Dożynki
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Dożynki (Dozhinki, Ukrainian: Обжинки, romanized: Obzhynky, Polish: Dożynki, Russian: Обжинки, romanized: Obzhynki; Belarusian: Дажынкі, Prachystaya; Czech: Dožínky, Obžinky; Kashubian: Òżniwinë; Dormition) is a Slavic harvest festival. In pre-Christian times the feast usually fell on the autumn equinox,[1] in modern times it is usually celebrated on one of the Sundays following the end of the harvest season, which fall on different days in different regions of Europe.
Dozhynki | |
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Also called | Russian: Обжинки, romanized: Obzhynki; Polish: Obrzynki; Belarusian: Прачыстая, Prachystaya; Czech: Dožínky; Kashubian: Òżniwinë; Dormition |
Observed by | Slavic people |
Significance | The end of the harvest crops |
Date | Varies by region; August 15 (28); in Poland: 23 September;[1] In some regions of Russia: September 8 (21) or September 14 (27). |
The feast was initially associated with the pagan Slavic cult of plants, trees and agriculture.[2] In the 16th century in Central and Eastern Europe it gained a Christian character and started to be organised by the landed gentry and more affluent peasants as a means to thank the reapers and their families for their work, both during the harvest and during the past year.[2][3]
While there are many regional varieties and traditions, most have some aspects in common. Often the peasants or farmers celebrating dożynki gather in the fields outside their village, form a procession and bring back a sheaf or the last batch of cereal reaped from nearby fields.[3] The women would then turn it into a wreath and offer it to the guest of honour (usually the organiser of the celebration: a local noble, the richest farmer in the village or – in modern times – the wójt or other representative of the authorities).