“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 opłatek, 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.
