Polish-American FolkloreIntegrating vivid photographs, firsthand observations, and interviews against a rich backdrop of ethnic practices and traditions, Deborah Anders Silverman explores how Polish Americans are creatively adapting the rural peasant folklore of the old country to life in multicultural, urban America. Silverman surveys rituals of courtship, marriage, coming of age, and funerals, also noting those customs that have been rediscovered after falling into disuse. She follows the trail of folk stories and delves into folk music and dance, particularly the polka, providing a detailed discussion of texts, contexts, and performance practices. She also describes birthing practices, home remedies, superstitions, folk blessings, and miracle cures. In addition, she offers a wealth of information on foodways and on the origins and celebration of holy days, from Christmas Eve vigils to the Dyngus Day festivals of the Easter season. Polish-American Folklore reveals a community that preserves distinctive traditions even though geographically dispersed in a new homeland. Polish Americans retain ties to their ethnicity though ethnic media, social clubs, churches, group events, and the Internet. This "Polonia without walls" is united by a resilient, dynamic, family-oriented culture that attracts not only Polish immigrants and their descendants but also newcomers from other ethnic and racial groups. By including first-person commentary from a wide range of Polish American individuals and families, from first-generation immigrants to non-Polish in-laws who embrace Polish foods, music, and traditions, Silverman brings to life a thriving ethnic subculture that values equally its Polish roots and its American harvest. |
Contents
Life in the Old Country and the Mass Migration | 7 |
PolishAmerican Easter Celebrations | 30 |
The Christmas Cycle and Minor Holidays | 40 |
Births and Deaths in PolishAmerican | 51 |
The Wedding in Polonia | 61 |
Folk Religion | 88 |
PolishAmerican Folk Medicine | 99 |
Seeds of a New Musical Style | 109 |
Common terms and phrases
12 April Al Clark America's Polish American believed Benet blessed bread bride Broadway Market Buffalo Bukowczyk carols Catholic celebrations Charles Keil Cheektowaga Chicago Christmas church culture dance Dunkirk Dyngus Day Dyngus Day party Eddie Blazonczyk English ethnic group ethnic identity folklorists Folkways foodways Gabrielle Merta girls holy ican Interview with Gabrielle Interview with Kate Italian-American Kate Moch kids kielbasa Knab Kohan kolędy Kraków live Lopata Malpezzi married Martha Steffan Mary Miller mother musicians Niech oczepiny old country opłatek performed Personal interview pierogi Poland Poles Polish Customs Polish Heritage Polish immigrants Polish language Polish Peasant Polish-American Polish-American communities Polish-American polka Polish-American Weddings polka bands Polka Family polka festival polka mass polka music Polonia prayer priest regional ritual Robert Hora shrines SILVERMAN social clubs Song soup Sto Lat swięconka Taped interview Tarnowski tradition Treasured Polish wigilia woman World wycinanki Wytrwal Yeah young Zand
References to this book
The Grasinski Girls: The Choices They Had and the Choices They Made Mary Patrice Erdmans No preview available - 2004 |