Shrovetide (Zapusty) customs – „Walking with a Goat” in Kuyawia Region

Symbolism of characters

 

„Chodzenie z kozą” to zwyczaj praktykowany do dziś na Kujawach, dawniej także na Pałukach i w Wielkopolsce, w ostatnie dni karnawału, czyli zapusty. Obrzęd ten, o przedchrześcijańskiej genezie, związany był z magią wegetacyjną i płodnościową. Podobnie jak kolędowanie okresu Bożego Narodzenia, wywodzi się z pogańskich świąt przełomu zimy i lata oraz Starego i Nowego Roku. Tradycyjnie uczestnikami zwyczaju byli mężczyźni, którzy w przebraniach i z maszkarami zwierzęcymi w rękach wędrowali od domu do domu. Maszkary symbolizowały siły wegetacyjne i spełniały funkcje magiczne – ich obecność miała pobudzić przyrodę i spowodować szybkie nadejście wiosny. Dawniej pochody kończyły się zabawą podkoziołkową w karczmie. W jej trakcie panny wykupywały tańce z wybranymi chłopcami rzucając monety pod koziołka – figurkę wystruganą z drewna, buraka cukrowego lub brukwi.

Goat

The most important character in Shrovetide (zapusty) procession which symbolises fertility of people, animals and land. It is played by a man covered with a sheet holding a wooden animal head with flopping jaw on a pole. The goat’s visit to a girl’s house meant approaching marriage for the girl according to the saying: Gdzie koza chodzi, tam panna za mąż wychodzi [When a goat comes, the girl marries]. The animal’s illusive ‘death’ and its ‘resurrection’ symbolised the passage from winter to spring.

 

Surroundings of Radziejów, 2007, phot. A. Kostrzewa

 

Zbrachlin, 2002, phot. H. Czachowski

 

Children’s group from Kruszynek, 1989, phot. J. Święch

 

Markowice, 1963, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Ciencisko, 1961, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Mascaron goat, 1950s, phot. M. Kosicki

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Kruszyn, 2015, phot. J. Czerwiński

 

Kruszyn, 2015, phot. J. Czerwiński

 

Szymborze, 2011, phot. M. Kwiatkowski

 

Mątwy, 1961, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Ciencisko, 1961, phot. B. Horbaczewski

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Bear

It was the embodiment of strength and had protective properties: it chased evil away, fought demons off. Formerly, a man impersonating a bear was wrapped with straw bands or haulms, bear fur was also imitated by a sheepskin coat worn with fleece on the outside. A bear rolled on the ground to give it strength and power, bring dormant nature back to life. Its jumps announced the fast approaching arrival of spring. It was accompanied by a guide who led it on a chain. Modern bears often resemble teddy-bears.

Stork

In folk beliefs a stork is a household protective spirit and in zapusty groups it is a spring messenger. Similarly to a goat, it also has fertility senses resulting from a popular belief that this bird brings children. That is why, touching a woman with a peck meant approaching maternity.

 

Zbrachlin, 2002, phot. H. Czachowski

 

Zakrzewo, 2007, phot A. Kostrzewa

 

Kuźnice, 1966, phot. Z. Pietrzykowska

 

Ciencisko, 1961, phot. B. Horbaczewski

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Surroundings of Kruszyna and Świętosław, 1966, phot. Z. Pietrzykowska

 

Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Zakrzewo, 2007, phot. A. Kostrzewa

 

Zbrachlin, 2002, phot. H. Czachowski

 

Straszewo, 1971, phot. A. Grodzicki

 

Kłotno, 1970, phot. Z. Pietrzykowska

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Horse

It symbolises vegetation, solar, nature animating powers. The man impersonates a horse and a rider at the same time wearing a wooden construction with a horse head. Wearing soldier’s, uhlan’s or gendarm’s uniform, he uses a whip and occasionally is a group guide.

Dual characters

The disguiser with a puppet on a belly is called a Man over a Woman (dziad na babie) or alive on dead (żywy na umarłym). In the first case, it impersonates fertility senses, and in the other, it symbolises the triumph of life over death and refers to a cycle of season change and spring rebirth of nature.

 

Włocławek, 2011, phot. M. Kwiatkowski
(still from the film)

 

Włocławek, 2011, phot. M. Kwiatkowski
(still from the film)

 

Świętosław, 1966, phot. S. Rogalski

 

Słomkowo, 1978, phot. A. Grodzicki

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Szymborze, 2004, phot. H. Czachowski

 

Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Szymborze, 1974, phot. A. Grodzicki

 

Mątwy, 1963, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Markowice, 1963, phot. B. Horbaczewski

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The Bride and Groom

The Bride and Groom are connected to the fertility sense of zapusty processions which is sometimes emphasised by the Bride’s ‘pregnancy’ or a doll in her hands which symbolises new life.

The chimney-sweep

The chimney-sweep was supposed to bring good luck. Dirtying someone’s face with soot was a good omen for the future.

 

Ciencisko, 1961, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Markowice, 1963, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Szymborze, 1963, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

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Osięciny, 2007, phot. A. Kostrzewa

 

Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

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Others

The animal mascaros are accompenied by characters which were considered ‘alien’ in old-time village societies, such as Jews, Gipsies, old beggars. Their presence was supposed to guarantee the effectiveness of magical practices.

Devil and death

They are the intermediaries between the real world and the supernatural one, they wear masks. The covering of the carollers’ faces was once a method to ‘unreal’ the character which thanks to this became the link between this world and the other world. Contemporarily, they often resemble the fearful characters from horrors.

 

Osięciny, 2007, phot. A. Kostrzewa

 

Smólsk, 1985, phot. J. Sieraczkiewicz

 

Ciencisko, 1961, phot. B. Horbaczewski

 

Okolice Lubrańca, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Osięciny, 2007, phot. A. Kostrzewa

 

Surroundings of Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Surroundings of Lubraniec, 2011, phot. A. Milewska

 

Święte, 2007, phot. A. Kostrzewa

 

Kruszyn, 2015, phot. J. Czerwiński

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