..:: Kashuby ::..

Kashubian proverbs

The music of Kashuby

The dances

The Kaszuby dances are mostly gentle, joyful and graceful. Although they have many characteristic traits of the dances from the rest of Poland, especially from the neighboring regions of Warmia, Wielkopolska and even Slask, they reveal obvious Swedish and German influences both in music and in dance steps. They can be divided into dances of the rural population and of people of the sea - the sailors and the fishermen. They were danced during various events in the life of the Kashubian people. They were part of seasonal or family celebrations (such as harvest or wedding), and of rituals and ceremonies which often had their origin in pagan customs. Examples of such dances are Rebacki tonc, Koses, Brutci tonc, Wiwat and Taniec ognia. Others were done just for the sheer pleasure of dancing as recreation as well as courtship. (Examples: Nasza nenka, Maruszka, Okrac se wkol, Zanc, Wiem jo wiem, Nasza koza, Krzyznik). Others illustrated the work of a trade as for instance Dzek (sailor), Szewo (shoemaker), Kowal (blacksmith) or Owczarz (shepherd). Some of them have a show-off characteristic (Dzek).

Here are some figures from Kaszubian dances

Songs

The simple tunes which accompany the Kashubian dances are written mostly in 2/4 and 5/4 meter and often in major tones. The titles of the dialect tunes and the words to the songs are in the Kashubian dialect "gwara" which differs greatly from the literary Polish. It even has accents such as ö e which are not used elsewhere in the Polish language. The Kashubian way of speaking differs so much from the rest of Poland that, for instance, a Polish goral, a mountaineer from the Tatra mountains whose "gwara" is influenced by the Carpathian shepherds’ culture and a polish rybak, a fisherman from the Baltic Sea, might not be able to understand each other.

Back Bands of musicians

The traditional Kashubian "kapela" (band of musicians) in addition to the usual accordion, violins and clarinet included ancient instruments. These were the bazuna, a long wooden trumpet and the burczybas, a wooden barrel double bass, i.e., a friction drum in which a tuft of horsehair is attached to the membrane. The player pulls it, thus obtaining a low rumbling sound and since the horsehair must be kept moist, the musician needs an assistant who from time to time pours some water on the horsehair. Another instrument was the diabelskie skrzypce, 'devil’s violin', which is a percussion instrument in the form of a long stick with untuned strings and jingles attached to it. These are put in motion by hitting them with a drumstick or by raising the instrument and hitting the floor with it.

Back Kashubian notes

To je krótczi, to je dłudżi
To cesarza stolëca

Tp są basë, to są skrzypczi
To oznaczô szlachcëca

To je rydl, to je tycz
To są chojnë, widłë gnojnë

To je krzëwé, to je prosté
to je osné/tylni koło wozne

To są hôczi, to są ptôczi
To są prusczi półtrojôczi

To je całé, to je pół
to je oseł/klëka, a to wół

To są bulwë, to są wrëczi
To je naszô biôłó marchéw.

Bulwë, wrëczi,
naszô biôłô marchéw,
cały, pół, oseł, wół,
hôk, ptôk, półtrojôk,
osné koło wozne,
krzëwe, prosté,
chojnë, widłë gnojnë,
rydl, tycz, oznaczô szlachcëca
basë, skrzypczi, krótczi, dłudżi,
to cesarza stolëca.

To je małi, to je wiôldzi
To są instrumenta wszôlci

Back Gzubë

Word "gzubë" means the children which like pranks and joy. The founder, artistic manager and choreographer of "Gzubë" is Lucyna Tryba. The members of group were pupils from primary school in Tuchomie, at present they attend different high schools. They learn respect to native tradition, show Kashubian folklore, customs, authentic dance, singing, music and Kashubian language. "Gzubë" is one of the best folk groups on Middle Pomerania. The group performed at home (Gdańsk, Hel, Słupsk, Gdynia, Częstochowa, Łeba, Ustka, Bytów) and abroad (Danmark, Ukraine, Turkey, France and Germany). "Gzubë" won many high prizes, took part in many contests and festivals and appeared in television, radio and press.

Current projects: The group would like to establish contact with teams or classes from foreign countries. There are possible joint camps and performances. In June "Gzubë" was going to take part in folk festival which takes place in Portugal.

Back Listen Songs!

Different songs in modern version:

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