|
Dyngus DayDyngus Day is much more than the kickoff for the annual political campaigns, more than an excuse for great Polish food, and certainly more than an excuse to be Polish for a day, even though we all know you really wish you were. What is Dyngus Day? (Dyngus-Smigus)
The tradition of Wet Monday evolved in to a great way to find a romantic partner as the tradition had young boys throwing water on young girls that they were attracted to get their attention. In serious cases of young fancy the girls were drenched in their sleep early Monday morning, usually after getting permission and access from the girl's mother. On Easter Tuesday young girls returned the favor and got their revenge. As if that weren't enough, the tradition of Dyngus Day also involved hitting the young ladies in the legs with a switch of pussy-willow or decorated twigs. Your guess is as good as mine why, but who am I to question tradition? By the way, do you know how the pussy-willow got it's name? According to Polish legend several baby kittens fell into a raging river while chasing butterflies. The mother cat sadly wept at the river’s edge, pleading for help for her drowning kittens. The willows heard her mournful cries and swept their long graceful branches into the water. The kittens grabbed the branches, held on tightly and were safely brought to shore. Every spring, from that day on, the willows sprouted fur-like buds where the tiny kittens once clung. More recently Dyngus Day has evolved yet again in to a celebration of Polish heritage with great feasts of Polish food, plenty to drink, and parties running well in to the night. And fortunately for us, South Bend is one of the few places in the US where Dyngus Day is a major holiday. The Dyngus RhymeDyngus Day wouldn't be much of a tradition without it's own rhyme. Smigus! Dyngus! Na ucieche; z kubla wode lej ze s'miechem! Jak nie z kubla , to ze dzbana, Smigus - dyngus dzis od rana! Staropolski to obyczaj, Zebys wiedzial i nie krzyczal, gdy w Wielkanoc , w drugie swieto, bedziesz kurtke mial zmoknieta. Smigus! Dyngus! All for fun, Dump some water with a smile! If not from a cup, then from a pitcher, Smigus-Dyngus starts at dawn! It’s an old Polish custom, just so you’ll know and not yell, when on the second day of Easter, your jacket’s all soaking wet Dyngus Day in MichianaHere in the South Bend / Mishawaka area Dyngus Day has become the default launch day for the annual political season. Local politicians spend the day at local hangouts like M.R. Falcons or the West Side Democratic Club, or just about any pub or tavern in the area, buying drinks and shaking hands. Remember, everyone is Polish on Dyngus Day! Do you want to show your Polish pride on Dyngus Day? Take alook at some of our recent Dyngus Day designs we've created just for this special day. |
Originally Dyngus Day, also known in some Catholic traditions as Wet Monday, was an entire week starting on Easter Monday to celebrate the end of Lent. At some point in the 19th century Dyngus was shortened to just a single day. The current tradition of Dyngus Day goes back to the baptism of Prince Mieszko 1, the first king of Poland, in to Christianity in 996 A.D. This led to the sprinkling of Holy Water in thanks for bringing Poland in to Christendom.