll
named Marzanna, Morena or simply death. This doll is plunged
into water or burned. Marzanna’s symbolism represents winter,
death, sickness, destruction and starvation of the people. This
ritual is meant to speed up the onslaught of spring and is to
this day still practiced albeit much less commonly than in the
past. Today this is primarily practiced by children plunging the
Marzanna doll into water.

Also called flower- or plant Sunday, represents the beginning of
the most important church-ritual and has a direct connection to
Easter. On this day the Church celebrates the triumphant entry of
Christ into Jerusalem. In Poland the Palm is represented in many
different folk ceremonies, and the Palms are commonly made of
willow, yew, bilberry or palmtree twigs, green and decorated with
dried flowers and multicolored ribbons. Once the Palms have been
consecrated in the church they can be used to bless houses, farms
and cattle. A Palm which is hung from the ceiling is thought to give
protection against negativity, witchcraft, misfortune, sickness and
above all against fire. Consecrated Palms are kept until they are
replaced by new ones at the next Easter mass in a year’s time.

Is the last week during the time of fasting
and precedes “Christ’s resurrection” (the
most important Christian festivity) and is a
time of reflection, fasting and prayer. On
Great Wednesday all candles in the church
are extinguished and the priest strikes the
pulpit which represents a time of chaos
when Christ was persecuted. Great
Saturday is the day representing
consecrated food in addition to water and
fire. On this day when attending church
people bring with them a basket filled with
eggs “symbol of life, fertility, love and
power”. Some people also bring dishes
filled with bread, salt, pepper, sausages
and beets but this varies depending on the
indigenous heritage of the women.

In the early days called „Pascha”, was the first Christian ceremony to
be introduced. It is held in memory of martyrs as well as the death
and resurrection of Christ. The feast of the resurrection on great
Saturday will be dedicated with a midnight mass or a mass at dawn
on great Sunday. After mass everyone goes home for a festive
breakfast with their family with consecrated easter food which is
commonly prepared the day before in order to allow a day of rest.
To begin this meal there is a ceremony to divide the consecrated
eggs between the family members and then to eat them. All of the
food typically eaten at this meal was traditionally known as „the
plentifulness of riches’. In the middle of the table a roasted lamb
was served but nowadays it more commonly consists of cold dishes
such as meat, hard boiled eggs, cakes, „white sausages” - also
called „Polish sausages”, cooked or roasted and the „żurek” soup.
Festive cakes include sponge-cake, „mazurek-cakes” and cheesecake.
At Easter, many different games are played which are based on
Easter eggs. One such game involves using festively colored eggs
which are rolled along the tabletop and may not click against the
other eggs. The winner is the one whose egg does not break. In
some parts of Poland the adults prepare surprises for the children
by dressing up as the Easter Bunny and hiding in the orchard, under
trees or around the house.

are days sacred to the memory of all
deceased people. The first of November was
considered “All Saint’s Day”, and was a
cheerful and festive day which was reflected
in the liturgical dress that was worn by the
clergy on that day during mass. The second
of November “All Soul’s Day”, was a day for
memorial feasts honoring the deceased. The
festival started with the church-liturgy in
the 10th century and at that time there was a
memorial service for the souls of the
deceased.The former traditions have now
evolved and are replaced by placing flowers
and candles on the graves of the deceased.
Burning candles are a symbol of
memorializing those who have passed on,
and are also a symbol of Christ and the
eternal light.

So-called „Dyngus”, has a social and
amusing character. The most important
ritual practiced on this day is that of
„Dyngus”. The names śmigus and dyngus
mean two different rituals. The first being
the so-called green or dry śmigus, where
people will beat themselves with green
willow-twigs, and the second is the wet
dyngus where people sprinkle themselves
with water. It is not uncommon for people to
be sprinkled with water by strangers while
walking down the street.

Is the time of predictions for young ladies throughout Poland, regarding love and
marriage. Although this ritual is widely known and practiced, there is uncertainty as
to how this particular tradition came about. Regardless of it’s true origin, people
agree that the signs have developed a Christian connotation. According to the
Catholic calendar, the day of the holy Andrzejki ends the church-year, after which
Advent begins.
In Poland the tradition of Andrzejki has survived ages, and throughout it’s practice
it’s never been allowed that older or married woman, nor boys are invited to
participate. The most well-known and frequently used form of obtaining a
prediction makes use of pouring heated wax or lead onto water through the
opening of a key, and watching the thus formed silhouettes on the wall, you could
see ghostly images of what the future would bring. A prediction of the same form
was to burn paper and to observe the movable shadows on the wall. These and
many other forms of making predictions were locally developed and depended on
the needs and imaginations of the young ladies. The traditions have sustained until
now and are still popular, although nowadays they are used primarily as a form of
entertainment.
Thank you.
I hope you like it!