Opening Ceremonies
Every year the Roncesvalles Polish Festival kicks off with a Polish Harvest tradition, the Dożynki (pronounced: doh-ZHIN-key.)
The tradition of Dożynki extends back many hundreds of years and has much in common with other harvest celebrations in Europe and around the world.
It starts with a procession which carries the ceremonial Harvest Bread (a symbol of bounty), a number of dignitaries and celebrants, and the Starosta and Starościna (Polish Credit Union Director Kazimierz Babiarz and Polish Credit Union CEO Halina Marszalek McGregor), who are the “Lord and Lady” of the Harvest. In our Festival, they are the Festival Ambassadors.
Our Dożynki procession begins at Roncesvalles and Howard Park Avenue on Saturday at 1:30 and proceeds to the main stage.
This year’s Dożynki participants included:
The Polish Highlanders Association
Biały Orzeł
Knights of Columbus (Council #9296)
Polish Veterans Army Association
Ludowa Nuta
our local representatives: MP Gerard Kennedy, MPP Cheri diNovo and Councillor Gord Perks
Cracovia Polish Folk Ensemble
Kolo Pan Nadzieja Przy SPK #20
Polish Scouts and Girl Guides
Pomorze
Copernicus Lodge
Harnasie Folk Group
The Opening Ceremonies commenced at 2:15, MC’d by the Chair of the Roncesvalles Village BIA, Tony Cauch, and Ilona Girzewska from PMA Canada.
After the Harvest Bread was blessed by Father Marion Gil and presented to the Starosta and Starościna, we heard brief speeches from the Festival’s patron, the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Toronto, Mr. Jerzy Barycki and Vice President of the Canadian Polish Congress, our MP Gerard Kennedy, MPP Cheri diNovo and Councillor Gord Perks.
This year we were honoured to receive a personal letter from Prime Minister Stephen Harper, presented by Senator Consiglio diNino, and were also honoured by the presence of politicians known as friends of the Polish community: Bonnie Crombie (MP, Mississauga-Streetsville), Andrew Kania (MP, Brampton West, Borys Wrześnewskyj (MP, Etobicoke Centre) and Councillor Peter Milczyn (Ward 5).
The “key to Roncesvalles Village” was presented to the Starosta by RVBIA Chair Tony Cauch.
A lantern was given to the Starościna. With the key and lantern, the Starosta and Starościna visit Roncesvalles Village and spread thanks, cheer and goodwill.
After this presentation, the Dożynki cake (courtesy of Granowska’s) was cut and, the Festival was declared open, and the fun began in earnest. As they say in Polish:“Jak się bawić to się bawić!” Translation: If we’re going to party, let’s party!
