Chłopi

Chłopi

The beginning 

At the end of the 19th century there were a lot of traditions and customs in Poland. One of them was a courtship. A man tried to get approval to marry the girl he liked. A boy couldn’t simply ask a girl to marry him. He had to send the matchmakers. These were the people who asked the girl’s parents for their approval for marriage. They also talked about finances. The parents wanted their daughter to get a piece of land as her property from the man. The traditional conversation was carried while they were drinking alcohol. If the girl’s parents didn’t want to drink it, it meant that they didn’t agree to the marriage. When they wanted, there was an official ceremony called betrothal or engagement. It took place in an inn during a party connected with drinking alcohol.

Jagna and Maciej 

Jagna was young and beautiful. She was 18. The boys were attracted to her, especially Antek, but he already had a wife. Maciej Boryna, Antek’s father, also liked Jagna. He was 58. He was the richest man in the village of Lipce. Jagna’s mother said that Maciej was a good man and farmer. He was strong, hard-working, religious and rich. He was a good candidate to become a husband. Her mother decided for Jagna because she didn’t care about it. She was not interested in the land or wealth. She was an obedient daughter and promised to do what she was told.  

Maciej want Jagna to be his wife and sent the matchmakers. They promised the best piece of his land for Jagna. The mother agreed and drank a shot of vodka brought by the matchmakers, which meant she agreed to Maciej’s proposal. 

Wedding preparations

Before the wedding the bride’s house was cleaned. Her brothers took the furniture from the living room outside. They left only the paintings on the walls. Then, they placed big tables and benches for the guests. The room was cleaned thoroughly. The chimney didn’t look nice so they covered it with a dark blue fabric. Jagna spread a white cloth on the table. There were old, dark, wooden beams on the ceiling. She put up traditional, colourful paper decorations there: flowers, circles, dogs chasing sheep,  a shepherd holding a stick and the sheep. She made them herself. She cut them out from colourful pieces of paper she got from Maciej. 

The bride’s appearance

On the big day Jagna looked amazing. Her hair was braided. There was a crown on the top of her head. It was made out of golden pinecones, peacock feathers and rosemary branches. Long, colourful ribbons were attached to the crown and were hanging down on her back. They looked like a rainbow. Jagna was wearing a white skirt, a light blue corset, a blouse with balloon sleeves and strings of beads and amber on her neck.   

Before the wedding 

On the wedding day musicians, guests and best men who were young and single went to the groom’s house. They were singing loudly and shouting while walking. They came from door to door and invited the villagers to come with them. The traditional wedding procession grew bigger and bigger. They reached the groom’s house to take him to the bride. 

In front of the bride’s house her mother gave the couple her blessing. She made a cross in the air holding a holy picture and sprinkled them with holy water. The bride said goodbye to her house and said sorry for all the bad things she did while living in the house. 

Next, all the people walked to church. They followed in the traditional order; first the musicians, then Jagna led by the best men. Maciej was accompanied by bridesmaids. Next, there was Jagna’s mother with matchmakers and Maciej’s older daughter with her husband and their children and then Maciej’s younger daughter, Józia, the family of the miller, the organist’s wife and other people who were important in the village. At the end there were other guests who lived in the village. During the service Jagna and Maciej became a wife and a husband. 

The wedding reception

After they left the church, everybody went to the bride’s house. Jagna’s mother greeted the married couple with bread and salt. The guests sat at the tables, drank and ate. In the biggest room there were tables and benches. The married couple sat in the most important seats, the rest of the guests were seated according to their position and role in the village. The organist said a prayer and then the guests started eating. After the meal the musicians started playing, Jagna danced with all of the men. At the end she danced with her husband.  

The unveiling ceremony started around midnight. The wrath was taken from the bride’s head and the white cap was placed. That was a symbol of the bride becoming the housewife and accepting all the responsibilities around the house. Jagna was led into the room by other married women. She was covered with a white fabric. She had to sit on a wooden dish which was used for making butter. The dish was covered with eiderdown. The bridesmaids wanted to take Jagna but the men and the elders didn’t let them. The young women sang a sad song. Finally, they took the white fabric and everybody could see Jagna in a white cap. However, she refused to cut her braids. Later, the older women started collecting money for the married couple.  

Moving to Maciej’s house

In the morning the bride had to move into her husband’s house. The guests carried everything the bride received as her dowry from her mother. 

The procession followed the musicians to Maciej Boryna’s house. He was waiting there for his wife together with his family. 

Her mother gave Jagna traditional products:  piece of bread, some salt, coal, some wax from the candle and a few ears of wheat. Her godparents threw threads and dry linen branches at Jagna to keep all bad luck and misfortune away from her. 

The married couple received good wishes again and the party continued.