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Mark Your Calendars!
Many requests have been made for our annual
festival to be held on Saturday instead of Sunday
to allow for travel. We're going to give it a try. The
2008 Polish Festival will be Saturday, September
13th in Ashton, NE. Mark your calendars! More
details later. Over- night accommodations are
available at Colony Inn- Loup City, Farewell Arns-
(Bed and Breakfast) Farwell, Bel-Air Motel & RV
Park, & Super 8 in St Paul.
Legacy in Nebraska and
the world
The Polish Heritage Center was incorporated in 1997 in an
effort to preserve the ancestral language, culture and
traditions of one of the most significant immigrant groups to
settle in Nebraska. The small village of Ashton, where the
Center is located is a hub of this ethnic region. It has seen
waves of immigrants, first Germans and later Poles. Since
the late 1800's, Ashton has been the epicenter from which
their descendants have spread out across the nation.
Today, in their establishment of a Polish Heritage center,
both current and former residents join in their efforts to
preserve the culture of their origin.
Both geographically and culturally many of these
descendants have seen weakening in their links to
their past. The Center began as an initiative to
re-educate both young and old in an effort to
maintain a proud heritage. The Center is repository
of cultural artifacts such as irreplaceable books,
music and local genealogical records. It houses early
photographs and art. It provides a meeting place to
support the accomplishment of educational goals and
activities.
We invite you to visit the center's museum, which offers
unique displays and relics of the past. As well, the Center
offers a glimpse into the emerging role of today's Poland.
Cultural heritage is a living and ever-changing thing. It is
more than a time-worn snapshot of and earlier period. The
cultural threads which are embedded in early examples of
folk art and music, are today reflected in monumental
changes in the Polish Homeland. One of the educational
goals of the Center is to update and transform popular
stereotypes into a broader understanding of the modern
Polish homeland and culture. Your membership and
donations will help achieve these goals.
IN JANUARY
John Maschka- President Charlie Skoropa-
Vice-President Secretary - Peg Knapp
Treasurer- Virginia Pokorski
Newly elected members: Norma Janulewicz, Darlene
Spotanski, Pat Traxler
by Larry Molczyk
It was the music, which was my main tie to my Polish
Heritage. My father's cousins found an excuse to
celebrate every event from anniversary's, confirmations,
baptisms, and birthdays. There was always "pivo" and
there was always music. I didn't grow up with inviting my
schoolmates to a birthday parties with little hats and
cake.
All of my dad's cousins were accomplished to some
degree on the push button accordion. There was a
clarinet. There were banjoes, drums and fiddles.
Grandma played the viola, grandpa played the fiddle,
and dad played the fiddle and accordion. Even though
we appreciated "Lil Wally's" records, it was making our
own music, which was important.
At age 11 I took up the violin at school. I had private
lessons from Miss Pinder in Grand Island. I seldom
practiced my assigned lessons. Fortunately, Miss Pinder
was in her 80's and didn't remember from week to week
which lesson we were on. On a lucky week, we ended up
playing the lesson we had gone through for the first time
the week before. That didn't mean I wasn't playing my
fiddle, however. This meant that I was really spending my
time playing Polish tunes with my dad's cousins. It was all
by "ear", but eventually I learned to-play_the notes.
If there wasn't a family gathering, there was always
Saturday night in Stanczyk's tavern or some unknown bar
in Wolbach, Cushing, or Palmer.
The most traditio'nal our food became was Kielbasa and
sauerkraut. It wasn't recipes, which my family handed
down- it was the music of the old country .
Cousin" Allie" Valasek and my Father are both gone now.
I don't have occasion to play traditional songs the way I
used to. Each year at the Polish fest, I am tempted to
grab a fiddle and join in with the band. I know it's been a
long time and I'd be making a fool of myself.
My own kids had birthday parties at Skate Island, and
Chucky Cheese with their classmates.
Our family and most of my generation don't even drink
anymore. Family gatherings are far more sedate now that
the alcohol's gone. Still it's the music, which I really miss.
Larry Molczyk- Reflections January 2008
Aurora, NE
You are invited to Submit your own reflections
regarding your Polish Heritage. Chosen
submissions will be published in the next
quarterly newsletter and made available on the
PHC Web Site. Send to:
lmolczyk@hamilton.net or in care if the Center's
main address in Ashton.
P.O. Box 3 226 Carlton Ave.
Ashton, Nebraska 68817
308-738-2249
e-mail phc@cornhusker.net
Contact Persons:
John Maschka President
Cyril Skorupa, Vice President 308-384-8867
Jeanette Siwinski. Secretary 308-338-2268
Phyllis Piechota, Treasurer 308-738-2260
The center is located in Ashton NE. It houses a
headquarters office, museum, library, a genealogical
collection, meeting rooms and a gift shop. The building
itself is the renovated, former convent of the St Francis
Catholic Church.
Directions: From the Grand Island/Highway 281
exit of Interstate 80, proceed North 28 miles to the
town of St. Paul. At St. Paul, head west on Highway
92 for 18 miles.
Hours: The center is open to the public from
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM each Sunday and during the week
by appointment only. Please call (308) 738-2260 for
appointment.
Admission: $3.00. Free to members. (Call for
membership information)
the little known story of Cold War Era life in the Polish
Homeland. Starting in the mid-60's farmers all across
Poland, unable to buy the equipment they needed on
their own, and not willing to combine their small strips
of land into collectives, began making their own
tractors out of spare parts and junked vehicles. The
innovative ability of these ingenious farmers was well
apparent.
The collection of photos by Lukasz Skapski was presented
for the first time to the American Public during educational
sessions at this year's Polish fest, September 9th. The
presentation and the candid reactions of the PHC audience
will be part of a PBS documentary now being produced. The
program was made available courtesy of the Aleja
Waszyngtona Investment Group. Click the link below for
additional information on the artist and the exhibit.
For information on the exhibit and the artist, please visit
special events throughout the
season offer the rich tastes of a
proud past including:
Polish Fest traditional music, food and fun
each September.
Memorial Polka Mass for the community's
departed held in during Polishfest.
Christmas Wigilia Observance in December,
Parish Hall Ashton
Artistic, musical and educational events
presented throughout the year
Quarterly Newsletters and updates of the
Center's activities
history of Poland Since it's beginning? Try
out this link..
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celebrating our Polish Heritage