Polka dance

Last Sunday we went to the XXth annual Portland Polish Festival. I must admit that after nearly two months in the U.S., I really enjoyed a kiełbasa with bigos.

Organizers prepared well for Polish and American guests.  From conversations, I learned that the Polish community in Oregon is not as vibrant as it was years ago, and some, due to better economic conditions, have already returned to Poland. However, I heard a nice "welcome to the USA" from a lady who was working at the Polish school booth.

A wide range of Polish sweets, pastries, jams and conserves, as well as various souvenirs with the eagle symbol, was offered. A likeness of Marshal Pilsudski was hanging on the wall in Grandpa's Café, an elderly woman shared her war experiences in the library, and others were watching slides of Polish monuments.

Rainy weather did not prevent the organizers from running a polka contest under a tent, calling out in English, not Polish. Little girls in folk dresses eagerly jumped to the live music.

Somehow, I am reminded of a book I recently by Polish American Actress Dagmara Dominczyk. In the semi-autobiographical "The Lullaby of Polish Girls,” the protagonist, whose father had been forced to flee Poland as a Solidarity activist, does not fully find her way in the American reality.

On paper, descriptions of Poles both in the United States and in Poland, seem in my opinion quite pessimistic. However, the essence of Polish reality and homeland sentiment remains.

I like to tell Americans how Poland has changed over the last years. Vietnamese women, working in the beauty salon, were pleased to hear that so many of their countrymen live in Warsaw. Surprisingly often I encounter people of Polish descent. Many have not visited Poland, but almost everyone would go back and see the towns and villages of their grandparents if they could. Unfortunately, not all of the places still exist. Those places that do exist, including much of Warsaw, bear little resemblance to the land of their grandparents.

It seems to me that for many Americans with Polish roots, including perhaps the majority of festival participants, being Polish is a longing for something somewhat uncertain, but still essential.

Autumn is coming, and I am planning a trip to a Russian deli, where Polish food such as Zamojski cheese is sold. Today I'm going to prepare, using the U.S. bullion cubes, a vegetable soup. I may be also using the cherry jelly kisiel.  And the Seattle Polish Film Festival begins soon :)

H.xx