Did you know about Dyngus Day before today?

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Dyngus Day, celebrated primarily by Polish-Americans, is often compared to St. Patrick's Day, with Buffalo recognized as a central hub for the event in its modern form. The tradition, which dates back to at least 1420 in Poland, involves playful customs such as water splashing and the use of pussy willows. Recent media coverage, including a segment on NBC's "Today" featuring Anderson Cooper, sparked discussions about the event, though his humorous take was met with mixed reactions. While some participants celebrate with traditional practices, others express a lack of familiarity or participation, particularly in areas with fewer Polish-Americans. The cultural significance of Dyngus Day and its historical roots are emphasized, highlighting its importance within the Polish-American community.
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Did anybody here celebrate Dyngus Day, Polish-Americans' answer to the Irish St. Patrick's Day?

It looks like Buffalo is the "hometown" of this event in its modern form. I don't remember ever hearing about Dyngus Day while growing up not far from Cleveland and it's large Polish-American population. I learned about it this morning when NBC's "Today" show featured a clip of Anderson Cooper cracking up on the air while doing a story about the event.
 
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jtbell said:
Did anybody here celebrate Dyngus Day, Polish-Americans' answer to the Irish St. Patrick's Day?

To put things in perspective, it is hardly an "answer", as in Poland the custom is pretty old. It is clearly mentioned in documents from 1420, but it existed much earlier.

I learned about it this morning when NBC's "Today" show featured a clip of Anderson Cooper cracking up on the air while doing a story about the event.

As you may guess his comments and reaction were not well received in some parts of the world.

Back to the question - yes, we celebrate. Usually just some sprinkling, but at the time Junior was young it was not that symbolic :biggrin:
 
No Dyngus Day for me. No kitty willows to be seen.
 
Borek said:
As you may guess [Anderson Cooper's] comments and reaction were not well received in some parts of the world.

It looks like he had better accept the invitation to serve as kitty Willow Prince in Buffalo next year, in order to prevent a souring of international relations. :biggrin:
 
Evo said:
No Dyngus Day for me. No kitty willows to be seen.
We had kitty willows, but the ladies hereabouts might be a bit miffed about having water dumped on them and having their legs switched with the kitty willows. Not a lot of Poles in this area.
 
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