Customs and ceremonies in Kujawy

The description of a big variety of customs which were cultivated in Kujawy with a special emphasis on characteristic features, which distinguish Kujawy from other Polish regions were presented below.


"Zapusty" (a popular Polish custom)

Zapusty's customs have mostly survived to our times and are still cultivated almost on the whole Kujawy district. They take place in the early spring and they are connected with the turn of the carnival and the Lent. They consist of many elements which are to provide with bumper crops, lots of affluence and to throw out an? unfriendly winter. We can see them in two grounds - magical and social one.

Magical activities are mostly colourful and loud corrodes of dressed-up people - typically "animals" - which were walking round villages (usually from the last Thursday before Lent to Zapusty's Tuesday) collecting alms, wishing all the best and inviting to inn in the evening, to so called "podkoziolek party", which finished the period of carnival. Among "animals" there were these, which represented life and vegetation - a "goat", a "stork", a "horse" and a "bear". All was fulfilled by characteristic behaviour of people in the corrode - dancing, jumping, pinching and so on, which were accompanied by loud bells (they were used to chase all the evil away, especially - winter).

The second element of the custom, "podkoziolek party", had a very distinct social dimension. All young people, who delayed marriage, had to appear there. Young women had been collecting small change all year to this occasion, and were throwing it to special plate in order to "pay" for a dance with one of the boys then. In this plate, which was situated in front of a folk group, there was a small figurine of a naked boy (called "nagusek") or billy-goat (billy-goat in Polish means "koziolek" - this is an origin of the party name), which represented masculine fertility. Sometimes it was simply called "podkoziolek".

>From time to time "podkoziolek party" turned into the other custom called "musician killing" (especially famous in the West Kujawy). In this ceremony a musician was taken away from "podkoziolek party" on a wheelbarrow to the border of the village(szyk mi sie nie podoba ale musze dluzej pomyslec-pomysl:)), where people broke a pot with ash on his head and left a black cat nearby, which symbolizes an escaping soul of the "dead" musician. It was a symbol of the beginning of the Ash Wednesday, when the Lent began.

In the time between WW I and WW II the name "podkoziolek" was changed into "koza" (goat) and has existed till now in this form. The custom is still cultivated and, despite some modifications, is a manifestation of authentic, real folklore in Kujawy. The most interesting groups of dressed-up people work nowadays in Wloclawek, Szymborze, Ciencisk and Kruszwica.

Ash Wednesday
In this day, after finishing a period of carnival, "taking away young married women" took place. In this custom, young women, who had just got married, were admitted to the team of experienced married women - it emphasised a change in the social status of these women. In this occasion, a group of married women had been decorating the wagon with various scarves, ribbons and net curtains. In that wagon a group of young women were going to the inn in order to pay for themselves funding vodka. Firstly, the custom concerned only a team of women, but later, when it changed to the funnier one, men also took part in it. They were wearing sheepskin coats and strange masks and were supervising young women to prevent their escape in the way to inn. Under the pressure of the Catholic Church, the custom was moved to the Tuesday before Wednesday Ash in many places, because it was recognised to be at variance with the authority of the beginning Lent.

Easter
Easter in Kujawy was very similar to other parts of Poland.
It was initiated by Palm Sunday, when palms were made and took to the church in order to consecrate (the custom last till today). Kujawy's palms were rather modest comparing to other regions - they were willow twigs with catkins, tied with tape or ribbon, sometimes enriched by bilberries and reeds. They were used to repel "evil power" in houses, to stop the pool's borders. People took it also to graves in the All Soul's Day.
An interesting custom also took place on the Good Friday. In this day a catholic liturgy forbids to use bells during the service - they were replaced by wooden rattles called "taradajki" or "swinie" (pigs). Young boys were running with it round the village, making a (bez) much noise in order to took evil spirits away.

Pentecost
In this day a - so called - "Old Nicolas" was visiting houses of the village citizens. He carried a pushchair with figures moved by strings. He presented his performance, wished a good bumper crops , scolded children and servants. He received some gifts for example eggs, sausages and money instead.
Furthermore, there was a very famous custom of electing "the king of shepherd". The position went to this young shepherd, who was the first with his animals in the pool in the Pentecost. Też cuś z szykiem ... A "queen" for the "king" was also elected. Both were! wearing special wreaths and were receiving various gifts - the "queen" got ribbons and rings while a!!!! the "kings" received flowers, buttons and feathers to the cap or shirt. All of this took place a wayside figure or cross nearby(na koncu, albo tam gdzie bylo near) .

Corpus Christi
Like in all Poland, in the Corpus Christi some wreaths were made. In Kujawy there were always seven or nine of them and they were prepared by various herbs: mint, chamomile, wormwood, lime, peony and others.
After that, in the day of Saint John's Eve there were made wreaths, which girls lay to the river or lake predicting marriage. The wreaths were rather small, prepared from flowers, with a candle in the middle of it - sometimes there was also a small sheet of paper with a name of the girl, which made the wreath, enclosed.
In turn in the the Virgin Mary of Midsummer('s) Day there was a custom of taking characteristic bunches of crops, ears and herbs (with carrot and poppy-head) to the church.

Harvest customs
The initiating custom was called "frycowe" or "wilk" (wolf). That day young boys were admitted to the team of harvesters - after passing an exam of the construction of scythe, they were mowing the corn for the first time in their lives. The effects of their work were evaluated by so called "marshal" (also called "captain" or "colonel"). After that young harvesters were led to the squire.

In Kujawy there was also known a custom called "pępkowe" - after cutting corn the special, decorated sheaf was prepared. It was made using flowers and ribbons, it had three bundles in at the bottom resembling legs. This sheaf was cut, decorated and given to the squire by the laziest girl in the harvest.
The last of harvest customs was called "wieńcowe" (also "okrezne"), known as harvest home. The girls was preparing interesting wreaths, often called "crowns". There were plaited by wild and garden flowers, decorated by poppies, asters and others, tied by ribbons. The art of making wreaths is still evolving because of many contests and solemnly celebrated harvest homes in communes and provinces.

Christmas
It is the period very rich of the customs and ceremonies. Especially spread is in Kujawy singing Christmas carols and nativity play. There was always celebrated in the Advent, a week before the Christmas (the most often in the Christmas Eve and during holiday). A big influence on this custom had a culture of Pomorze.
Also very popular in Kujawy was a spectacle of herods. It took place in the Christmas or in the Epiphany (carols singers also appeared there) and hadn't differ from other parts in Poland (there were similar characters with this appearing in nativity play).
In Kujawy developed in the beginning of the 20 century the custom of decorating pine or spruce tree. The tree was hung under the celling above the table, in the corner of the room or just put in the ground. The Christmas tree was decorated by chains made by straw or paper and special bread resembling by its shape animals (horses, cows, goats, sheep, hens and cocks). The tree was decorated also by apples, nuts and paper decorations. Apart from it there was a sheaf of untreshed corn put in the corner of the room.


Family customs: Marriage and wedding
This ceremonies are accompanied by many special props. Elements of the ceremonial dress despite changes in fashion remained the same. Best men were distinguished by red, silky ribbon put in the right arm and decorated, white, linen sash. Bridesmaids were wearing normal festive dress - could be differ from others by flower wreaths in the heads, which ended by a bunch of colourful ribbons in the backs. In turn, the most important atribute of bride was so called "jabloneczka" - a symbol of innocence, future luck and affluence. "Jabloneczka" was a small shrub, sometimes a twig of Christmas tree or even deciduos wood, decorated with colourful ribbons, biscuits, gingerbreads and apples. This tree accompanied bride from virgin evening to "oczepiny".
During wedding fest many funny scenes took place with participation of "woman", "old man", "fairy", "fisherman", "Jew" and others. These characters took part in auction of the wreath of bride. Some of them using their mischievous and pranks took the attention of the groom away from his young wife. For example "fisherman" used his rod to catch the best morsels from the table. In turn, "woman" was carrying various gift for young marriage represented their future duties (e.g. dummy).