Polish Spring Traditions in Slavic Village
Wiosenne Tradycje March 20, 2011
Wiosenne Tradycje (pronounced Vyoh-sen-neh Tra-ditz-ee-yeh) is a family-friendly, multigenerational concert of authentic Polish folk song and dance highlighting the ancient traditions that celebrate the arrival of Spring in Slavic Village. It was presented by Zatanczmy, a collaboration of Polish Folk Groups serving NE Ohio and NW Pennsylvania.
This joyful collaborative performance features songs, dances and recitations by all of Metro Cleveland's Polish language schools and folk groups. These include
Gorale Polish Folk Dancers (Parma)
Henryk Sienkiewicz Polish School (Brookpark)
Piast Polish Folk Song and Dance Ensemble (Cleveland)
Living Traditions Folk Ensemble (Brecksville)
Syrena Polish Folk Ensemble (Cleveland)
and I.J.Paderewski Polish Language School (Cleveland)
The event was held at The Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus Social Center. It began with an entrance procession of colorful costumes.
"Pojdziemy w pole w ranny czas" - We will go to the field in the morning time.
Ray Vargas (in English) and Agnieszka Kotlarsic (in Polish) welcomed the crowd and introduced the first Polish Springtime Concert in Cleveland's Slavic Village. They told how Polish Spring traditions have been recorded as far back as the 8th century.
Agnieszka Kotlarsic and Ray Vargas
The first performance was Marzanna by the Syrena Polish Folk Ensemble of Cleveland. The tradition of Drowning the Marzanna in celebration of the end of winter is a folk custom that survives in Poland. Typically taking place on the day of the vernal equinox, the rite involves setting fire to a female straw effigy, drowning it in a river, or both.
The effigy can range in size from a puppet to a life-size dummy. Symbolically, this ritual represents the end of winter through the burning or drowning of "death" in thus destroying death, the people were ridding themselves of the long, dark days of winter, and welcoming the rebirth that came with spring.
Next came Zasiali Gorale - Biesiadne song and dance by Henryk Sienkiewicz Polish School of PRCUA.
Next up was Rzeszow by Living Traditions Folk Ensemble.
In SE Poland at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, Spring is a time of plowing fields and planting seeds in the fertile soil of the Rzeszow Region. plows are blessed and Spring is celebrated with song and dance. In villages like Taczany and Sokolow, plows are blessed and Spring is celebrated with song and dance.
