The Kurpie Smithy in Pniewo

Twice a year you can hear smith’s mellows and hammers in a separate building at the Kurpie Smithy site. There is a real and fully equipped smithy here. In May and October, smiths from different parts of the country meet up here and work together for two days. Nonetheless, the Kurpie Smithy is not only the smith’s workshop. First and foremost, it is the smithy of knowledge on local traditions, regional room and an initiative that since 2003 has been uniting people, who under the Association “White Forest – My Little Homeland” (Puszcza Biała – Moja Mała Ojczyzna) act for cultural and natural heritage of the Kurpie White Forest. The statutory goals of the Association, which cares of the regional room, include: running exhibition, workshops, training and publishing activities.

The layout of the space inside the room itself is suitable for running workshops for groups as large as 40 people, organization of dancings and special receptions. This place is regularly visited by, i.a., organised groups of Poles from abroad who come here during their stays in the Polish Community House in Pułtusk.

The interior of the regional room, where different types of activities are held, is furnished with various household equipment and objects of everyday use purchased from local residents. Among them, what is worth mentioning, is, i.a., a loom with a set of equipment for linen processing, old toys, religious paintings and sculptures.

The majority of classes are held in the Smithy from May to October, but they are also organized in December, i.a. Christmas Eve “as it was in the old time”. The classes are run for all age groups (from pre-schoolers to seniors), both on-site and off-site ones.

The educational offer is extended all the time and adjusted to the needs of visitors. They are introduced, i.a., to information on cultural and natural heritage of the White Kurpie region, folk art and traditional cuisine of this region. Handicraft, art and culinary workshops are run here. Interestingly, the fafernuchy (small pastries with honey, carrot and spices) made by the Smithy were placed on the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s list of traditional and regional products.

The Smithy conducts also a publishing activity. It published, i.a., the volume of poems Sercem pisane and the popularisation book Wędrówki po Puszczy Białej.

In addition to implementation of its own projects, the Association actively participates in many other projects, such as, e.g. the project “Disappearing Professions in the Pułtuski District” in the framework of the “Young Citizen” program. The Kurpie Smithy in Pniewo welcomes all who wish to familiarise themselves with the Kurpie identity.