Kolache Festival

very interested in learning the language, and he just didn’t have anyone to talk with. He can’t practice enough. Other than me, there’s not really anyone to speak to in this area. For the hand full of people who are trying to learn the language, there’s really nowhere to use it. “I kind of wish I had done what I’m doing now 10 or 20 years ago, maybe I would be a lot more fluent than I am now, but it’s never too late,” Zgabay said. “I’ve always been proud of my fa-

So Rychlik and Zgabay have formed a relationship over language that has blossomed along with Zgabay’s acquisition of Czech.

mily’s Czech heritage, the Czech culture in general, but you don’t really see the importance of that until you get along later in life.” This year during the Kolache Festival, Rychlik along with Zgabay will offer the traditional welcome to visitors to the Kolache Capital of Texas in the native Czech, something that Rychlik has traditionally done. Growing up in the New Tabor community, which was probably 90% Czech, Rychlik and his brother Bernard learned Czech in their home. But theirs was likely the last generation to learn Czech in the home from their parents and grandparents.

“The Czech speaking and Czech understanding, not that many folks are doing that anymore,” Rychlik said. “I wish there were, but there aren’t.”

Much like other immigrants, Czechs often discouraged their children from learning the language so that they would fit in with the wider population of English speakers. Even in mixedlanguage company, Rychlik said his family members would refrain from speaking Czech so people would feel comfortable.

“Bernard and I were the only two grandchildren from my mother’s side who spoke Czech and understood it,” Rychlik said. “My grandmother would admonish us often that if we were talking Czech with her and someone came up who didn’t understand the language, we needed to talk in English so as not to offend anyone. So, we would do that. We just learned to be nice about using our language and not make somebody think that you’re talking about them.”

Respect for English language speakers has meant that the Czech language in communities such as Caldwell, La Grange, Halletsville, Fayetteville and Praha was a secondary language, so the younger generation knew less and less about how to understand or speak Czech, so festivals like Caldwell’s annual Kolache Festival still celebrate Czech heritage, but without the Czech language.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, Joe is a 10,” Zgabay said. “I would be a 1 or 2, if even, as far as the language goes. I see myself as the years progress to definitely become more involved. I definitely see myself taking a leadership role somewhere down the road. I also want to honor people like Joe. I don’t want to step on any toes, and Joe’s are some big shoes to fill. I don’t know who is out there, after Joe’s generation, who can do what he does.”

Rychlik kicked off each festival for many years with the traditional Czech welcome. He served on the Entertainment Committee and the King and Queen committees. He has eaten more than a few kolaches, and he has danced the night away to traditional Czech music.

“For many years, it was just a lot of fun,” Rychlik said. “Mainly we just went into the Kolache Festival wanting everyone to enjoy the day, enjoy Caldwell and enjoy presenting it.” His love of his Czech heritage has made Rychlik the perfect spokesperson for the Kolache Festival. Now, Zgabay has channeled some of that passion and love for all things Czech.

“So, the Kolache Festival, and the Czech culture in general, I’m becoming a zealot is the best way I can put it,” Zgabay said. “It all began two years ago I started a little personal crusade of keeping the culture alive, promoting it, groHe has become an active member of the Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum, offering blessings in Czech before luncheon meetings. His work to become proficient in the Czech language, with the help of weekly texts and phone calls with Rychlik, has helped, and Zgabay is determined that Caldwell’s Kolache Festival will not suffer the fate of so many other Czech heritage festivals that are now pretty much in English.

“I feel like if you lose three things about the heritage—the religious aspect of it, the food and the language, then the Kolache Festival will be just like any other festival,” Zgabay said. “Why not call it a Watermelon Festival? What’s going to separate that? Nothing. We can all look the part, but I really feel like if we lose the language, then it’s lost. ”

The last time the Kolache Festival took place was in 2019. The Festival was on hiatus because of COVID-19. So the 2021 Festival will move into a new post-COVID era. “I look forward to seeing what it will be this year,” Rychlik said.

Photos Courtesy of BC Tribune & Donna Rychlik.

MRS. NEMECEK’S KOLACHES

Dough: 2 envelopes active dry yeast ¼ cup lukewarm water 1 tbsp. sugar 2 cups milk ½ cup plus 1 tbsp. butter ½ cup sugar 2 tsp. salt 2 egg yolk, slightly beaten 6 ¼ cup sifted flour Softened butter, as needed

In a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and let stand. Scald milk in saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in butter and ½ cup sugar. Cool to lukewarm. Add salt and egg yolks. Combine milk mixture and yeast in a large bowl. Bit by bit add the flour until all has been used. Knead dough on a lightly floured board until glossy. Place in bowl, cover and let rise in warm place (80 degrees) until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). This dough will not be quite as stiff as a roll dough.

Now, using a tablespoon, take egg-sized bits of the dough and roll into balls on the floured board. Place on greased baking sheet about 1 inch a part. Brush each with softened butter. Let rise again, covered, until light.

Make an indentation in each large enough to hold 1 tsp. of the fruit filling below. Sprinkle fruit in turn with some of the topping below. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush again immediately with softened butter. Cook kolaches on a wire rack. Makes about 3 ½ dozen.

Filling for Kolaches

Poppy Seed Filling:

2 cups ground poppy seed 1 cup milk 1 ½ cups sugar 2 tbsp. flour 1 tsp. vanilla or almond flavoring

Heat milk in skillet and when it boils, add sugar, flour, and poppy seed; cook till mixture thickens. Add flavoring. Cool before spreading on kolache dough.