DOŻYNKI HARVEST FESTIVAL 2023 Dożynki means 'a celebration of harvest' For the local Polish community, the last Sunday in October is always reserved for the Dożynki Harvest Festival. The only festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
The word ‘Dożynki’ means 'a celebration of harvest', a centuries old tradition that goes back as far as the 16th century. Traditionally, farmers would celebrate the year's labour with a holiday, after the crops (mainly grain) had been harvested. Landowners would organise festivals to reward their labourers and to celebrate bountiful crops. The festivals usually involved eating, drinking, dancing and other forms of merriment.
The symbol of Dożynki is the 'wieniec', (harvest wreath) which was traditionally presented to the landowner. This large wreath was made of a mixture of wheat and rye, as these grains were considered the most important. Crafted from the most beautiful ears of grain, the Dożynki wreath would be fashioned into a dome-shaped crown. It was decorated with flowers, ribbons, hazelnuts, and the fruit of the mountain ash tree. The wreath would be blessed in the local church before heading a procession which would moved to the manor house of the host of the harvest festival. Harvesters would sing about the hardships of their work, wished for future crops to be plentiful and an expectation of hope for the fun and treats to come. The harvest wreath was traditionally then kept in a barn until the next sowing. Bread baked from the flour of the harvest was presented to the elder of the village. Here, in South Australia, the bread is presented to the State Leader or their representative. The inaugural Dożynki festival was held in 1979. The first few festivals were called 'Polish Day' and were held for several years at the Parks Community Centre, before transferring to Regency Park TAFE College,
Photos: Left: 'wieniec' (harvest wreath); Right: Hon Joe Szakacs receiving the first bread of the harvest
SUMMER 2023 | P6
Rymill Park, Elder Park, Polonia Soccer Grounds and this year at Tulya Warrdli (Bonython Park). Over the years, Dożynki has hosted numerous artists and dignitaries from Poland, including former President of the Republic of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Lech Walesa.
This year's officials guest included: the Hon Joe Szakacs MP Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services representing the Premier the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP, Mr John Fulbrook MP Member for Playford, Councilor Henry Davis representing the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AO, Mr John Gardner MP Shadow Minister for Arts and Festivals, Shadow Minister for Education representing the Leader of the Opposition Mr David Speirs MP, Hon Jing Lee MLC Shadow Minister for
