“Co kraj to obyczaj.”
Each country has it’s own traditions.
Polish Roots
My family is Polish. My great-grandmother on my mom's side of the family came from Poland with my grandma after World War II ended when my grandma was in her teens. My great-grandfather arrived two years later. My mother grew up speaking Polish in the household and learning English at school. My dad's family is also Polish and celebrate some of its traditions, however, they do not speak Polish. I do not speak Polish either, but I grew up learning Polish phrases, eating Polish food, learning Polish dances, and celebrating my Polish heritage!
Polish Phrases
I learned some Polish phrases and Polish words from my parents and my dance troupe growing up. Here are a couple which I have learned:
Good morning = dzień dobry (jine-dobree)
Good night = dobranoc (dobranots)
Goodbye = do widzenia (do vee-dze-ńa)
Hello, hi = cześć (che-shhh)
Please = proszę (pro-she)
Thank you = dziękuję (jen-koo-yea)
I'm sorry/ Excuse Me = przepraszam (psh-she-pra-sham)
How are you? = jak się masz? (yak-she-or-mash)
Yes = tak
No = nie (nye)
I love you = kocham cię (Ko-ham-chi-yea)
Polish Food
Since I grew up eating Polish food, it is definitely my comfort food. My Babcia (my grandma on my mom's side) used to make our family some Polish dishes which are some of my strongest cravings while here in Madrid. Many of these dishes can be found in different Eastern European countries.
Pierogi
Pierogi are filled dumplings made from dough with either sweet or savory fillings. After the filling is put in the middle, the dough is wrapped around the middle and pressed at the edges. It is boiled in water and then pan-fried.
While it is a simple dish, the process can be time consuming. My Babcia taught my younger brother and myself how to make pierogi one time, and it took a couple of hours to prepare, make, and cook everything.
Potato Pancakes
This is one of my favorite dishes that my Babcia would make, potato pancakes! Potato pancakes, or placki ziemniaczane, in Polish, are grated potatoes mixed with grated onion, salt, pepper, a little bit of flour and an egg. Once everything is mixed together, a spoonful of the mixture is dropped into a pan of heated oil. After cooking for a couple of minutes on one side, it is turned to cook on the other side. Potato pancakes can be garnished by sour cream or applesauce.
When I am craving Polish food but I am unable to find the food I want, I make potato pancakes at home. My friends love it when I make this dish, and they are always talking about the times I have made potato pancakes for them.
Kielbasa and Kapusta
Kielbasa is the Polish term for sausage. Back in Michigan, I tried different brands of kielbasa, but there was only one store that I absolutely loved. It is in the city of Hamtramck, and it is called Srodek's. Pairing their chunky veal and pork smoked sausage with kapusta makes a classic Polish dish. Kapusta is finely cut cabbage which is then pickled to cause fermentation. Kapusta can have a slightly acidic taste, but with bites of savory kielbasa, it makes for the perfect combination.
Gołąbki (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Gołąbki, otherwise known as stuffed cabbage rolls, is a popular dish made from boiled cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of minced pork or beef, minced onions, and rice. These rolls are then covered in tomato sauce and baked in an oven. This is a dish that I am looking forward to eating when I go home for the summer!
Polish Dance
I wrote a little bit about how I used to Polish dance when I was younger in my blog post about my hobbies. You can find the post here:
I learned the Polka, but did you know that the Polka did not originate in Poland and is not one of the national dances? The Polka is a Czech peasant dance, and the word "pulka" is derived from the Czech phrase for "half-step". This "half-step" refers to the dance pattern of lightly stepping from one foot to the other. The dance became known in the United States by the late 1840s, and it was in the twentieth century that Polish American immigrants adopted the polka as their national dance. This dance is still popular worldwide.
My dance troupe also danced the Krzesane. This was a dance typically performed by highlanders with only bagpipes, gusles (a musical instrument with only one string), and a walking stick-cum-axe called a cuipaga. These dancers would perform anywhere- outdoors, on rocks, high up in the mountains, or in meadows- with somersaults and air kicks. I never performed this dance, but the older girls in my dance troupe did.
Poland has five national dances: the Krakowiak, the Mazur (Mazurka), Polonez (Polonaise), the Kujawiak, and the Oberek. These dances originated in the Polish countryside, but became so popular that they made their way into the royal court.
Krakowiak
The Krakowiak originated in Poland's capital in the 16th century, Kraków. This dance is usually performed in groups which create intricate formations, like stars, while dancing. The dancers shuffle, run, and heel click throughout the dance.
Mazur (Mazurka)
The Mazur came from the Mazowsze region of central Poland in the 16th century. The dance was danced in villages all throughout Poland by the 17th century. This dance also has heel clicking, slides, and running steps. The Mazur can be danced in different ways to different types of music, from the countryside with people in regional folk costumes, to the military style Mazur of the Uhlans, or soldiers in uniform and ladies in ball gowns.
Polonez (Polonaise)
The Polonez was the Polish dance of the 18th century nobility. This dance has its roots from the 17th century walking dance called Chodzony. This dance is different as the partners do not face each other, but instead they walk to the music around the ballroom. The partners walk forwards, backwards, to the side, and bow while maintaining a formal, stately posture.
Kujawiak
The Kujawiak came from the North-Central region of Poland, Kujawy, in the 19th century. It alternates between a very slow and fast temp, featuring spinning turns and elaborate gestures which are danced in a circle.
Oberek
The Oberek is from the Mazowsze region of central Poland. It became popular in the 17th century, and the dance was accompanied by small village bands with a violin, an accordion, and a drum. It has a quick tempo, making it a lively dance, with turns, twirls, and the occasional lifting of both women and men.
This site has more information on the five national dances of Poland:
This is web page is an interactive site where you can click on the different areas in Poland and watch the dances from each region. When you click on the dot, a tiny screen will pop up that says "Unable to access video." If you click on the play button, most of the videos will still play despite the label. There were only two videos which did not play for myself.
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