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Natural values
The folk costume
XXIV Artistic Presentation of Kurpie
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Natural values
The Kurpie region is very interesting maily because of its big forests surfaces, variety of lies of the land and big amount of both rivers, streams, sand dunes and meadows. A big diversity of landscapes is on relatively little space. Sand dunes are granting the characteristic image of the landscape. The interesting group are sand dunes of the Seraph, by the Łyse village which have interesting and complicated shapes. Majority of sand dunes is converted into forest and therefore very well kept. The Green forest occupies an area about 500 km2. As a result of the felling of forests it isn't clenched and massif but it consists of the row of separate complexes in different sizes.
There are mainly spruce and pine and in boggy places birch-alder trees. There can be also met: deciduous trees hornbeam, aspen and birch. Junipers consists of the lining, rowan tree, crumb, hazel and wolfish bast. In the fleece grow: the May lily of the valley, the wild strawberry, the black cowberry and the cowberry, heather and many species of grass, forest flowers, fern and mosses. The main rivers of this area are: Narew, Pisa around Skroda and Turo¶l, Szkwa, Rozoga and Omulew by the Piodownica. Beyond rivers and streams many small containers of the stagnant water exist: bogs, called locally "pulwy", "chru¶ciele" or "biele" and old watercourses. Only a lake Seraph remained from a few lakes existing formerly. Interesting animal world is appearing in such a diverse landscape. It is possible to meet here: dupes, roe deer, wild boars and foxes, badgers, pine martens, cowards, hares, squirrel; and sometimes wolves.Rivers are a paradise for otter and muskrat. As about fishes,there are: pikes, roaches, breams, rosy barbs. Boggy lands are inhabited by bulks of the aqueous and muddy fowl, amongst of which the swan, the crane, black grouse are most interesting. Moreover in forests, fields and meadows many songbird are living.
It is possible to notice the musicality and the impetuousness of the population of the Kurpie region not only in songs. It found its response also in the different, important element of the musical folklore of Mazovia region - in dances.Dances or only " przytrampywanie "(stamping one's feet into the bar of the music or songs) became the part of every celebration. Traditional dances and their dance figures were largely preserved -some of them changed, however the style of the workmanship stayed the same. We can see the biggest diversity of dances during the wedding. It is essential to emphasize here that some of dances, today danced only on the parties, in the past were connected with ceremonies, some were taken from different cultures, e.g. olender or polka.In games or evening dances, there were performed such dances as powolniaki, logs, polkas.It was ambition of every dancer to dance better, heartilier and with the bigger enthusiasm. Games were organised mainly by young people. Józef Mróz used to say: " Men, if they wanted to organize the party, met and went, where the biggest flat was. They asked the host for this flat and then they employed the musician or musicians.Participants of the play gathered by the walls. There was usually one person, mainly the best dancer-"zawadyjok", who was especially respected during the entire party. Married men, called "uoraci", danced individually.In a particular moment the best dancer shouted: "hola!!we don't dance, uorace dance!!" and then uorace and young women were showing how they can dance." The party lasted the entire night » from widnia to widnia«. People liked to sing and dance.It was commonly said:"got a work,do work, but sing". Music, singing and dances are indelible parts of life of an inhabitant of the Kurpie region of east-central Poland. We owe them that a lot of ancient contents and forms were preserved as far as up till today. The most popular dances on the part of the Mazovia region of Poland are: Powolniak, Log, the Wyrwas Tout, Olender, Oberek, a lively Polish dance the Crane, the Pole, Fafur, Old woman.
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