Festivals in the World

Poland: Polish Easter Traditions

Greg T. Sadownik (2009-2010 Center for Japanese Language & Culture, SOAS)

  When I lived in Poland for the first eighteen years of my life, I often thought it was the most boring, obvious place on Earth. To my jaded, cynical teenage mind everything around seemed as plain as could be. But then I moved abroad for university, and living first in London and then in Kyoto gave me some perspective.
  Polish people really love their tradition too. And so, some Easter customs may seem very bizarre when seen from the outside, mixing Christian and old folk elements.
  For example, Easter. One week before Easter Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday, to celebrate the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on his donkey, and was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm leaves and throwing them on his path. On this day, we take palmy, little bouquets of dry herbs, flowers, grass and reeds to church to get them consecrated, and when we return home we display them in a prominent spot as a symbol of peace. I said ‘little’, but some towns hold contests for the biggest palm, and for example, in 2008, the winning palm was 33 meters long!
  My favourite Easter tradition is celebrated on Holy Saturday. On the morning of that day, whole families prepare święconka, an Easter basket filled with samples of Easter foods, and bring it to church to have it blessed. Seeing other families’ baskets and admiring their creativity is something I look forward to every year. The basket is lined with white linen or lace, decorated with ribbons and evergreen leaves of boxwood, always very beautiful, though simple and tasteful. Inside the basket, apart from food, there will always be atleast one pisanka, which is a polish name for an ornamented easter egg, painted in bright colours, or with pictures or patterns scratched into its surface; making pisanki is considered a folk art and contests are held to decide the most beautiful, intricate ones. Exchanging hand-made pisanki is an important part of the Easter Sunday ritual and a very beautiful gesture of peace and friendship between Poles.
  For many young Poles, the most fun Easter tradition is that of Dyngus Day, or Smigus Dyngus, also known as Wet Monday. Traditionally on this day, boys would wake girls up by pouring buckets of water on their heads, and hitting them on the legs with thin willow twigs. Young girls would be repeatedly soaked, and if a girl was still dry by the end of the day, it was thought she was unattractive and not likely to get married. In modern times the gender and age difference has disappeared and all people, old and young, boy and girl alike, spend the day plotting ambushes against each other and do not leave home without a water pistol for self-defense.
  Maybe You, Gentle Reader, are like I used to be. Thinking your country boring, happy to travel the world and marvel at its exoticness. But I’m sure if you just take a closer look, you will find so, so much to love about your cultural roots! I have just told you about some of my own favourite traditions. I invite you to tell me, what are yours?
  *SOAS: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
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