{"id":6989,"date":"2017-03-20T19:55:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-20T19:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/polish\/?p=6989"},"modified":"2017-03-21T01:30:26","modified_gmt":"2017-03-21T01:30:26","slug":"how-does-poland-welcome-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/polish\/how-does-poland-welcome-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"How does Poland welcome Spring?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In every culture, where the winter is long, dark and cold, people have made a great effort to ensure that spring arrives on time; they search for signs in nature to confirm that the long awaited spring is just around the corner. In Poland , one of these signs is the return of the storks from warm climates. These birds are a sign that nature is awakening to life after a long winter. Along with the arrival of the storks, people start to prepare for what is called \u201cthe drowning of Marzanna\u201d (topienie Marzanny<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

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Stork’s nest next to my parents house<\/p><\/div>\n

Marzanna<\/strong> is a straw figure representing death, winter, disease and, in general, all evil. The figure is braided from straw into the shape of a human, and dressed in a traditional local women\u2019s clothing. Then Marzanna is set on fire and thrown into a river or pond. Meant to bring about the change of the seasons, from winter to spring, this custom was known all over Europe . Its roots undoubtedly date back to the ancient, pre-Christian sacrificial rites of pagans. As a pagan ritual, the Polish Pozna\u0144 bishops\u2019 Synod of 1420 attempted to condemn the drowning of Marzanna and fought to end this custom. The battle was clearly lost and till this day the drowning of Marzanna is part of Polish culture. Though the traditional elements of the ritual remain unchanged the participants differ from those of the medieval period. Since the 19 th century, topienie Marzanny is primarily a ritual game played by children and teenagers.<\/p>\n

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Celebrated on March 21 st, the first day of spring, it has taken on the form of a spring festival celebrated all over Poland primarily by school children. In the late 1970\u2019s high school students started skipping school on that day. Though truancy was strictly forbidden, year after year on March 2 st, more and more high school students would roam the streets of big cities. Finally, this became a real problem for the Department of Education. In the late 1990\u2019s, before the problem spun out of control, officials in the Department of Education gave up. They officially named the first day of spring Truant\u2019s Day (Dzie\u0144 Wagarowicza<\/strong>). There are no regular classes on March 21 st. Instead, special school activities are organized. Students wear masks, funny costumes, and generally take liberty to do what they want.<\/p>\n

I found couple great poems about Marzanna and translated them for you:) Enjoy!<\/p>\n

Marzanna, W. Chotomska<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ruszamy gromad\u0105, weso\u0142ym pochodem<\/strong><\/p>\n

niesiemy marzann\u0119, nad zielon\u0105 wod\u0119.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We move as group, happy procession<\/p>\n

We carry Marzanna, over green water.<\/p>\n

Zgi\u0144, przepadnij zimo i nie wracaj do nas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Na przyj\u0119cie wiosny otw\u00f3rzmy ramiona.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Die, get lost and do not come back to us.<\/p>\n

Let’s open our arms for spring.<\/p>\n

P\u0142y\u0144 sobie Marzanno szumi\u0105cym potokiem.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Na morze\u00a0 szerokie, na morze g\u0142\u0119bokie.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Swim Marzanna with the raging stream.<\/p>\n

To the wide sea, to the deep sea.<\/p>\n

A teraz, gdy zima posz\u0142a ju\u017c daleko<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zata\u0144cz z nami wiosno nad zielon\u0105 rzek\u0105.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And now that winter has gone far<\/p>\n

Dance with us spring over the green river.<\/p>\n

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“Po\u017cegnanie zimy” E. Romaniec – Zawadzka<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ostatnie wzg\u00f3rki \u015bniegu<\/strong><\/p>\n

ju\u017c znikaj\u0105 na \u0142\u0105ce.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ca\u0142a ziemia paruje,<\/strong><\/p>\n

i wy\u017cej \u015bwieci s\u0142o\u0144ce.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last snow hills<\/p>\n

Already disappearing in the meadow.<\/p>\n

The whole earth evaporates,<\/p>\n

And the sun shines brighter.<\/p>\n

Ba\u0142wanek na podw\u00f3rku<\/strong><\/p>\n

ju\u017c si\u0119 zamienia w wod\u0119,<\/strong><\/p>\n

a wierzby wok\u00f3\u0142 domu<\/strong><\/p>\n

puszczaj\u0105 p\u0119dy m\u0142ode.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Snowman in the yard<\/p>\n

It is already turning into water,<\/p>\n

And willows around the house<\/p>\n

They start blooming.<\/p>\n

Lecz wiosna nie przychodzi<\/strong><\/p>\n

cho\u0107 ci\u0105gle o niej \u015bnimy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

bo boi si\u0119 Marzanny<\/strong><\/p>\n

z\u0142ej wr\u00f3\u017cki \u015bnie\u017cnej zimy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But spring does not come<\/p>\n

Although we still dream about her,<\/p>\n

Because she is afraid of Marzanna<\/p>\n

Bad fortune snow winter<\/p>\n

Nie zakwitn\u0105 pierwiosnki,<\/strong><\/p>\n

nie zazieleni\u0105 si\u0119 zbo\u017ca,<\/strong><\/p>\n

dop\u00f3ki z\u0142a Marzanna<\/strong><\/p>\n

nie odp\u0142ynie do morza.<\/strong><\/p>\n

No primrose will blossom,<\/p>\n

Wheat will not get green,<\/p>\n

Until evil Marzanna<\/p>\n

Will not go to sea.<\/p>\n

Niechaj wiosna przybywa,<\/strong><\/p>\n

a zima szybko znika.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zrobimy dzi\u015b Marzann\u0119<\/strong><\/p>\n

ze s\u0142omy i z patyka.<\/strong><\/p>\n

May the spring come,<\/p>\n

And winter quickly disappears.<\/p>\n

We will make Marzanna today<\/p>\n

With straw and a stick.<\/p>\n

\u015apiewaj\u0105c pie\u015b\u0144 o wio\u015bnie,<\/strong><\/p>\n

spotkamy si\u0119 nad rzeczk\u0105,<\/strong><\/p>\n

wrzucimy w ni\u0105 Marzann\u0119<\/strong><\/p>\n

niech p\u0142ynie hen daleko.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singing a song about a spring,<\/p>\n

We will meet at the river,<\/p>\n

We will put Marzanna in it<\/p>\n

Let her flow far away.<\/p>\n