POLISH EASTER TRADITION

migus-Dyngus



Soaking a Polish girl on migus-Dyngus
migus-Dyngus (also known as lany poniedziaek, meaning "Wet Monday") is a celebration
held on Easter Monday in Poland. It is also observed by Polish diaspora communities,
particularly among Polish Americans, who call it Dyngus Day. Traditionally, boys throw
water over girls and spank them with pussy willow branches on Easter Monday, and girls do
the same to boys on Easter Tuesday. This is accompanied by a number of other rituals, such
as making verse declarations and holding door-to-door processions, in some regions involving
boys dressed as bears. The origins of the celebration are uncertain, but it may date to pagan
times (before 1000 AD); it is described in writing as early as the 15th century.

The use of water is said to evoke the spring rains needed to ensure a successful harvest later in
the year. Girls could save themselves from a soaking by giving boys "ransoms" of painted
eggs (pisanki), regarded as magical charms that would bring good harvests, successful sexual
relationships and healthy childbirths. Pussy willows appear to have been adopted as an
alternative to the palm leaves used elsewhere in Easter celebrations, which were not
obtainable in Poland. They were blessed by priests on Palm Sunday, following which
parishioners whipped each other with the pussy willow branches. The pussy willows were
then treated as sacred charms that could prevent lightning strikes, protect animals and
encourage honey production. They were believed to bring health and good fortune to people
as well, and it was traditional for three pussy willow buds to be swallowed on Palm Sunday to
promote good health.
In some regional variants of po dyngusie(after dyngus), the boys would march through the
village with one of their number dressed as a bear with a bell on his head. The group would
go from door to door collecting "gifts for the bear" before "drowning" the bear in a nearby
stream or pond. The "bears" were often invited in as they were believed to ensure that there
would be a good harvest, reflecting a very ancient belief in the power of the bear to prevent
evil, encourage crop growth and cure diseases. Girls had their own version of po dyngusie in
which they would go from door to door carrying a freshly cut green branch or gaj, seeking
food and singing songs welcoming the "new year" that followed Easter:
Our green little tree, beautifully decked
Goes everywhere
For it is proper that it should
We go with it to the manor house
Wishing good fortune, good health
For this new year
Which God has given us.
Families would also visit each other on the same day to deliver presents of Easter eggs or
rolls, receiving in return gifts of food from the Easter table.

Dictionary
Easter Monday wielkanocny poniedziaek
Willow - wierzba
Spring - wiosna
Harvest plon, urodzaj
painted eggs - (pisanki)
Palm Sunday- niedziela palmowa
Power - sia
Diseases - choroby
Fortune - fortuna
Sacred - wicony


migus - Dyngus
migus-dyngus (znany take jako: lany poniedziaek, dyngus, migus) zwyczaj zwizany z
Poniedziakiem Wielkanocnym.
Pocztkowo zwizany by z obrzdami praktykowanymi poprzez rado po odejciu zimy i
nadejciu wiosny. Polega m.in. na oblewaniu dam wod, ktremu towarzyszyo ich
chostanie. Dzisiaj zwykle polega na oblewaniu innych wod.
.

Geneza zwyczaju
Geneza ludowych zwyczajw obchodzonych w Poniedziaek Wielkanocny jest zwizana z
praktykami Sowian, ktrzy czcili rado po odejciu zimy i przebudzeniu si wiosny. migus
gwnie polega na symbolicznym biciu witkami wierzby lub palmami po nogach i oblewaniu
si zimn wod, co symbolizowao wiosenne oczyszczenie z brudu i chorb, a w pniejszym
czasie take i z grzechu. Na migus naoy si zwyczaj dyngusowania (dyngowanie), dajcy
moliwo wykupienia si pisankami od podwjnego lania. Dyngus wywodzi si od
wiosennego zwyczaju skadania wzajemnych wizyt u znajomych i rodziny poczonych ze
zwyczajowym poczstunkiem, a take i podarunkiem, zaopatrzeniem w ywno na drog.
Sowianie uwaali, e oblewanie si wod miao sprzyja podnoci, dlatego oblewaniu
podlegay przede wszystkim panny na wydaniu. Czynno oblewania bya dla nich
zdecydowanie waniejsza, bowiem ta panna, ktrej nie oblano bd nie wychostano, czua
si obraona i zaniepokojona, gdy oznaczao to brak zainteresowania ze strony miejscowych
kawalerw i perspektyw staropaniestwa. Z kolei chopiec, ktry obla lub wychosta wicej
dam mg czu wiksze szczcie i powodzenie w roku.

Tradycje i rnice regionalne
Dawniej zwyczaj polewania si wod znany by tylko na wsi, mimo to obchodzenie Lanego
Poniedziaku posiadao wiksz znacznie obrzdowo ni dzisiaj. wiadcz o tym
gdzieniegdzie zachowane tradycje zwizane z urodzajem. Gospodarze o wicie wychodzili na
pola i kropili je wod wicon, egnali si przy tym znakiem krzya i wbijali w grunt
krzyyki wykonane z palm powiconych w Niedziel Palmow. Miao to zapewnia urodzaj
i uchroni plony przed gradobiciem. W tym samym celu objedano pola w procesji konnej.
zwyczaje te do dzisiaj spotyka si zwaszcza na poudniu Polski.

Dictionary
Easter Monday wielkanocny poniedziaek
Willow - wierzba
Spring - wiosna
Harvest plon, urodzaj
painted eggs - (pisanki)
Palm Sunday - niedziela palmowa
Power - sia
Diseases - choroby
Fortune - fortuna
Sacred - wicony