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Let me introduce you to the old Polish tradition of Dziady!
3 years agoCześć!
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„Dziady” is a holiday celebrated at night, from 31st October to 1st November, to honor the Dead. The word was used in the folk dialects on the territory of Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. The word „dziad” simply meant „an ancestor”. This one night only during the whole year was very special – the time when the spirits of the ancestors come back to their old houses and visit their families.
Dziady were all about hosting the spirits of the dead, to gain their liking and at the same time, to help them find their peace in the world of the dead. People would prepare a special feast, that would take place in the house or in the cemetery – directly on the graves of the dead. The spirits that were coming were greeted with: honey, groats, eggs and, of course, vodka. During these feasts people would intentionally drop some food from their plates and spill the vodka – on the tables, on the floor or on the graves – so that the spirits could eat and drink them. There were also bans – during the Dziady ceremony you were not allowed to behave loudly nor move or get up suddenly, not to scare the spirits away.
Cheers!
Dominika
