Identity, origin and sense of belonging are inactive very individual issues today. Talking to people coming from different corners of the world, 1 can realize that no of us has the same lineage or the same identity. There is an aspect of interconnected identities in each of us. many historical upheavals caused the mixing of influences creating cultural, cultural or spiritual fusions. If we were to analyse the origin of, for example, a Pole, it would most likely turn out that specified a individual has different roots. Thanks to subsequent generations, this origin does not vanish and becomes a heritage, a part that will always remain. possibly by realizing this we would get free of all prejudices, if we were just aware that everyone of us has something from a different identity.
The same is actual for the Kashubians. Kashubians are a community that lived between the Poles and Germans for a long time. As Cezary Obrach-Prondzyński writes, “the national aspirations of Poles and Germans clashed in Pomerania, besides in the sense of territorial aspirations, and Kashubians found themselves at this crossroad.” In addition to territorial aspirations, there were besides those connected to identity. Kashubian existed between German and Polish during the partitions of Poland. At that time, a question arose of who the Kashubians were and whether their speech was more related to Polish or German. It was possible to talk at that time about defining identity or even nationality through the prism of language. Even this determinant was not adequate to clearly state whether individual was truly Kashubian, as religion became an additional criterion here. The boundaries of the Kashubian identity, as well as the sense of belonging to Kashubians, are not subject to circumstantial criteria today.
There are specified people who openly identify themselves as arrogant Kashubians, who proudly wear conventional Kashubian costumes, talk Kashubian, or cultivate Kashubian traditions. According to the census carried out in Poland in 2021, over 176,000 people declared Kashubian affiliation. This is the second most widely represented cultural number group in Poland (the most many group consists of Silesians). Although there are less Kashubians than in the erstwhile census, it has inactive been a large and crucial group. However, apart from this group, which is rather diverse internally (according to the Kaszubopedia site, Kashubians are divided into many local groups), there are besides those who perceive their “Kashubianness” solely as love for the region, nature or the uniqueness of this part of Poland. So the question arises: who are they? 1 may ask oneself whether it is at all possible to have a sense of the Kashubian identity without knowing the Kashubian tradition and history, or without utilizing the Kashubian language. However, it is worth taking at first a closer and more thorough look at the Kashubians, in order to begin to consider the difference between their declared affiliation and sense of the Kashubian identity.
An crucial component of Kashubian culture are conventional costumes. The past of Kashubian dress is very interesting, due to the fact that as it turns out, today’s styles are only an effort at reconstructing the historically first one. A folk costume is primarily an component that distinguishes a given community or cultural group. It fulfils not only a typical function but besides constitutes affection to a given culture. As the example of the Kashubian costume shows, it can even be utilized for political purposes. A correlation between costume and a sense of cultural or national belonging began to be noticed already at the beginning of the 20th century. Unfortunately, from that time on this phenomenon besides began to be utilized for entertainment, as well as political and identity creation purposes. The Kashubian costume, as sources say, dates back to the mediate Ages. However, it is worth focusing on the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century in this history. It was then that the followers of folk traditions noticed the decline in both the care and cultivation of the embroidering tradition and wearing folk costumes as a whole. Teodora Gulgowska played an crucial function in the past of the Kashubian costume. Ms. Gulgowska and her husband lived in the village of Wdzydze and it was there that the very characteristic Kashubian embroidery of “Wdzydze-type” was born (designed by Teodora Gulgowska herself). The Kashubian costume in the years from 1910 to 1945 was very diverse, with different types of embroidery (Wdzydze, Kartuzy and Tuchola-type, depending on the village or city). But after the Second planet War, in accordance with the will of the then authorities, a folk costume and all manifestations of folklore were included in a fresh framework in line with authoritative politics. The fresh framework for propagated folk content was to be determined by the Ministry of Culture and Art and by the Central Office of Folk and Artistic manufacture (the acronym: CPLiA). The authorities chose selected elements from folk art in specified a way to meet current political needs. Currently, the Kashubian costume can be treated as an component of manifestation of one’s cultural affiliation, which is present and visible mainly during cultural or political events. Despite the alternatively complicated past of the costume itself (only a insignificant fragment of this past has been cited in this study), it is crucial till present to declared Kashubians and those who visit Kashubia as well. The most crucial thing is that Kashubians have managed to keep their own identity. From the point of view of a native female of Gdynia, for example, this creates a alternatively open community that willingly opens the door to this magical, folk world.
Another component is the language. Visiting Kashubian cities 1 can hear this so beautiful and unique language. The Kashubian language (not a subdialect), which is officially respected present and – according to the act of January 2005 – is officially recognized as a regional language. Language is 1 of the basic elements of Kashubian identity. The another factors constituting Kashubian identity are space and origin. The uniqueness of this identity is emphasized, as Monika Mazurek writes, by the deficiency of conditions for an absolute identity. This means that it is inactive not possible to clearly specify individual as a Kashubian or not. The criteria for identity stay rather fluid. Moreover, the determinant of “Kashubianness” can be exclusively the place of residence (not even the place of birth). Language is undoubtedly an component of Kashubian culture, but it does not find belonging to this cultural group, as the function of the Kashubian language present is, to a large extent, symbolic. On the another hand, learning the Kashubian language is simply a form of “keeping it alive” and not incorporating it into everyday use.
The past of the Kashubians shows us that a strong identity inactive exists. What is more, Kashubians are not a hermetically closed group. possibly due to their interior diversity, they are characterized by a higher degree of tolerance. Even if we were to specify what city is the capital of Kashubia, it would not be an easy task. Gdańsk is considered the historical capital of Kashubia, the spiritual capital is Wejherowo, whereas 1 can read sometimes that Kartuzy is the capital of the area. This amazing region allows everybody to have everybody’s own capital of Kashubia.
In conclusion, 1 does not gotta know the Kashubian language or wear a folk costume to have a sense of belonging to the Kashubian minority. What is more, 1 does not even gotta have a sense of belonging to respect this minority. It is adequate for 1 to visit Kashubia to feel the uniqueness of the region and possibly even a part of the Kashubian identity itself.
This text was prepared in the framework of the 2024/2025 edition of the Solidarity Academy, an global task of the European Solidarity Centre, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Warsaw, and fresh east Europe. The task aims to inspire and support the improvement of young leaders across Europe.
Zofia Zych is simply a political scientist and a PhD student at the Doctoral School of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Gdańsk, preparing her doctoral thesis on the Polish maritime economy. investigation interests: maritime policy, maritime economy, elections and advanced culture. associate of the Polish Political discipline Association, Gdynia Branch. postgraduate of the 2024/2025 edition of the Solidarity Academy.
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