Dożynki - Polish thanksgiving celebration

Agnieszka Pawlus — Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:07 am

Author: Agnieszka Pawlus

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:07 am

Today in USA it is the Thanksgiving Day. Do you know that in Poland there is also a beautiful tradition of thanksgiving for the harvest? It is called dożynki. This is the festival celebrating the completion of the harvest and field work.

In pre-Christian times it was a Slavic ethnic feast, falling during the autumnal equinox. Nowadays it is celebrated at the end of August, beginning of September.

It has a religious character and it also an occasion to cultivate the local traditions: wear traditional clothes, play traditional music.

In Poland there is also a tradition of preparing the wreath from the ears of corn, flowers, nuts, fruits and colorful ribbons. Such wreaths are carried in solemn, cheerful processions all over the country.

Pictures: Dożynki celebrations in Orawa region. Source: http://regionpodhale.pl/index.php/spoleczenstwo/nasze-sprawy/1561-do%C5%BCynki-w-orawce-zdj%C4%99cia

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Dożynki - Polish thanksgiving celebration