Kashubian feasts and habits

There are many regional feasts and habits on Kashubia:

-         on Easter Monday, in Poland exists a folk habit – it consists in dousing each other with water; on Kashubia this day people whip each other  with a twig of juniper (formerly girls believed, that the more lashes the bigger popularity among boys – and the faster marriage),

-         celebrating Midsummer Night – on June 23 – people organize campfires (often nearby the lakes) and dance; girls throw to the lakes wreaths made from flowers (formerly, they tried to foretell the future this way),

-         breathing in a snuff (it’s a powdered tobacco) – Kashubian people pour a little bit on their hands, breath it in and sneeze loudly then; they uses special snuff boxes to keep it,

-         harvest festival – it is organized in most of polish countrysides, for celebrate the end of harvests; it’s a folk and religious feast – it begins with a Holy Mass, than people presents harvest’s wreaths and entertain all day during festivity.

In the summer there are organized here as well various picnics, which don’t have so long lasting tradition. During those events more or less local stars are singing on the stage, cabarets entertains inhabitants, and the folk bands shows their dance skills. Those feasts are full of specific charm, and brings to my mind lotteries, flavour of candyfloss and balloons, which are always present there. And setting off fireworks at midnight.

,,Let’s dance” – say Lama. I take her by the hands and we spin below the scene. For this one night I become a fan of disco polo music.

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photos comes from: mypoland.com.pl/ my own

An idyl

June is ending - the dry, hot air is wraping us around, the sun is shining incessantly. The school year has just finished. Luckily, I passed all my exams and I want to benefit from my freedom - I'm going to go to Kashubia, with my best friend, Lama. Sunshine light up my room and music blare, when I pack myself. ,,Just one, tiny suitcase!" - I promised myself. It's just a question of good packing strategy... Yeah, for sure. Finally, I run out of the house with two enormous backpacks. I hustle onto the railway station. ,,It will have left by the time I will arrive there" - I think. My heart is pounding and I'm all sweaty, when I finally board my train. My friend is already sitting here. ,,So you are, at last" - she welcomes me. Yes, yes indeed! Train starts suddenly, and I fall down on the seat. Our locomotive picking up speed, views are moving faster and faster outside the window. We begin our holiday time - we are going to live in clover for the next two months!

We arrive to Gdańsk in the afternoon, but we haven't finished our journey yet. We are already in the north of Poland, but one hour of journey still divides us from our destination - a small village in the centre of Kashubia. We have to move back a little bit (because there's no direct arrival there). ,,Let's hitchhike!" - say Lama and starts to  wave her hand. One of the cars slows down...

***

It's almost evening, when we are finally standing in front of the house. It is found by the lake, on the gentle hill. There's a forest on the other shore. My uncle went on holiday and left it for me for the summer time. I can't hold back emotions. I haven't been there for so long! Sun is setting and the garden is full of sparkling colours. I fill my lungs with crystal clear air...

During the next days, we don't do anything else, but sunbathing and swimming. Water is sapphire, unpolluted and hot like a soup. One day, we hiring  a pedal boat, and covering the length and the breadth of the lake. Beauty of those space is entrancing. I’m sentimental. But that’s a real idyl…

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photos comes frome my own