Polish Association Wollongong Inc | Non-profit organisation

Polish Association Wollongong Inc

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25.01.2022 Yayyyyyyy!!! The last hole has been dug. Well done everyone!

25.01.2022 The finale of WEEK 2! The hangar is now lockup and weatherproof. Next week we need to follow with some detailing and proceed with the preparations for another phase of the project.

24.01.2022 Has the main man himself stopped by your place today?! December 6 marks a very special day for children in Poland, as it is St Nicholas’ Day, or Miko...ajki, when the man himself visits all the boys and girls that have been good through the year and secretly brings them small gifts. In this way, children in Poland are essentially visited by St Nicholas (or Santa Claus) twice each year, as Western customs have over time brought with them the tradition of gift giving and receiving on Christmas Eve. However in some regions in Poland, it is believed that gifts on Christmas Eve are delivered by an Angel (anioek), the Little One (Dzieciatko, or Baby Jesus) or even a Starman (Gwiazdor), as w Mikoaj is tired after his big trip on December 6th. Mikoajki traditions have been carried out for many centuries, and mark the start of the Christmas holidays in Poland. The day celebrates Swiety Mikoaj (St Nicholas), the patron saint of children, who was a Bishop in Myra (nowadays a province in Turkey) in the 4th century, known for his generosity towards those in need, and had a reputation for secret gift-giving. Leading up to December 6th, children will write letters to St Nicholas to tell him that they have been well behaved, and to include a wishlist of the small gifts they’d like to receive on the day. As tradition goes, on the morning of Mikoajki, children will find gifts under their pillows, on windowsills and even in their shoes! To celebrate this joyous gift-giving occasion, many families also choose to decorate their homes and display their Christmas trees for Mikoajki, as they prepare for the exciting Christmas season ahead. #wmikoaj #mikoajki #stnicholas #polishchristmas

23.01.2022 For all of you who are new to our page or even those of you who wonder why our team of hard working men and women are spending their time building a hangar for ...our museum, here is a link to the Illawarra Mercurys initial coverage on what we hope to achieve. In the meantime, I have posted some more photos of the progress for you to enjoy :) https://www.illawarramercury.com.au//illawarra-polish-gro/

23.01.2022 THE MUSEUM OF FOLK ARCHITECTURE IN SANOK The open air museum at Sanok, in the south-east of present-day Poland, includes 150 buildings, extends over 38 ha. and ...is claimed to be the largest of its kind in Poland. It was established in 1958 and set an example that was copied in other parts of the country. Like open air museums in other countries it portrays the ways of life of peasant societies before industrialisation, but, perhaps uniquely, it provides a poignant reminder of the various nationalities who lived in this part of Europe who were forced to flee from their homes during and after the Second World War. The museu m, on a hill above the town, includes buildings from several nearby regions, the Bieszczady Mountains,the Low Beskids, the Jasto and Sanok valleys, the Cizkowice and Dynw hills, parts of Przemyl and the Strzyzw hills. The buildings are grouped according to the ethnic groups to which they belonged, the Bojki and emki peoples, Ruthenians, Polish Pogrzans, Rutheno-Polish Dolinians, Jews and Gipsies, most of whom disappeared from this part of Galicia in the years after 1945. All occupied distinctive buildings and followed distinctive life styles. Their cultures are reflected in their churches and wayside shrines, Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic, as well as a synagogue. The museum includes many peasant farmsteads, well heads and apiaries carved from tree trunks, highly distinctive windmills, a watermill, a pottery, and an oil well, a reminder of the important role of Galicia in the development of the petroleum industry in Europe in the nineteenth century.

23.01.2022 The high altar of St. Marys Basilica in #Krakw is s largest and most important piece of Gothic art. Its construction began #OTD in 1477 and took its creator, sculptor Wit #Stwosz, 12 years to complete. It was allegedly named the 8th wonder of the by Pablo #Picasso.

22.01.2022 https://culture.pl//smigus-dyngus-polands-national-water-f

21.01.2022 Museum of King John IIIs Palace at Wilanw See more at https://www.wilanow-palac.pl/ The history of the Wilanow Palace, a wonderful Baroque royal residence, be...gan on April 23, 1677, when a village became the property of King John Sobieski III. At the beginning, the residence built there was small. Augustyn Locci, the kings court architect, received the task of creating only a ground floor residence of a layout typical for the buildings of the Republic of Poland. However, military successes and an increase of the importance of royalty in the coming years had a huge influence on expanding the initial project. Huge construction works were conducted in the years 1677-1696. After completion, the building comprised of elements of a nobility house, an Italian garden villa and a French palace in the style of Louis XIV. After the death of the King, the Palace became the property of his sons, and in 1720, a run down property was purchased by one of the wealthiest women in Poland of those days Elizabeth Sieniawska. In 1730, the Palace, for three years, was owned by king August II the Strong, who made considerable changes in the residence, particularly as far as the internal dcor is concerned. In the middle of 18th century, the Wilanw property was inherited by the daughter of Czartoryski, wife of a field marshal, Izabela Lubomirska, during whose reign, Wilanw started shining with its previous glory. Sixty nine years later, the Duchess gave Wilanw to her daughter and her husband, Stanislaw Kostka Potocki. Thanks to his efforts, one of the first museums in Poland was opened in the Wilanw Palace, in 1805. The exposition consists of two parts: on the main floor you will be able to see the royal apartments of the palace. Rooms where parties took place, chambers where the royal couples listened to music, met their friends and guests, and where they worked and rested. On the first floor there is the Gallery of the Polish Portrait, where you can see the effigies of the Polish monarchs collected over the centuries, representatives of great magnate families, participants of national uprisings, eminent artists and people honored by Poland. Their authors are often prominent Polish and foreign painters. All photos Museum of King John IIIs Palace at Wilanw.

20.01.2022 Midsummers Night /Kupaas Night or St Johns Night Poland still shares some traditions with its Slavic and Scandinavian brothers which seem to have some roots ...in old pagan traditions. The best example of that is probably Kupaa Night (Noc Kupay) which is celebrated on the shortest night of the year, generally the night of June 21/22. The night is dedicated to the elements of fire and water, the moon, the sun, love and fertility while the occasion is also a day for perspective lovers to celebrate.While the origins of the name are unclear it is thought to have come from either the Russian word to bathe, the Slavic goddess of fertility Kupala, or possibly the Indo-European word kump meaning group or community. Whatever its origins, many younger people take the opportunity to celebrate by organizing bonfires with dancing and partying into the night. One tradition sees people jumping over flames to cleanse and protect against evil and bad fortune. The most famous part of the evening however is when young women go down to the river and set wreaths with candles afloat. If the wreath is picked out by a bachelor it signifies imminent marriage. Young women, followed by young men, also head into the woods and forests (on the pretence) of searching for the kwiat paproci (fern flower) a legendary flower which supposedly only blooms on this one night in the year. Anyone who finds it will enjoy good fortune, power, wisdom and wealth. If the young man comes out of the forest wearing the young ladys wreath this is a sign that the two are joined in love. Noc Kupay is often mixed up with or celebrated jointly with St. Johns Day Eve (Noc witojaska) which is celebrated on the evening before the Christian St. Johns Day (June 23/24). It is thought that this holy day originates from the time that the Christians tried to assimilate some pagan celebrations into the Christian calendar. It is believed that as St John made baptism with water so on this evening water would be consecrated to protect against evil and St. John became the celebrations patron. A mixing of the pagan traditions of Noc Kupay and the religious traditions of Noc witojaska seem to have occurred with church attendance and wreath making on the same day not uncommon. Nowadays, in many Polish cities, huge events are organised on St. Johns Eve (June 23) where these traditions meet and include Wianki in Krakw or Cuda Wianki . PL Noc Switojaska, Noc Kupay, zwana te Noc Kupaln, Kupalnock czy te potocznie Sobtk to nazwa sowiaskiego wita zwizanego z letnim przesileniem Soca, obchodzonego w najkrtsz noc w roku z 21 czerwca na 22 czerwca. Przeprowadzane w jej trakcie zwyczaje i obrzdy sowiaskie miay zapewni witujcym zdrowie i urodzaj. W czasie tej magicznej nocy rozpala si ogniska, w ktrych pali si zioa. W trakcie radosnych zabaw odbywaj si rnego rodzaju wrby i tace. Dziewczta puszczaj w nurty rzek wianki z zapalonymi wiecami." "Dzie Kupay - najduszy w roku, noc Kupay - najkrtsza, byy jednym cigiem wesela, piewu, skokw i obrzdw." - pisa Jzef Ignacy Kraszewski w "Starej Basni" Part of the text via http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/Midsummers-Night_72214f Photos via Maciej Bielec, elendilon.pl, m-lednicamuzeum.pl, wiano.eu, Piotr Kras, epoznan.pl, police.pl, muzeum-wegorzewo.pl, culture.pl, goldenline.pl, garnek.pl, zielarka.com.pl,

20.01.2022 Day 3 of construction. Work progress.

19.01.2022 230 years ago, on May 3, 1791, the 3 May Constitution was adopted in a bid to reform the Commonwealth and protect its unity. The Constitution did not sa...ve #Poland from partitions, but its principles endured in the and minds of Poles throughout their 123-year struggle for independence. See more

18.01.2022 The white and red colours of the Polish national flag derive from the colours of the coat of arms of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland a white eagle against ...a red background. This symbol, in different variants, was known at least from the beginning of the 13th century. It accompanied the Piast families from Wielkopolska, Maopolska, Mazovia and Silesia... Therefore, it is all the more difficult to believe that the Polish flag only celebrated its 100th birthday on 1 August 2019. On 2 May, the Poles celebrate its National Flag Day. Established in 2004, this special day aims to popularise knowledge about Polish identity and national symbols. Officially, these two colours began to function only during the November Uprising. This is because different banners were used simultaneously in the Middle Ages. Dukes and later kings had their own (often it was the White Eagle against a red background, but not always), and knights or individual lands had their own. The personal symbolism of the ruler gradually transformed into the state’s domain in order to achieve its richest form during the Jagiellonian era. Here, on a piece of fabric consisting of three bands of equal width red, white and red a five-field coat of arms was placed: quartered with each other two White Eagles and two Pogo Litewska coats of arms, with an additional shield depicting an ancestral coat of arms of the ruler (a double Jagiellonian cross, Stephen Báthory’s Dragon Teeth or Vasa’s wheatsheaf) placed in the middle. This banner was for the then mighty Poland a symbol as precious as the Crown of St. Stephen was for the Hungarians. The combined colours of white and red are linked to the celebrations surrounding the first anniversary of the Constitution of 3 May 1791. Ladies demonstrating their patriotic attitude attended events or took walks in parks wearing white dresses adorned with a red sash. Men, on the other hand, wore white and red sashes. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the Flag Day is celebrated on 2 May, the day before the May Constitution Day. With the establishment of the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw (1807-1815), along with the constitution, Napoleon gave this dependent state... a white and red flag. These colours were also mentioned in the act of the insurgent Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland from 1831, at the time of the November Uprising: The lower and upper houses of the Polish parliament, having listened to the conclusions of the Sejm Committees and having considered the necessity to establish a uniform symbol to unite all Poles, have decided as follows: Article 1. The national cockade shall be the colours of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania white with red. Article 2. All Poles, namely the Polish Army, are to wear these colours in the places where such symbols had been previously worn. Later, the invaders of Poland, consciously or negligently, often used these colours interchangeably; however, more often citing as appropriate the reversed combination of red and white colours. On 3 May 1916, Warsaw saw for the first time a crowd of demonstrators wearing white and red flags manufactured in textile mills. The Industrial Revolution in the service of national awakening... After Poland regained independence, the Sejm approved the white and red version of the flag with the act of 1 August 1919. The width-to-length ratio (5:8) specified in the act still applies. If these proportions differ, we can talk about national colours, but not the national flag. At the same time, during the interwar period, another national symbol was used a white eagle against a red background. This was the banner of the Republic of Poland. The banner was part of the insignia of Poland’s Head of State (Naczelnik Pastwa), and later part of the presidential insignia. In 1927, the image of the White Eagle was altered (new design by Zygmunt Kamiski was adopted). The banner was also changed. It received a border of a wavy line used in the Polish military as a symbol of general’s rank (wyk generalski) and embellished with galloons. The act of 1919 also introduced the white and red flag with the coat of arms (white eagle against a red background) in the centre of the upper white band. It became established that on land this flag was used only as the flag of embassies and consulates, while at sea as a merchant flag, and in a version with so-called swallowtails, the flag of the Polish navy. Text: Robert Szydlik : @medican.campus

16.01.2022 "The iconic armour of Polands 17th Century winged hussars. Although there are several competing theories as to the origin and purpose of their elaborate wings... one thing is certain they were feared and respected as elite warriors throughout Central Europe and Asia Minor. In 1683 at the Battle of Vienna Polands winged hussars under the command of King John III Sobieski defeated the Ottoman Turks thereby saving Europe from the Turkish invasion." ( thanks to Polish culture, foods and traditions) See more

15.01.2022 Gorlice - city of light! By Krystian Kiwacz https://www.facebook.com/Krystian-KiwaczFotografia-842286099190365/ There are still some places in Poland, which des...pite its beauty and uniqueness, are not very known to the public, which natural beauty is unspoilt by tourists who wait in huge lines only to see another trendy spot. One of these undiscovered places is Gorlice a lovely town located in the Low Beskids. This region can offer a lot as there are many wonderful spots, architectural wonders and memorabilia after events, which had an immense impact on the history of Europe and even on the whole world. Gorlice - a town surrounded by several mountain ranges of the Low Beskids (a part of the Carpathian Mountains). It is located on the Polish- Slovakian borderline and it is a place that is definitely worth seeing. Many people entranced by landscapes, history and people of this region love to come back here. Everyone will find something for themselves: enthusiasts of history and nature, ecologists, poets, young people but also the elderly, who are seeking for relaxation after many years of hard work. Come to Gorlice and you will see that it is worth visiting! You will have a great chance to discover a place where time passes much slowly, where you can forget about all your worries and troubles. Feel this microclimate of kindness, candour and closeness to nature. Gorlice can pride itself on rich and interesting history, full of metamorphosis present and attractive plans for the future. The town, which lays on the old Hungarian merchant transit, was inviting many traders and visitors in the past. Today ,with the same Old Polish hospitality, our town warmly greets every tourist, merchant or businessman. In the PTTK Regional Museum you can see an interesting exhibition of memorabilia after Ignacy ukasiewicz. You are also invited to visit the Open-Air Museum of the Oil Industry Magdalena which was designed to faithfully present the history of Gorlices oil industry and to preserve its remnants. The facility includes a shaft with a wooden drilling as well as devices, machines and tools for petroleum oil exploration. Inside, you may not only see the tools used for extracting oil more than 100 years ago, but also have a try at lighting fire with bellows in the forge and see the beautiful panorama of Lower Beskids mountains from the drill tower. Read more at https://www.gorlice.pl/pl/415/0/visit-gorlice-eng-.html See more

14.01.2022 Back to Wieliczka Salt Mine for a good weekend;) Wieliczka Mine is one of the most valuable monuments of material and spiritual culture in Poland. Each year ...it is visited by more than one million tourists from all over the world. It is also a world class monument, featuring among twelve objects on the UNESCOs World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. Today, the Wieliczka Salt Mine combines many centuries of tradition and modernity, the history of several hundred years and an underground metropolis with extensive infrastructure. The mine is a product of work of tens of generations of miners, a monument to the history of Poland and to the Polish nation a brand, present in Polish consciousness for centuries. As the Polish saying has it to know somebody, you must eat a barrel of salt together and, after all, it is work that is the salt of life. Salt has been an inseparable companion of humankind, however, this sentence can be reversed. After all, it is so much older than the humankind itself. The salt in Wieliczka is nearly fourteen million years old. It falls in the category of Miocene salt-bearing series consisting of rock salt deposits and (to a significantly smaller degree) potassium-magnesium salts. They stretch along the arch of the Carpathians, starting in the area of Silesia to carry on as far as the Iron Gate region of Romania. The Wieliczka salt deposit was formed over thousands of years as a result of multiple processes. It has a diversified and unique geological structure. The deposit is formed of two different parts the upper and the lower one. The upper block or lump deposit was formed as marly claystone and claystone with halite crystals (called zubry) with plugs of rock salt, known as green, located between them. The lower deposit consists of layers of rock salts alternating with interlayers of gangue it is a bedded deposit. To the south, the Wieliczka deposit borders with Carpathian flysh formations. Its northern limit and, partly, overburden consist of Machow formations (Chodenice layers). Subsalt rocks are Skawina formations (Skawina layers). The deposit is surrounded with the lagging of claystone and gypsum and covered with quaternary formations. To the west, the Wieliczka deposit undergoes gradual transition into the Barycz deposit while in the east into the Sulkow deposit, tested only with boreholes. text via: http://www.wieliczka-saltmine.com/about-the-mine photos: http://www.wieliczka-saltmine.com/about-the-mine Bogumi Kruel,www.discovercracow.eu, www.seekrakow.com, krakowtrip.pl, www.lowcostholidays.com

14.01.2022 From travel.lovePoland Magazine. Stories from Lower Beskid: Old customs and beliefs associated with births in the Lemkos Land and the Uplands by Katarzyna Skra..., www.magurskiewyprawy.pl (reads full text in the Magazine) The family became full when they had children. Having a child was important not only for the family, but also for economic reasons. When children grew older, they could help in the farm and later take it over, which allowed villagers to maintain continuity of ownership and management. Fertility was widely recognised as Gods blessing. It is amazing how many of the old habits have survived in an unchanged or slightly modified version to this day. Lets take pregnancy as an example. Have you ever heard that a daughter steals her mothers beauty? Already at the end of the 19th century it was believed that a nice appearance and a smooth complexion of a pregnant woman predicts the birth of a boy. On the other hand, spots on the face and worse condition of the skin said that a daughter should be expected. It will be a story about beliefs, traditions and rites related to the expectation, birth and baptism of a child in the Low Beskids and the Foothills region. Pregnancy Family members and the local community were required to treat a pregnant woman in a special way. If Its not becoming of every woman to act is any specific way, then during pregnancy it might be all right. It was widely believed that a woman in the family way could not be denied anything. If she asked for something and got a negative answer, then "mice would eat everything". Hence, everything we would refuse to offer to a pregnant woman, would go to waste anyway. When the belly was pointed, it announced the birth of a boy and the round belly forecast a girl. The "sweet tooth" of a pregnant woman heralded the birth of a daughter, and the desire for salty and sour things was a clue that a son would soon be born. A pregnant woman, like a woman during menstruation, is considered unclean, so she cant be invited for a christening or a wedding. She is also not allowed too many mundane daily household activities, such as preparing preserves in jars for winter. It is believed that If she starts making the preserves, everything will get rotten. Pickling cabbage or cucumbers are the activities forbidden for pregnant women. It is still widely believed in my hometown in the Upland that a woman during menstruation or pregnancy cannot undertake such works. Babys birth Today, as a result of the development of medicine, these are much rarer cases, but in the past miscarriages were quite common. Pregnancy was not monitored or controlled in any way. So, the cases of such natural selection used to occur. The biggest problem of a premature, dead foetus was the lack of a baptism. Such children were buried outside the cemetery, where, usually on windy evenings, soft voices could be heard crying: "baptism, baptism...". Having children was important, but often, due to material reasons, too many children used to become an excessive burden unfortunately long time ago no methods of preventing pregnancy were known. Therefore, the attempts to cause miscarriage were nothing unusual. The most common ways included jumping from a height or lifting weights. Plants causing early abortion, such as juniper berries and willow bark, were also known. At the end of the 19th century and until the middle of the 20th century, most rural women gave birth to children at home, and village midwifes helped in these cases. These were women specialised in labour assistance, they had knowledge of folk medicine and magic. In addition to delivering babies, they also helped with bathing and caring for the new-born baby. It was commonly believed that when a child is born, the mother cannot have any knots on her and everything around her must be open. Therefore, wardrobes, drawers, chests were opened. It was believed to facilitate the labour, but despite such operations, difficult deliveries were still frequent. In such cases, the woman was seated on a pot with a hot herbal infusion, which facilitated body loosening and, as a consequence, used to make the childbirth easier. In Gadyszw, a midwife rubbed the loins of a pregnant woman using vodka with a "strong herb" - that is, bluebonnet (interesting fact is that the bluebonnet is still called "strong herb" around Gorlice today). New-born boys had their umbilical cord cut on an axe to become a craftsman. A child who was born with hair on its head was considered happy, and a baby with teeth for wise. Polish web: http://www.magurskiewyprawy.pl https://lovepoland.org/travel-lovepoland/ by Katarzyna Skra and travel.lovePoland Magazine, June 2020

13.01.2022 Happy Fat Thursday

13.01.2022 We are exactly 10 days away from the start of the 2020 Polish Film Festival Sydney and tickets to some sessions are selling fast. THE LEGIONS (Legiony) Sunda...y 25 October 6:00pm SELLING FAST THE TASTE OF PHO (Smak pho) Wednesday 28 October 7.00pm THE IRON BRIDGE (elazny Most) Friday 30 October 7:00pm ICARUS. THE LEGEND OF MIETEK KOSZ (Ikar. Legenda Mietka Kosza) Saturday 31 October 7:00pm SELLING FAST THE DAY OF CHOCOLATE (Dzie Czekolady) Sunday 1 November 3:00pm SELLING FAST SERVANTS OF WAR (Sugi wojny) Friday 6 November 7.00pm VALLEY OF THE GODS (Dolina Bogów) Saturday 7 November 7:00pm CHARLATAN (Szarlatan) Sunday 8 November 6.00pm SELLING FAST To view our full program go to: www.polishfilmfestival.org/sydney-2020 Tickets are available online or at the box office at Palace Norton St in Leichhardt until sold out. Seat capacity is limited by NSW COVID-19 restrictions. We recommend advance ticket purchase to avoid disappointment. For screening updates sign up to our mailing list under: polishfilmfestival.org/sydney-newsletter

12.01.2022 Wawel castle / winter in Krakow By All Photos Jeremiasz Gdek, https://www.facebook.com/jeremiaszgadek/ photojeremy.pl ... The Renaissance palace you see today dates from the 16th century. An original, smaller residence was built in the early 11th century by King Bolesaw I Chrobry. Kazimierz III Wielki (Casimir III the Great) turned it into a formidable Gothic castle, but when it burned down in 1499, Zygmunt I Stary (Sigismund I the Old; 150648) commissioned a new residence. Within 30 years, the current Italian-inspired palace was in place. Despite further extensions and alterations, the three-storey structure, complete with a courtyard arcaded on three sides, has been preserved to this day. Wawel Royal Castles Visitor Services are located in the Visitors Center. These include the Information Desk, Ticket Windows, Reservation and Guide Service Office, as well as toilet facilities, dining, and shopping. The Visitors Center also offers free Wi-Fi. Winter Season (December 1March 31) PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS: State Rooms: normal 20 PLN, reduced 12 PLN Royal Private Apartments: normal 23 PLN, reduced 18 PLN; guide-led groups (ticket included) Crown Treasury and Armoury: normal 20 PLN, reduced 12 PLN Oriental Art: normal 8 PLN, reduced 6 PLN * Lost Wawel: normal 10 PLN, reduced 7 PLN Wawel Recovered: 1 PLN * Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. * last visitor entry 3 p.m., sales till 2:45 * * Oriental Art: entrance only at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. * Sunday only State Rooms and The Lost Wawel are open * 10:00 a.m.-4 p.m., last visitor entry 3 p.m. * free admission complimentary passes issued until 2:45 p.m. * Closed Mondays SEASONAL EXHIBITIONS: closed till April 2020

11.01.2022 So this is Christmas And what have you done? Another year over And a new one just begun And so this is Christmas... I hope you have fun The near and the dear ones The old and the young! A very Merry Christmas And a Happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear (John Lennon) A few photos from today's Christmas party.

10.01.2022 Even though we are all in isolation have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone Wesoych wit Wielkanocnych

10.01.2022 Kociuszko Mound (Kopiec Kociuszki) in Kraków, Poland, erected in commemoration of the Polish national leader Tadeusz Kociuszko, is an artificial mound modele...d after Kraków's prehistoric mounds of Krak and Wanda. A serpentine path leads to the top, approximately 326 metres above sea level, with a panoramic view of the Vistula River and the city. The Kociuszko Mound inspired Count Paul Strzelecki, Polish patriot and Australian explorer, to name the highest mountain in Australia -Mount Kosciuszko - because of its perceived resemblance to the Kociuszko Mound in Kraków. #Kociuszko #mtkosciuszko

09.01.2022 Szanowni Pastwo, W zwizku z zarzdzeniem rzdu z dnia dzisiejszego (poniedziaek 23/03/2020) odwouj jutrzejsze Zebranie Zarzdu. Jednoczenie wstrzymuj wszystkie aktywnoci na terenie Domu Polskiego do odwoania... Z powaaniem Prezes Krzysztof Tokarz

08.01.2022 The hard work continues. Our hangar is going to be fantastic. A huge thankyou to Andrew, Ben, Les, Janusz and the whole team for putting in the hard yakka and doing such a great job that will benefit us all. Its going to be so exciting when it is finished!

08.01.2022 Tatra expedition photos by: Janusz Wanczyk from the travel.lovePoland Magazine, Summer 2019 Read full story at: https://lovepoland.org/travel-lovepoland/ ... tLP: I remember my first Tatra trip, probably when I was 8 years old. And do you remember when you first went to the Tatras? Do you think that we can say that these are mountains for everyone? JW: My first time in the Tatra Mountains was the school classic a trip to Lake Morskie Oko, but my first adult trekking in the "real" Tatra Mountains was an expedition to the Ornak range from the Kocieliska Valley 25 years ago.The infatuation remains and when circumstances and health allow me to spend some time in the mountains, I preferably choose the Tatras. Of course with the camera in the backpack. The Tatras can be for everyone but... the difficulty of the trails should be chosen according to our capacities. The time of year is also important. Trails which seem pretty easy in the summer, in the winter season are suitable only for the chosen ones with special training and equipment. There are also easy and very attractive scenic routes that can be offered to parents with small children, for example: Kocieliska Valley, Gsienicowa, Morskie Oko, routes to the regal peaks: Sarnia Skaa, Kopieniec or Gsia Szyja. But I also saw small children on Rysy... tLP: In this issue, we present (besides the Tatra landscapes), the photographs of mountainous goats living in the Tatras. People and animals in the Tatra National Park share one, common space. During your trips, did you notice any changes in the nature of the Tatra Mountains? And what about other animals did you meet in the Tatras, for example, bears or marmots? (I personally remember that many years ago I had to escape from a bear, jumping through the window into a shelter in the Roztoka Valley).Wandering early in the morning, near the trail to the shelter of Murowaniec, on the glade called Rwnia Krlowej, I saw a bear with two of her offspring, feeding on a clearing. It was there also in the evening when we were returning from the summits of Granaty . They were eating blueberries between the clumps of mountain pines Kosic, not paying much attention to the numerous groups of tourists observing them. I have met mountain goats many times on the Tatra trails. At Ornak, a group of several goats blocked a crossing on the trail, eating tasty herbs. The observation could take over a dozen minutes before they graciously let us go. At the descent from the Starorobociaski Summit to the Chochoowska Valley, the situation repeated itself on Trzydniowiaski Wierch. I met and photographed the most numerous herds of goats on the trail along the summits of Czerwone Wierchy and in the Slovak Tatras: on the Wide Bielska Pass and in the Lamb Valley. I watched marmots and listened to their whistling melodies in the Dolina Piciu Staww valley but I was not lucky enough to photograph them. I have a large collection of photographs of Tatra vegetation. Recognition of plants names and their photographic documentation is my new passion. photos: Janusz Wanczyk interview for travel.lovePoland Magazine

07.01.2022 Hello all, All events and meetings will he cancelled at the Polish Association until further notice. We will advise when this is to resume.... Stay safe and thank you.

07.01.2022 All ready for the next stage. So exciting...

07.01.2022 Polish Amber - Bursztyn Amber has always been the native gemstone of Poland. The countrys coastline once supplied ancient Greeks and Romans with their precious... electrum via the famous Amber Road that used to connect the Baltic Sea with the Mediterranean. Nowadays it looks like amber jewelry and amber ornaments are the basic commodity at every jewellers shop in any Polish city. And Krakow can boast numerous stores trading in amber, from reasonably priced souvenirs to costly designer necklaces, bracelets, and rings. There are two words for amber in Polish, bursztyn as an everyday term and jantar as a literary expression. Amber is fossilised resin of the Cretaceous and Paleocene trees. The Baltic amber can be as old as ninety million years or as young as thirty million years. It may contain embedded objects of the same age such as insects or even tiny vertebrates, fragments of plants, sand, etc. Amber can be transparent or opaque or anything in between. Its colour may vary from ivory to all shades of reddish brown to almost black. Sure, amber is pretty often amber in colour. The value of amber depends on the size in the first place. And since amber is much lighter and usually cheaper than other gemstones, even fairly big chunks of it may be used to produce jewellery. In most cases, transparent amber is more expensive than its opaque variety. And visible inclusions such as embedded insects make amber costlier by far. Also other apparent imperfections little bubbles, clouds, shadings, etc. dont necessary decrease the value. Not seldom they actually may make a piece of amber more unusual and/or attractive, hence more valuable. On the whole, amber jewellery is inexpensive. Amber itself counts as semiprecious stone, priced accordingly, and its usually set in silver rather than gold. So, compared to other gemstones, aesthetic appeal seems more important in the case of a purchase of amber jewellery. Skilful use of amber, its careful selection, ingenious and original design, and impeccable craftsmanship greatly add to the value of amber necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, and other baubles. edited tekst via http://www.krakow-info.com/amber.htm Photos: zdrach, ambermuseum.eu, diabel72.flog.pl, portalgdansk.pl, amber-le.eu, amber-abram.pl, blog.yes.pl, cobaltblue.pl, jubiler.greenal.net, bursztyn-srebro.pl, trendymania.pl, polskieradio.pl, dylaktadeusz.wordpress.com, art izu.pl, national-geographic.pl, magiakamieni.blog.pl, metrocafe.pl, patriot24.net, polskiekrajobrazy.pl, polishartworld.com,

06.01.2022 https://www.health.nsw.gov.au//covid/Pages/resources.aspx https://www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au/pub/covid-19-coronavirus.

05.01.2022 Kilka zdj z naszego parafialnego obiadu Some photos from our Parish lunch

05.01.2022 Our hardworking IPM members busy at work preparing the ground for the placement of our plane hangar. We are all so very happy that our dream looks like it will finally come true. Well done Andrew Krajewski, John Burns and team for your fantastic effort!!!!

05.01.2022 Obchody 230 rocznicy uchwalenia Konstytucji 3 Maja.

05.01.2022 Aleksander Gowacki, better known by his pen name Bolesaw Prus, one of the most prominent Polish writers, died on this day in 1912. His great novel The Doll, apart from the story of unfortunate romance , portrays various images of 19th-century Warsaw youtu.be/qy6bfPpfZ94

04.01.2022 Nieprofesjonalna Sekcja Tenisa Stoowego z Wollongong Wollongongs unprofessional Table Tennis Section

04.01.2022 Today, our first presentation in 2020 took place. Artist Janusz Zaklikowski talked about his late wife Dana and explained what lies behind the mysterious unpain...ted square in his paintings. The presentation was very, very interesting and touching. Janusz, thank you very much. Dzisiaj odbya si pierwsza prezentacja w tym roku. Artysta malarz, Pan Janusz Zaklikowski opowiada o swojej zmarej onie i wyjawi co kryje si za tajemniczym, niezamalowanym kwadracikiem na jego obrazach. Dzisiejsza prezentacja bya super interesujca, bardzo osobista i wzruszajca. Janusz, dzikujemy Ci za to bardzo.

04.01.2022 Poland does not celebrate Halloween, but Poland sets its cemeteries on fire and those cemeteries are the most beautiful places to be on November 1st 1st Novem...ber- All Saints’ Day and 2nd November All Souls’ Day are days when almost everyone visits graves of their family members. The gravestones are decorated with colorful chrysanthemums in full bloom (in Poland those flowers are associated with this particular occasion) and millions of grave candles (zniczy), which symbolize the presence of God and reminds of the prayer that has been said in a moment of reflexion for those who passed before us. November 1st is a national holiday in Poland. This special time of the year creates a very melancholic atmosphere full of spiritual contemplation about those who are not with us in this world anymore.

03.01.2022 #OTD in 1791, 3rd May Constitution was adopted. In Jan #Matejkos monumental painting, Stanisaw II Augustus enters St. Johns Cathedral, where deputies wi...ll swear to uphold the Constitution. Read more about one of the first constitutions in the world poland.pl//hi/229th-anniversary-of-the-may-3-constitution/

03.01.2022 Rytro is a village in Nowy Scz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of Nowy Scz and 83 km ...(52 mi) south-east of the regional capital Kraków. The village has a population of 3,500. Ryto lies in on the border of the Beskid Sadecki Mountains - one of the most attractive tourist regions of Poland, famous for therapeutic waters, a refreshing climate and wonderful scenery. Ryto is located at the foot of several mountain ranges , me tioned above Beskid Sadecki from the south, Beskid Wyspowy (west) and Niski (southeast). Lake Roznowskie, situated in close proximity to it, is another holiday attraction of this small town of 84,000 people. This is a good starting point to explore the beautiful environs of Beskidy and Pieniny, and getting here is easy. Photo Tadeusz Dziedzina http://rytroiokolice.pdg.pl/wiosennie.html Adam Olszowski https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004576336812 Janusz Wanczyk https://www.facebook.com/janusz.wanczyk

02.01.2022 Nieprofesjonalna Sekcja Tenisa Stoowego z Wollongong Wollongong's unprofessional Table Tennis Section

02.01.2022 With the occupancy certificate on the way, we are preparing for the long-awaited homecoming.... Watch this space!!!

02.01.2022 All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day If you happen to be in Poland around the time when October turns to November, you will have a hard time finding a Halloween p...arty. Although the custom is gaining popularity thanks to the commercial world's never ending quest to introduce the same holidays and feasts everywhere and thus cut bulk production costs on plastic pumpkins, it is not in Polish tradition to dress up and go trick or treating. Instead, we light thousands and thousands of candles in the cemeteries: The tradition of Wszystkich witych (All Saints’ Day) and Dzie Zaduszny or Zaduszki (All Souls’ Day) began in the first centuries of Christianity. Today, it is an important holiday in many countries that are predominantly Catholic. All Saints’ Day has been designated by the Roman Catholic Church as the day to pray for the Saints of the church. All Souls’ Day is a day of prayer for all who have died. In Poland, Dzie Zaduszny constitutes one of the most important holidays (after Christmas--Boe Narodzenie-- and Easter--Wielkanoc). It is commemorated by praying for and remembering deceased family and friends, visiting graves, and placing flowers (usually chrysanthemums) and candles (called znicze) on grave sites and memorials. Religious Poles mark this day by going to church and bringing wypominki a list of deceased family members and friends to be read from the altar during mass. Beginning on November 1st and throughout the following week, cemeteries are filled with people, flowers, and thousands of znicze. These special candles can burn anywhere from 24 hours to a week, depending on their size. At night, during the week following All Saints’ Day, they give the cemeteries of Poland a glow that can be seen from many kilometers away. It is important to note that cemeteries and memorials are an important aspect of Polish culture throughout the year. Grave sites are most often cared for and maintained by family members and friends. Throughout Poland you will also see monuments and plaques commemorating those killed during World War II. Dzie Wszystkich Switych and Zaduszki no longer have a solely religious character in contemporary Poland and provide the opportunity to visit with extended family. A state holiday (and therefore a day off from work and school), November 1st has become the most traveled day in Poland. Poles will travel across the country (and even from overseas) to visit family graves. It can even be difficult to purchase train and bus tickets the day before and for a few days after the holiday. source: www.pap.pl www.polskie-cmentarze.com www.garnek.pl Skowa.info https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuAYYP3news http://panoramy.zbooy.pl//wszystkich-swietych-cmentarz-w/p See more

01.01.2022 Visit Lublin Marcin Tarkowski Piximo Lublin w Migawce na travel.lovePoland Magazine I have been from Lublin since I was born, and I am still here, by choice .../.../ Its worth going to Krakowskie Przedmiecie where you can see many interesting tenement houses. You can go to Sdowa street to find several renovated tenement houses and an interesting combination of the old faade with a new building in the Wieniawski Hotel, it is worth coming inside. Going to the end of Krakowskie Przedmiecie, we reach the Lithuanian Square, a meeting place of rollerbladers and a fountain which gives interesting multimedia shows at weekends. In this area you can also start visiting a very large number of historic churches. Along the way, I recommend tasting something in one of the ice cream parlours with own ice cream, especially in Bosko on the promenade, which started a craze on ice cream production in Lublin, and not without a reason, I recommend cream taste ones. Since that time, a large number of this type of ice cream shops have been created, and the whole mass of them may be found in the area of the Lithuanian Square and the Old Town. After passing the Old Town District towards the Lublin Castle, I recommend going to the Czwartek Hill, to the church, behind the bus station. From there, you get a beautiful panorama of the Old Town and the Castle. Then I encourage you to go to the Tarasy Zamkowe gallery, where you can also see the splendid panorama of the Old Town from the roof. Unfortunately, the old city in Lublin from my childhood was not the same place as now. Once it was rather scary to walk there on your own. There were not many interesting places, in general there was not much going on. Now it is a completely different place, with many restaurants, festivals, fairs, performances. This is the heart of Lublins life. The old city in Lublin has its own climate, especially during such events as the Night of Culture or Carnival of Conjurers. Our Old City may not be huge, but it has a climate. It is also a place where you can relax and unwind from the hustle and bustle which is unavoidable in other cities, e.g. in Krakow. All photos Marcin Tarkowski MARCIN TARKOWSKI, a photographer of the urban landscape of Lublin and a creator of LUBLIN W MIGAWCE PIXIMO Facebook @Lublinwmigawce Instagram @marcin.tar Websites: www.piximo.pl and www.marcintarkowski.pl Read full archive text at https://issuu.com/travel.lovepoland/docs/september_2018

01.01.2022 Great Polish outdoor food When enjoying the great outdoors, here are some favourite simple campfire treats that may hit the spot especially after youve worked ...up a fresh-air appetite! CAMPFIRE POTATO BAKE (kartofle pieczone w ognisku): When in a field picking potatoes, the best you can do is to shake and wipe excess soil off your potatoes with your hand. After a wood fire has turned to ashes and glowing embers throw small potatoes into it. Cover them with hot ashes and allow them to cook. When tender (test them with a sharpened stick!), pull out of campfire. When still hot but cool enough to handle break open and enjoy with a pinch of salt (if available) for flavoring. Only the white pulp is eaten and the charred skin can be thrown back into whats left of the fire. Sausage ROAST (kiebaski pieczone w ognisku): Glowing embers are better to roast sausages over than a roaring bonfire. Find a long forked stick and with penknife strip bark from the tines and sharpen them. Impale a 3 - 4 piece of smoked kiebasa (Podwawelska, Toruska, etc.) on each forked stick and roast high enough above heat source so kiebasa browns evenly on the outside and is heated through. Too hot a fire will burn the skin to a crisp before the inside gets cooked. Variation: Instead of the forked-stick method, a sharpened single-point stick can be run down through the center of the sausage which is cooked by constantly turning the stick over the campfire. Either way, provide rye bread and mustard. Text via https://polishforums.com/archiv/2005-2009//campfire-22383/ Photos: z pamietnika piekarnika- blox.pl, kolejrogowska.pl, guziec.hi.pl, photobikestats.eu, madnieslyszem.pl, ataman.com.pl, bywajtu.pl, wykop.pl, feniks.bikestats.pl, domkiletniskowekalem.pl, Tomasz Nieweglowski, kuchnianaszapolska.wordpress.com, blog zakochane w zupach, wlegowski.flog.pl, lasky.ownlog.com