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2-23-23
Why we do not eat packages. Pączki or paczki? And why we fill and sometimes frost our Polish donuts. That little curlicue under the a makes a big difference. Read on.
https://culture.pl/en/article/a-foreigners-guide-to-the-polish-alphabet
9-30-21
We celebrate Polish American Heritage Month in October, but it wasn’t always that way. Congress first deemed August as Polish American Heritage Month in 1981. Later, it moved to October to commemorate the first Polish settlers — as well as the deaths of Generals Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko (military leaders who fought in the American Revolution). The switch also enabled schools to participate in celebrations. Whether you’re Polish American or not, it’s important to mark the culture of a people who helped shape this country.
Here are suggestions assembled by the Cultural Committee for you to celebrate your Polish heritage.
1. Attend events at the Polish Center of Wisconsin. On the 8th a Pierogi party. Fungi Fair on the 9th, on the 13th and 20th lectures sponsored by the Polish American Congress, on the 24th a live performance by the Cream City Quartet, Piwo Party and Café each Wednesday through the 27th. For more details go to the Polish Center’s website.
2. Honor Kosciuszko and Pulaski by visiting one of their statues in a Milwaukee County Park. Bring a flower or wreath to place on the pedestal. Thank them for greatly assisting in the American Revolution.
3. Obtain and read a book of Polish history. We recommend Poland – The First Thousand Years by Patrice Dabrowski. Also consider one of several books by Norman Davies and Adam Zamoyski.
4. Listen to and enjoy the music of Chopin and other prominent Polish composers such as Gorecki, Moniuszko, Bacewicz, Panderewski, Kilar, Szymanowski, Weinberg, and Lutoslawski.
5. Plan your next or first visit to Poland. Visit one of many websites for loads of ideas and information or pick up a travel guide at your favorite bookstore.
6. Read one or more masterpieces of Polish literature such as With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz, The Doll by Boleslaw Prus, Ashes and Diamonds by Jerzy Andrzejewski, Pan Tadeusz by Adam Mickiewicz – Poland’s national epic, or the collected works of one of Poland’s great poets such as Wislawa Szymborska, Czeslaw Milosz, Zbigniew Herbert, and Tadeusz Rozewicz.
7. Try your hand at making a classic Polish one pot meal. That would be Polish Hunters Stew known as Bigos. Recipes abound on websites and YouTube. Key ingredients are bacon, smoked Polish kielbasa, pork, mushrooms, sauerkraut and fresh cabbage. Wild game, too, if you have some. Or substitute duck or rabbit.
8. Visit the Polish Museum of America in Chicago to view outstanding examples of Polish art.
9. Support local Polish businesses such as Old World Deli, A&J Polish Deli, Polonez Restaurant, Tower Chicken, Magenta Printing and Bernie’s in Port Washington.
10. There are lots and lots of Polish movies and television series on Netflix and Prime Video. Watch one and you will be hooked. As a PHA member, you can borrow DVDs from the Polanki Library at the Polish Center. Check the Polanki website for hours of operation.
11. When you are at the Polish Center take a trip to the second-floor hallway and gaze at the many pictures of Polish families. The collection is heartwarming.
12. Go bowling! Why you ask? Watch Professor Neil Pease's next video lecture coming soon.
13. And finally, pay a visit to the graves of your ancestors who made the sometimes dangerous journey to the United States. It could be your parents, grandparents or great grandparents. Thank them for their courage and bravery. Thank them for allowing you to have the privilege of being a citizen of the United States of America.
7-15-21 The family of one of the Cultural Committee members recently returned from a camping trip to South Dakota and suggested that the following would be of interest to you and your friends. Meet Korczak Ziolkowski, his wife, and his family.
https://crazyhorsememorial.org/story/the-history/meet-korczak-storyteller-in-stone/ https://crazyhorsememorial.org/story/the-history/ruth-ziolkowski/ https://crazyhorsememorial.org/story/the-history/the-ziolkowski-family/
5-20-21 Soccer is becoming a bigger and bigger deal in the US. Many American cities now have professional men's and women's teams. The Premier League in England has fans all over the world. Teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United have avid fans in the US. One of the very best soccer players in the world is Robert Lewandowski of Poland. Here are two links that will inform you of soccer in Poland, and of the great Robert Lewandowski.
History of Poland's national team. https://www.footballhistory.org/national/poland.html.
Soccer today in Poland. https://ekstraklasa.org/.
News of Robert Lewandowski. https://fcbayern.com/us/teams/professionals/robert-lewandowski#News.
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