Association – Union of Kurpie

If you love Kurpie…

Members of the Association – Union of Kurpie are not only native inhabitants of the region but also those who did not grow with the culture, but consider Kurpiowszczyzna to be their place in the world. They are united by their common goal – they want to act for the benefit of the local community and heritage. And it is extremely integrating!

Mirosław Grzyb, present President of the Associaition, encourages to cooperate all those who fall in love with this beautiful land: “Programme of the Association is open and everyone who wishes to do something for the good of Kurpie, shall find his place here and shall be cordially welcome” – the President invites.

The organization is the idealistic heir of Związek Puszczański, established in1919 by Adam Chętnik (explorer and enthusiast of the Kurpie region). It gathers people connected with the Green Wilderness and White Wilderness Regions (Puszcza Zielona and Puszcza Biała). There are several hundred of people grouped in divisions located both in Kurpie, and outside the region. Its scope covers also institutional entities – it is also formed by many educational institutions, like nursery schools, higher education institutions, as well as workplaces. It si supported by 11 municipality, town and district self-governments, from the area of Green Wilderness and White Wilderness.

The Association acts in many fields: it initiates and organizes Days of Kurpie Culture (Dni Kultury Kurpiowskiej), which are celebrated yearly in Szczytno, Mikołajki, Olsztyn and Warsaw and awards „Kurpiki”, the prizes of the President of Kurpie Association for arousing identity, protection of cultural heritage and the work for the development of Kurpiowszczyzna. Each explorer and enthusiast of the region may share his knowedge of the region, sending his articles to the Association, since the organization conducts also publishing activity: it publishes, e.g. regional bimonthly “Kurpie”, dedicated to the broad group of readers, including teachers, educators and managers of Kurpie culture. The Association should undoubtedly be appreciated for the editing of the pre-war manuscripts of Rev. Władysław Skierkowski “Puszcza Kurpiowska w pieśni“, which formed three volumes of musical folklore, customs and rites of the Kurpie. We thus gained a priceless work of supra-regional character. The demand for such publications (such as e.g. „Słownik wybranych nazw i wyrażeń kurpiowskich” by Mirosław Grzyb, Henryk Gadomski and Tadeusz Grec, or next editions of „Puszcza Kurpiowska” by Adam Chętnik or CD with „Słownik Wybranych Nazw i Wyrażeń Kurpiowskich”) is shown by the fact that their edition was soon out of print.

The Association also holds seminars for regionalists teachers, scientific conferences, conducts contests and regional events. It co-operates with self-governments,cultural institutions, schools and many other associations. It has been awarded „Pro Masovia” – the award of Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship (Marszałek Województwa Mazowieckiego).