POLES
POLES
the third largest national minority in Belarus.
National traits of Poles:
• poise;
• sharp humor;
• adherence to traditions;
• religiosity;
• practicality;
• romance and mystery
• clear defense of one's opinion, etc.
Currently, the majority of Poles live in the Grodno region (Voronovsky, Volkovyssky, Grodno, Ivyevsky, Zelvensky, Lida, Shchuchinsky districts), also in the Braslavsky district of the Vitebsk region.
THE NATIONAL COSTUME
Polish national costumes are bright multicolored clothes. It reflects the originality and uniqueness of the cultural life of the people, tells about its historical development and serves as a real symbol of the nation. However, one should not lose sight of the fact that the costumes of the Poles largely adopted the elements of clothing of other peoples.
All Polish national costumes are divided into 2 categories:
• gentry costume (it was worn by wealthy people, representatives of the nobility) - such clothes were made of expensive woolen fabric;
• peasant costume (inexpensive clothing made mainly of flax).
Women's clothing was distinguished by brightness, multicolor; among the colors used, white, yellow, red, blue and green were more common. Flowers were considered the most popular ornament. The basis of the women's outfit was several basic elements: skirts (they were long and reached the ankle), a shirt (had a simple rectangular shape and was sewn from homespun bleached linen or cotton fabrics), an apron (sewn from green, yellow, black or white fabrics and always abundantly decorated), a vest.
Men's clothes were also distinguished by bright, rich colors, but they were made of plain fabric. The suit for men consisted of: a shirt; pants; zupana (long outerwear); delii (a cape resembling a Turkish caftan); belts (one of the indicators of family security).
A men's hat was also regarded as an indicator of wealth along with a belt. It is for this reason that every man tried to decorate his headdress as abundantly and richer as possible. It was by the headdress that one could find out the marital status of the beauty. Bright head scarves were intended for young unmarried girls. As soon as a Polish woman got a family, she put on a cap. To complement their wonderful outfit, Polish women happily used brightly colored jewelry. Usually these were large beads (often just red), massive earrings and bracelets.
NATIONAL CUISINE
Traditional Polish dishes are very high in calories, but at the same time very tasty. Polish cuisine has spied some dishes from its neighbors, and some of the recipes have been taken from Jewish cuisine. The Polish menu is constantly enriched with new flavors, sometimes even exotic ones.
Kanapka is the Polish word for most snacks that have a slice (or slices) of bread as the main ingredient. This applies to all types of sandwiches, but the canapé for the Poles is above all their favorite open sandwich. Sandwiches are eaten here for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they do not differ much in taste.
Every meal starts with soup. One of the most unusual is Chernina. This dish contains goose blood, offal, dried fruits, vegetables and spices. Zurek, a sour cream soup with the addition of smoked meats, roots, spices and always eggs, can be referred to the national Polish dishes. Bigos is considered a traditional main course. There are a lot of options for its preparation, however, the main ones are still stewed cabbage, mushrooms, smoked meats, spices and wine. Polish traditional cuisine is also famous for its fish dishes. The most popular of all is Polish carp. The trick of this dish is that the head is served separately. Cod, trout and salmon dishes are not uncommon for Polish cuisine. Among them are fish meatballs with gherkins, as well as hunting fish soup. The most popular Polish garnish is hooves - dumplings that resemble hooves in shape and, of course, frits - French fries. Polish cuisine is replete with a variety of vegetable salads seasoned with vegetable oil, sour cream or natural yogurt. A feature of Polish cuisine is a passion for sauces based on canned vegetables and pickles, as well as fermented milk products (yogurt, sour cream, kefir). Polish cuisine will not disappoint lovers of sweets with its desserts. First of all, these are mazurek - a shortcrust cake with fruits or favorites - thin cakes. The most traditional Polish drinks are fruit jelly and kvass. A typical Polish feast must include vodka to help digest food. Various tinctures are popular, they do not disdain brandy and beer.
NATIONAL DANCE
Polish folk dance originated in a peasant environment. Much later, the townspeople also began to compose dances. Initially, dances were associated with rituals, traditions, family and public holidays, the beginning and end of fieldwork, and calendar games. Therefore, Polish folk dances are massive, bright and spectacular. Some dances could be danced at the same time by more than 100 people.
Most often, Polish folk dance is pair and mass. There are many complex movements and poses in Polish dances, the lines are usually clear, smooth and consistent. Polish folk dances have a peculiar plasticity. They are lyrical, light, and at the same time - rhythmic and temperamental.
Polish dances are divided into general and regional dances. Common dances include polonaise, mazur, mazurka, oberek, kujaviak and krakoviak. Examples of regional dances are troyak, zbuinitsky, gural dances, etc.
A separate group of folk dances is made up of dances-fun or dances-games. Often dances refer to a profession, hence their names originated, for example: forge (kowal - blacksmith) or fleece (flisak - rafter). It also happened that their names came from the characteristic elements of the dance itself: bows, claps or kisses. Such dances consisted of 2 parts: movements reminiscent of the characteristic features of some work and dance in pair to the rhythm of a polka or oberek. Also, dances had a ritual function and were associated, for example, with the harvest. Women performed flax and hemp dances. It was believed that the higher the dancer jumps, the higher the harvest will be. Many Polish dances have gained popularity in European countries. Although the ballroom and stage versions of dances are slightly different from the folk dance, they nevertheless retained the main folk features.
NATIONAL TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
The most amazing Polish traditions tend to be traced back to pagan culture and folk customs, sometimes combined with religious practices.
Marzanna is the Polish name for a Slavic goddess associated with winter and death. Every year, on the first day of spring, people make a straw doll, set it on fire, and then drown it in the river. The purpose of the ritual: to drive away the winter and accelerate the awakening of nature.
The scarecrow of Mazhanna is usually made of straw and white linen and decorated with colored ribbons. There are a number of rules: Mazhanna should not be touched while she is in the water (power will disappear from her hands), on the way back from the river, you should not look back (this will cause illness on yourself and your relatives).
Ochepins are a ritual common among the Slavs, which symbolizes the transition of the bride to a new state: the transformation from a girl into a married woman. Traditionally, the bride's hair was cut or shortened and a cap put on. Hence the name of the ritual.
Christmas and Easter are very important holidays for Poles, and there are many traditions and customs associated with them. In particular, at Christmas, they put some straw under the tablecloth, and put an extra plate on the table for the unexpected guest. Previously, straw and grain were used to decorate the entire table and put a sheaf in the corner. The reason is that Jesus Christ was born in a manger in Bethlehem, and the straw reminds of the circumstances of his birth.
There is an old Polish proverb: "Guest to the house, God to the house", which means that any guest is God's blessing. Poles have hospitality in their blood, and they will not allow anyone to stay hungry and lonely on Christmas. That is why, by tradition, an extra plate is placed on the Christmas table.
Of all the Easter traditions, Śmigus Dyngus is perhaps the most unusual. Today it is a real massive water battle with the use of water pistols, bottles, kapitoshek, plastic bags and everything that is at hand. The origins of this tradition are seen both in Christianity, where sprinkling with water is associated with baptism and blessing, and in the traditional folk amusement of young men and women who celebrated the arrival of spring, the awakening of the forces of nature, and at the same time looked after a couple for the future.
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