Dyngus Day in Buffalo & South Bend
Pussy Willows Hallmark of Easter Monday Polish-American Tradition
Mar 22, 2008
Visitors to Buffalo, N.Y., on the day after Easter Sunday may plan on devouring a plateful of world-class chicken wings, visiting nearby Niagara Falls or even experiencing a few lake-effect snowflakes.
For the more adventurous traveler, Buffalo and surrounding suburbs like Cheektowaga, Sloan and Depew become the national headquarters for a time-honored Polish tradition known as Dyngus Day. After the somber observance and sacrifice of Lent and the joy of Easter, Dyngus Day Buffalo-style is rooted in romance and the prospect of courtship. Essential to celebration of the holiday are two ingredients: pussy willows and water.
Women and girls arm themselves with the pussy willows, which they use as switches to flirtatiously get the attention of a particular male. The men and boys douse the females with water in response.
Historically, Dungus Day was observed on Easter Monday in neighborhood taverns in Polish-American sections of Buffalo, only adding to the enthusiasm of participants. It still is, although now Dyngus Day is also celebrated in other locations like church social halls and community centers.
In Buffalo, Dyngus Day is also a celebration of spring, a chance to dance to some of the country's most accomplished polka bands and an opportunity to dine on traditional ethnic fare like pierogis and Polish sausage. There is also a parade on Buffalo's East Side, a traditional Polish-American stronghold.
Variations of the dousing and switching rituals similar to the Dyngus Day activities carried out today were already taking place in Poland more than 1,000 years ago, before the country officially adopted Christianity. They continue to be observed in the present-day Poland and the Czech Republic.
Dyngus Day is celebrated in other cities and regions of the U.S. where concentrations of Polish immigrants settled. Perhaps the most sizable Dyngus Day observance outside of Buffalo is held in South Bend, Ind., where students of Notre Dame University are enthusiastic participants.
Dyngus Day in South Bend is also considered the official kickoff of the political campaign season and often attracts nationally known political figures. In 2008, former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton will join Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy, at Dyngus Day and Solidarity Day events in the city.
Observed each year on the Monday after Easter, Dyngus Day 2008 takes place on March 24, the earliest celebration in 95 years. Easter is held on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox.
The next time Dyngus Day and Easter happen this early will be in 220 years, in the year 2228.
For more information about the Dyngus Day celebration in Buffalo and related activities, check out the DyngusDayBuffalo.com Web site.
