RE:SEARCH logo
University of Detroit Mercy Libraries / Instructional Design Studio
UDM HOME BLACKBOARD MY UDMERCY
RESEARCH HOME / FIND / SPECIAL COLLECTIONS / THE JAMES T. CALLOW FOLKLORE ARCHIVE /
James Callow Folklore Archive

Collection Home

About Dr. James T. Callow

Dr. James T. Callow publications

Collectors

Browse by

Subject heading

Keyword

Location

Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.

The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

search for

Content filter is on

Your search for 3226 returned 68 results.

prev | items
| next

CHRISTMAS CUSTOM

A BUNDLE OF STRAW WOULD BE PLACED IN THE CORNER OF A ROOM.
A WAFER WOULD LAY ON TOP OF SOME HAY ON THE CENTER OF THE
TABLE.

Submitter comment: THIS OCCURRED IN POLAND.
THIS OCCURRED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; POLAND ; Sterling Heights ; GOWARCZOW

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve

Date learned: 11-00-1973

View just this record

THE FEAST OF THE LORD'S BODY {CORPUS CHRISTI}

IN MAY OR JUNE ALTARS WERE SET UP OUTSIDE. THEY WERE SET UP
IN THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST. A PROCESSION WOULD BE HELD
BY THE VILLAGES WHICH BELONGED TO ONE PARISH.

Submitter comment: THIS HAPPENED IN POLAND. THIS FEAST IS CORPUS CHRISTI.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; POLAND ; Sterling Heights ; GOWARCZOW

James Callow Keyword(s): DIRECTIONS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- May
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- June
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Summer

Date learned: 11-00-1973

View just this record

EASTER CELEBRATIONS

A MAN WOULD INVITE A PRIEST TO VISIT HIS FAMILY AT HOME DURING
EASTER. THE PRIEST WOULD BLESS THE WAFER. THE ORGANIST WOULD
COLLECT HAY, GRAIN, OR MONEY FOR THE CHURCH.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS DONE IN POLAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; POLAND ; Sterling Heights ; GOWARCZOW

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Palm Sunday
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Season

Date learned: 11-00-1973

View just this record

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

ALL THE CHRISTMAS TREES IN POLAND ARE DECORATED WITH ORNAMENTS
MADE BY THE PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE. THESE ARE USED FROM
YEAR TO YEAR. SOMETIMES NUTS AND CRANBERRIES ARE
STRUNG TOGETHER AND THE GARLAND HUNG ON THE BRANCHES OF THE TREE.
THE LIGHTS ARE USUALLY SMALL CANDLES LIT CAREFULLY BY THE LADY
OF THE HOUSE. THE TREE IS ALWAYS DECORATED ON CHRISTMAS EVE,
LONG AFTER THE LITTLE ONES HAVE GONE TO BED.

Submitter comment: RECEIVED BY LETTER FROM POLAND SEVERAL YEARS AGO

Where learned: POLAND ; KRAKOW

James Callow Keyword(s): PLANTS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit
Food Drink -- Plant food Nut

Date learned: 12-01-1975

View just this record

SUPERSTITOON

ROOSTER CROWING BEFORE MIDNIGHT MEANS RAIN.

Submitter comment: IN POLAND, WHERE MY GRANDMOTHER GREW UP, LOCAL TTADITIONS WERE
ACCEPTED AS FACT, AND WERE NOT QUESTIONED.

Where learned: POLAND ; WARSAW ; MIELIEC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bird
BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 00-00-1940

View just this record

CHRISTMAS TREES

CHRISTMAS TREES ARE VERY POPULAR IN POLAND. IN THE LARGE HOUSES IN
THE CITIES THEY ARE PLACED ON THE FLOOR OR THE TABLE. IN OUR
VILLAGE, MIELIEC, PEOPLE HUNG THEM FROM THE CEILING BY THE TOP
BRANCHES, ALL DECORATED WITH APPLES, NUTS, CANDIES AND MANY SMALL
TOYS MADE OUT OF BLOWN EGGS, COLORED PAPER AND STRAW. IT IS
SUPPOSED THAT THE GIFTS WERE BROUGHT BY AN ANGEL, SINCE ST. NICHOLAS
VISITED THE CHILDREN ON DEC. 6. AN OLD CHRISTMAS CAROL IS SUNG AND
THEN THE GIFTS ARE OPENNED.

Submitter comment: EVEN A BARE, SMALL CHRISTMAS TREE WITH A LITTLE ORNAMENTS, BROUGHT
HAPPINESS TO PEOPLE AT A TIME WHEN SIMPLE PLEASURES WERE ALL THAT
MATTERED.

Where learned: POLAND ; WARSAW ; MIELIEC

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Religious
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 6 Feast of St. Nicholas
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 25 Christmas Also see F642, below.
BELIEF -- Angel

Date learned: 00-00-1940

View just this record

CHRISTMAS SONGS

POLISH CAROLS, KOLENDY, ARE SUNG AT MIDNIGHT MASS, OR THE PASTERKA
CALLED SHEPHERDS' WATCH. MANY PEOPLE IN OUR VILLAGE BELIEVED THAT
WHILE WE SANG AND PRAYED, PEACE DESCENDED ON THE WORLD. ANIMALS
ASSUMED VOICES AT THIS TIME, WHICH ONLY WAS HEARD BY THE INNOCENT OF
HEART.

Submitter comment: CHRISTMAS SONGS BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER TO PRAISE THE EARTH AND
HAVE SOME FUN. IT WAS A TIME OF BEING WITH FRIENDS.

Where learned: POLAND ; WARSAW ; MIELIEC

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Religious
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve
BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 00-00-1940

View just this record

EVENTS ON CHRISTMAS EVE

FROM EVENING UNTIL MIDNIGHT, BOYS WALK FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE WITH
AN ILLUMINATED STAR AND A KING HEROD CHARACTER, TO SING CAROLS.
THIS IS DONE TO RECEIVE GIFTS. IN SOME DISTRICTS THE BOYS CARRY
PUPPET SHOWS CALLED SZOPKI. THESE ARE BUILT LIKE A LITTLE HOUSE
WITH TWO TOWERS, OPEN IN THE FRONT WHERE A SMALL CRIB IS SET AND
BEFORE WHICH MARIONETTES SING THEIR DIALOGUES.

Submitter comment: THE DRAMATIZATION AND PUPPET SHOWS WERE EAGERLY AWAITED BY THE
CHILREN OF POLAND AS WELL AS THE ADULTS.

Where learned: POLAND ; WARSAW ; MIELIEC

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Religious
DRAMA -- Religious
DRAMA -- Puppet
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve

Date learned: 00-00-1940

View just this record

prev | items
| next

University of Detroit Mercy
4001 W. McNichols Detroit , MI , 48221-3038
This site is endorsed by the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) and supports the views, values, and mission of UDM. The University of Detroit Mercy web site provides links to other web sites, both public and private, for informational purposes. The inclusion of these links on UDM's site does not imply endorsement by the University. Please contact the Associate Dean for Technical Services and Library Systems for any questions regarding this web site.