In addition, she offers a wealth of information on foodways and on the origins and celebration of holy days, from Christmas Eve vigils to the Dyngus Day festivals of the Easter season."--BOOK JACKET.

"A richly detailed and well-informed month-by-month accounting of all the major Polish customs and traditions practiced over the centuries. Ms. Knab stirs and reawakens our ancestral memory." ―The Kosciuszko Foundation Newsletter Now in a paperback edition with illustrations, historical black and white photographs, and color photographs throughout the book! This unique, well-researched reference is arranged by month, showing the various occasions, feasts and holidays prominent in Polish culture―beginning with December it continues through Holy Week Customs, superstitions, beliefs and rituals associated with farming, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, midsummer, harvest festival, wedding rites, Name Days, birth and death. There is also a chapter on Polish pastimes and games for children. Many of the customs and traditions described in the book have been lost even in today's modern Poland. World wars, massive immigration, the loss of the oral tradition, urbanization and politics have changed the face of a once agrarian people and their way of life throughout the calendar year. The changes, however, have not been able to erase the memory of that way of life completely. Many communities of the Polish diaspora throughout the world still feel connected to Poland and choose to reenact harvest celebrations, reminding themselves of their ancestors' reverence for the grains and gifts of bread. The sharing of oplatek, the Christmas Eve wafer, and the words of love while doing so, continue to bind family and friends together. Although the purpose and meaning may have been lost and forgotten, the oczepiny ceremony (the unveiling) is still the mainstay of almost every wedding where the bride declares Polish heritage. This invaluable resource is perfect for anyone who claims Polish ancestry, diligently practicing that which they learned at their parents' and grandparents' knees. It is for families who wish to teach Polish heritage and customs to their children, and for anyone seeking to learn more about their Slavic roots.

Edited by Joanne Asala, the stories are vividly and dramatically interpreted and portrayed in the paper-cuts (wycinaki) by Alice Wadowski-Bak, noted paper-cut and folkore artist.¶The work of Alice Wadowski-Bak, native of Niagara Falls, New York, is found in private collections and galleries worldwide. The art of wycinanki appeared in Poland in the middle of the 1800s, especially in rural areas where sheep shears were readily available. The method of folding, layering, coloring, and overlay is related to the ancient Chinese art of the block print. Artist Wadowski-Bak explores both wycinanki and oriental stencil cutting. Her origianl designs for this book attest to her exquisite artistry.¶This is a treasure of folk art and lore. A very special gift for personal collections.This book of engaging folk stories includes such tales as "The Violin," "The Headache Cure," "Midsummer's Eve," "The Flower Queen's Daughter," "The Legend of the North Wind," "The Flaming Castle," "The Village Dance," and "The Unfinished Tune."The stories were collected by Joanne Asala, with wycinanki (paper-cutting) illustrations by Polish-American artist Alice Wadowski-Bak.

Presents retellings of traditional Polish tales including How the princess learned to laugh, Pan Twardowski, Where devils are helpless, and The sorcerer's apprentice.

Contains over 500 articles Ranging over foodways and folksongs, quiltmaking and computer lore, Pecos Bill, Butch Cassidy, and Elvis sightings, more than 500 articles spotlight folk literature, music, and crafts; sports and holidays; tall tales and legendary figures; genres and forms; scholarly approaches and theories; regions and ethnic groups; performers and collectors; writers and scholars; religious beliefs and practices. The alphabetically arranged entries vary from concise definitions to detailed surveys, each accompanied by a brief, up-to-date bibliography. Special features *More than 2000 contributors *Over 500 articles spotlight folk literature, music, crafts, and more *Alphabetically arranged *Entries accompanied by up-to-date bibliographies *Edited by America's best-known folklore authority

Folklore has been described as the unwritten literature of a culture: its songs, stories, sayings, games, rituals, beliefs, and ways of life. Encyclopedia of American Folklore helps readers explore topics, terms, themes, figures, and issues related to this popular subject. This comprehensive reference guide addresses the needs of multiple audiences, including high school, college, and public libraries, archive and museum collections, storytellers, and independent researchers. Its content and organization correspond to the ways educators integrate folklore within literacy and wider learning objectives for language arts and cultural studies at the secondary level. This well-rounded resource connects United States folk forms with their cultural origin, historical context, and social function. Appendixes include a bibliography, a category index, and a discussion of starting points for researching American folklore. References and bibliographic material throughout the text highlight recently published and commonly available materials for further study. Coverage includes: Folk heroes and legendary figures, including Paul Bunyan and Yankee Doodle Fables, fairy tales, and myths often featured in American folklore, including "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Princess and the Pea" American authors who have added to or modified folklore traditions, including Washington Irving Historical events that gave rise to folklore, including the civil rights movement and the Revolutionary War Terms in folklore studies, such as fieldwork and the folklife movement Holidays and observances, such as Christmas and Kwanzaa Topics related to folklore in everyday life, such as sports folklore and courtship/dating folklore Folklore related to cultural groups, such as Appalachian folklore and African-American folklore and more.