Polish Customs, Traditions & Folklore

"A richly detailed and well-informed month-by-month accounting

of all the major Polish customs and traditions practiced over the centuries.

Ms. Knab stirs and reawakens our ancestral memory."

―The Kosciuszko Foundation Newsletter

Now in a paperback edition with illustrations, historical black

and white photographs, and color photographs throughout the book!

This

unique, well-researched reference is arranged by month, showing the various

occasions, feasts and holidays prominent in Polish culture―beginning with

December it continues through Holy Week Customs, superstitions, beliefs and

rituals associated with farming, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, midsummer, harvest

festival, wedding rites, Name Days, birth and death. There is also a chapter on

Polish pastimes and games for children.

Many of the customs and traditions described in the book have

been lost even in today's modern Poland. World wars, massive immigration, the

loss of the oral tradition, urbanization and politics have changed the face of

a once agrarian people and their way of life throughout the calendar year. The

changes, however, have not been able to erase the memory of that way of life

completely.

Many

communities of the Polish diaspora throughout the world still feel

connected to Poland and choose to reenact harvest celebrations, reminding

themselves of their ancestors' reverence for the grains and gifts of bread. The

sharing of oplatek, the Christmas Eve wafer, and the words of love while

doing so, continue to bind family and friends together. Although the

purpose and meaning may have been lost and forgotten, the oczepiny ceremony

(the unveiling) is still the mainstay of almost every wedding where the bride

declares Polish heritage.

This invaluable resource is

perfect for anyone who claims Polish ancestry, diligently practicing that which

they learned at their parents' and grandparents' knees. It is for families who

wish to teach Polish heritage and customs to their children, and for anyone

seeking to learn more about their Slavic roots.