The drowning of Marzanna occurs on the first day of spring. The 'Wet Monday' ( migus-Dyngus in Polish) is an Easter tradition where people pour water over each other. Polish Myths And Legends SlideShare. Though ask anyone about the significance of this custom, and they are likely to say: "dunno, this is . Some examples. 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 Burning a sacred fire, walking on fire, ritual baths wito Plonw (Harvest Festival) - Autumn equinox . The dishes may include fish or red beetroot soup, carp, pasta with poppy mass, jellied fish, herring in cream or oil, or Kutia - a wheat pudding with poppy seed, honey, and nuts. Image Aron Klein. Many Pagan winter solstice traditions and customs created around Yule are identified with Christmas today. It's the night before the Winter Solstice. And Polish Easter, besides the spiritual factor, is mostly that. Description. Here are some ideas: Polish brides usually wore a lush wreath of fresh flowers and rosemary in their hair. POLISH TRADITION. 7. "Lulajze Jezuniu" from Scherzo in B minor, Op. The most common decorating technique is so called wax-flowing or wax-melting. . December 24th had much significance centuries before Christ's birth. The drowning of Marzanna occurs on the first day of spring. Christmas is one of the most important holidays in Poland, a largely Catholic country with distinctive and somewhat strict traditions. The origin of Adrzejki, which is what we call it, is pagan but we applied a Catholic name to be more acceptable for Catholic society. Polish Witchcraft. Wianki - ancient Polish tradition in modern times. Read "Spider's Yule Gift: A Children's FolkTale and Polish Pagan Holiday Traditions" by Lionrhod available from Rakuten Kobo. " what is mean "Cheers!". As you might expect, a feast takes a lot of preparation so, from Holy Thursday on, many households are busy with kiebasa-making, babka-making, egg-dying, and lamb-cake making. The drowning of the doll intended to summon the spring by letting the winter drift away in the river. The technique for making pisanki is quite tedious and involved, producing beautifully detailed designs. : 30 : 111 : 309 Associated with it are many specific customs and traditions. At midnight the bride moved from single youth women to married a woman. The Hands of God - a common Pagan Slavic symbol A 'pagan reaction' of a different kind has also emerged in the last few decades, though this one has been non-violent. 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. . There are several techniques to make pisanki. In Polish tradition, the bread and salt at the reception are ritual food. Culinary traditions- Polish culinary traditions vary depending on the region, but traditionally 12 dishes are served to reflect the number of Apostles. 4. Marzanna. Easter-related traditions take place for more than a week in Poland. Yes, there are still pagan customs still alive and celebrated in Poland. 5. It's the day of the winter solstice, when the shortest day . It is an old pagan ritual in which an effigy of a woman . Christmas is a time of year for feasts, caroling, decorating, gift-giving, and Christian ceremonies, but the history of these traditions is, in fact, pagan. The information is too important to simply allow it to disappear. Tweet. Participants watch her "drown." . It is an ancient pagan tradition held in Poland on the Easter Monday. In all traditions, circles can be made of with lighted candles, drawing circles in the soil, or with natural objects and tools. While some of these customs are still practiced, they have morphed over time to reflect the present along with the past. Horsedrawn carriages were traditional at Polish weddings -- the bride and groom used to ride to and from the ceremony this way, with the wedding guests following after them to the reception by foot. As far as I know, many of the Polish pagan cultures were destroyed with Christianity. The food comes in plenty from dumplings, herring in oil, and vegetable salads. Every year around 21 st and 22 nd 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 Valentine's! The reward for 40 days of "giving things up" is an excellent feast after Mass on Easter Sunday. FIND OUT MORE Polish traditions of the celebration of the dead is on April 30th, the second being on October 31st. While some of these customs are still practiced, they have morphed over time to reflect the present along with the past. The drowning of Marzanna is a pagan farewell-to-winter tradition that occurs on Death Sunday, before Easter. Most of the Poles try to go to the church for the mass, where priests mark their heads with a cross of ashes while saying: Remember, man thou art dust and to dust thou shall return". The art of pisanki is cultivated in Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and many other East and Central European countries. Poland's culture is rich in traditions that celebrate the coming of spring and the Easter season. Join the English Learning Community. Gifts Prezenty. Pisanki (Polish Easter Eggs): A Polish Tradition. Marzanna. POLISH TRADITION. Published: June 13, 2020. Notwithstanding, numerous essentially recognize as customs of witchcraft, inside the Wiccan framework. 11 Feb 2010 #10. Marzanna doll is traditionally made of straw . 5. Read several articles about Polish pagan and Easter traditions and habits in Poland. They are used to surround evil or protect oneself from it. POLISH CHRISTMAS. Some even go as far as pagan times before Catholicism enveloped the country. The most popular Pagan path practiced in Poland is Rodzimowierstwo ("native faith"), an indigenous form of Slavic polytheism. Christmas in Poland is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. Wianki - ancient Polish tradition in modern times. . It is also characteristic in its use of various kinds of noodles , the most . Some say it is a pagan tradition handed down from the earliest settlers in Poland, some claim it reflects Christian rebirth and baptism. Most Slavic people worshipped in natural circles and groves; and it plays a large part in all kinds of magic. 20 by Frederic Chopin. The name pisanki comes from the word "pisac" means "to write" or "to print". Slavic paganism or Slavic religion is the religious beliefs, myths, and ritual practices of the Slavs before Christianisation, which occurred at various stages between the 8th and the 13th century. After the church ceremony concludes, the wedding couple makes their way to their venue for the party where they are welcomed by their parents with bread and salt. Customs Folklores Traditions Polish American Journal. Classics feature honey, nuts, beans, barley and beetroot, fruit, fungi and fish (fried herring or carp, or even stuffed pikeperch). Many of the festivities we observe today come from this . 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. Nowadays, migus Dyngus is often an all-day water battle played out . Pisanki (Polish Easter Eggs): A Polish Tradition. Poles are Slavic, Lithuanians are Baltic, and their langu. Christmas itself began as a Roman pagan festival called Saturnalia. Knocking on wood. Traditionally, Midsummer was a pagan celebration of fertility and of light defeating darkness. following are pierogi - either potato cheese or cabbage and mushroom - a few dishes with fish (karp is most popular), and an assortment of other dishes including: kutia (a dish of cooked wheat, poppy seeds, raisins, and almonds), kluski z makiem (noodles with poppyseed, honey, and raisins), cabbage with mushrooms, and fried croquettes with Lent: For Polish Catholics, Lent is the most . For many centuries, pagan religions had officially disappeared from European countries. Pisanki from different regions of Poland can be distinguished by the unique patters. Those runes were a gate to explore the admittedly fragmentary knowledge that currently exists of Polish and Slavic pagan folklore. While this may be the case, the matter is rather more complicated than just that. Rodzimy Koci Polski (ENG: Native Polish Church) emerged as a registered religious organisation 1995, as people who associated less with Roman Catholicism became curious . Polish Easter eggs, called pisanki, are decorated with intricate designs using a wax resist before they are dyed with several coats of different colored dyes. Easter is major holiday in Poland, and Easter celebrations are not limited to Easter Sunday. In Poland, like in many other countries, we celebrate St. Andrew's Day. 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. . Called "witch" in certain eras, these Shamans have magical gifts and sacred abilities that tend focus on healing, seership, herbalism and relations with nature. Back in the olden days, the Slavs did it in all sorts of pagan ways. The party Once held the presidency (1995-2005) , assblasting the incumbent President Wasa in 1995 and dominating in the 2000 election. Christmas in Poland is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. There's something special about Midsummer celebrations in Scandinavia; the bright light long into the night, the blue skies, the flowers, the food, and the joy. It is happened where the bride sits in the middle and the rest of . In Polish tradition, guests rained oats . . Polish national cuisine shares some similarities with other Central and Eastern European traditions as well as French and Italian similarities. April 30th, 2020 - Polish Paganism This page from now defunct okana net The information is too important to simply allow it to disappear How I was able to capture Okana s long expired Tradition also states that the first Polish ruler Prince Mieszko The First (960-992), along with his court was baptized on Easter Monday in 966. Slavic pagan mythology in Witcher 3. They gather to chant and dance . Bride and Groom and Their First Dance The party officially starts when the couple comes back from the church and steps to the podium to take their first dance. Siliniez - A wood god from Poland who moss was sacred; his altar fire was kept burning only with moss. In the Pagan people group, there are a number of various spiritual belief frameworks, or customs, that fall under the different headings of Wiccan, Neo-Wiccan or Pagan. Yes, the Poles really did celebrate Forefathers' Eve . It consists of fish fillets, vegetables, and a variety of spices and fresh herbs. Wianki is celebrated each year in June and is a Midsummer festival marking the . TWH: I understand some officials in the Polish government . This bread and salt welcome has a symbolic purpose. " Oczepiny " in Poland it is a name for one of the most important polish wedding traditions. Traditional Polish fish soup is a true fasting dish and also quite easy to make. Despite their religious beliefs, several Polish traditions are rooted in Pagan rites. In Polish tradition, Christmas Eve is the most important day of Christmas. The Christmas customs combine old Polish pagan folklore with the Catholic traditions introduced after the Christianization of Poland in 966. Knocking on wood was to provoke the attention of good spirits when in need of their . The aim of this pagan ritual is to chase off winter and encourage the return of springtime. It gets especially serious when it comes to food-related events. On this day, boys try to catch girls by surprise by splashing them with water. Here are probably the most regularly examined bunches that you may discover as you meet individuals of various Wiccan or Neo . This holiday is still celebrated in Krakw today. They might share certain genetic characteristics - being neighbors, and having been in the same kingdom at one time, this should not surprise anyone. The origins of the tradition date back to the pre-Christian era, when the sacrificial rites of pagans took place. The very beginning of spring had already been celebrated in Polish territory in the times of paganism and was associated among the former Slavs with the so-called Jare Gody, a several-day Slavic ritual spring festival that was a farewell to winter and a welcome to spring . Four to five food courses along with appetizers, cakes, pastries and fruit. Unfortunately they were too much erudite. POLISH CHRISTMAS. . Slavs were animistic and believed everything was alive - the trees and plants and rocks - with its own spirit. Within these Molfar are also a rare few who are born to enter a . . Festivals? It does have a slightly different meaning to us, as it took on a part of ancient Polish traditions and customs. Fried Carp ( Karp Smaony) Fried carp is a national food of Poland, though it is eaten only once a yearon Christmas Eve. Traditionally, this dance was literally the first. Anthropology: The Pagan History of Christmas and Its Traditions. New life A child in a hammock-cradle, the 1960s, photo: Chris Niedenthal / Forum PISANKI/Easter eggs colouring Marzanna, the Goddess. Easter eggs are in Polish called jajka wielkanocne. Here's a fascinating Polish wedding tradition that may surprise you. Pisanki (Pisanky, pysanky) are colored and decorated Easter eggs. The technique for making pisanki is quite tedious and involved, producing beautifully detailed designs. 21 March 2017. Wianki: Polish Midsummer: Student Observations. Borscht and other soups are de rigueur, as are pierogi (dumpling pies), dishes involving poppy seeds and sled loads of sweets. Over the centuries, Christmas has gained the title of the most special and meaningful day for Poles. In response to the pagan ritual, the Polish . That's why, among the many religious organisations registered in Poland, one of the biggest is now the Native Slavic Faith - the beliefs of the olden days. Annual Polish Pagan Customs. It is rich in meat, especially beef, chicken and pork, and winter vegetables (cabbage in the dish - bigos), and spices. It could even be buckets of water (perhaps we know the inspiration for the Ice Bucket. Some of those pagan ways survive in modified versions even now, like topienie Marzanny (the drowning of Marzanna, Marzanna is in genitive in the Polish phrase) for example. Furthermore you should know polish words - " Na zdrowie! 8 Polish Traditions for Easter Season. Example : Polish SLD. This is why the coloring and finding of eggs, called Pisanki in Polish, was part of spring festivals such as . Poland's culture is rich in traditions that celebrate the coming of spring and the Easter season. The oldest Polish Christmas carol is "Be Healthy Angel King" and comes from 1420. Old Polish tradition requires wedding celebrations to be full of food and drinks. The Bible Another explanation is rooted in the New Testament. It is widely believed that the Christian All-Saints Day or All-Souls' Day (zaduszki) replaced the ancient Polish pagan traditions. It's in that same light that Dyngus Day must be viewed: as an esoteric nod towards the once pagan past of the Polish nation; one in which Easter was a time when these water-based rituals allowed for the amalgamation of important religious fertility celebrations and folksy courtship ceremonies that were, above all, deeply practical for the rural communities of the Slavs. Kukeri are men who take part in an ancient Bulgarian pagan tradition to scare away the evil spirits of winter. Photo from Wikimedia Commons. There are a few traces of it in documents from X-XIII century left by monks or priests trying to convert folk and expel any superstitions, old wives' tales or pagan rites. Special kits for painting eggs with a funneled pen . Menus depend on the taste buds of the couple, anything from meats, vegetables, soups. But recently, thousands of people seem to be flocking back to the traditions of their ancestors. It has its roots in old Slavic traditions of throwing water on people in rites meaning to purify them for the arrival of spring. Easter in Poland, a public holiday, is one of that country's major holidays, often compared in importance to Christmas. Easter comes with spring and it is the most significant Christian holiday, also beautifully celebrated in Poland. Despite the strong Catholic character of modern Poland, some pagan traditions have endured. It is an old pagan ritual in which an effigy of a woman . "migus-Dyngus", also known as Wet Monday is a day that cuts a splash throughout the whole country with water drenching or sprinkling a part of a playful holiday. The South Slavs, who likely settled in the Balkan Peninsula during the 6th-7th centuries AD, bordering with the Byzantine Empire to the south, came under the sphere of influence of Eastern . The Hands of God - a common Pagan Slavic symbol A 'pagan reaction' of a different kind has also emerged in the last few decades, though this one has been non-violent. Easter has been celebrated in Poland since the country's Christianization in the Middle Ages. Every year, on the first day of spring, people would make an effigy, set it on fire, and then drown it in a river. Ash Wednesday: The Polish Easter celebrations, begin with Ash Wednesday. Wianki (or, in English, Wreaths) is a Polish holiday event that takes its roots in the pre-Christian tradition of celebrating summer solstice as a day of fire, water, fertility, love and joy. 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. 2. In Poland, it took root in the 13th-15th centuries, and the tradition was to go door to door between 26 December (the second day of Christmas, or St. Steven's Day) through to Candlemas on 2 February (Dziura 56). One celebrates an Obiat (a feast) in memory of the deceased. List Of Slavic Mythical Creatures Mythology Wiki Fandom. It's an underfunded area of academic research so hopefully in the future we'll know more. The direct link of pagan tradition from the medieval times until now has been broken after the spread out of Catholic religion in Poland, but folk tradition has preserved lots of beliefs such as names of gods and demons with their main features, pagan rites, and magical practices. A relic of the pagan Dziady ceremony is the Rkawka holiday, which derives its name from a man-made mound which eggs were rolled up, as a symbol of resurrection. The cake is typically made with pound cake batter in a cast-iron mold . It takes you back to the Viking age with its elemental celebration of light and nature. "Oczepiny". Circles -. The Polish pagan roots are Indoeuropean ones. Answer (1 of 3): Are there still pagan customs in Poland? One of the most blithely bizarre and eyebrow-raising is the spring equinox celebration known as the Drowning of Marzanna (Topienie Marzanny).Marzanna is the Polish incarnation of the old Slavic goddess of winter, plague and death.Fearing her icy grasp, the best way for superstitious Slavs to protect . During the period of Poland's partitions, it was also an important patriotic observance, reminding Poles . just now. Alina Suchanski explains some of those ancient traditions. Bread and Salt Tradition. A Molfar () is a Carpathian Shaman in the indigenous traditions of the Hutsul (Ukrainian) culture. Christmas customs . They are symbols of hospitality and conjugal harmony. Pagan spirituality is strongly tied to nature. Like many pagan traditions (such as the Germanic pagan tree that became the Christmas tree), the Slavic tradition of painting eggs and the hunts for those eggs were absorbed into Christianity and attached to nearby festivals. All the woodland animals are making gifts for the newborn Sun. Anecdotal, but I do know of a handful of Poles that have expressed a desire to learn about Slavic deities and the pagan traditions, including myself. Polish Easter eggs, called pisanki, are decorated with intricate designs using a wax resist before they are dyed with several coats of different colored dyes. Rodzimy Koci Polski (ENG: Native Polish Church) emerged as a registered religious organisation 1995, as people who associated less with Roman Catholicism became curious . Polish Paganism This page from now defunct okana.net. The tradition started by burning the straw doll and drowned it in the river afterward.