What really represents Polish people? What would be the symbol of Poland...

Hey everybody!
My name is Milana... I'm doing a research on Poland... and I desperately need your help! =)
I need to find out what would be the symbol of Poland... so far it came up that the eagle (on the coat of arms) is the symbol... But I asked only few Polish people.

Is there anything else? Any other object, thing or symbol that symbolize Poland in terms of people/spirit and culture?

Hi Milana,

Traditionally Polish people have typically been perceived as very religious (Roman Catholic). Most that I know are devote Catholics, both from the USA and Polska.

[(KEYWORDS: Traditionally, typically) -- I understand that their are some people that are Polish that are not religious at all, and do not want to offend!]

Oh, we certainly don't lack spirit!

Polish things that everyone knows:
Polish flag (white-red)
Polish eagle
Mazurek Dabrowskiego (polish anthem)
Syrenka Warszawska
Auschwitz
And lots more.
People:
John Paul II
Lech Walesa
Marie Curie-Sklodowska
Chpin
Kopernik
And lots of others.
From other things:
Beutiful women
Pierogi
Vodka
And lots lots more :)

Cool! Thanks for your answer!

The Polish mermaid seems to be interesting...
I need it to put it in the cover of my research... so it needs to be something that you can design...
whta does the mermaid mean?

+ do you have any other ideas?

those ppl mentined are great... but i cannot put all of them... and it would be unfair to pu one¨¨

Kielbasa.

the black madonna..

the thing is that really none of the symbols above are all that well known or recognized outside of PL. vodka and kielbasa are the exceptions.

The cover could be a collage with the white crowned eagle spreading its wings and encompassing: the white & red chessboard logo of the Polish Air Force, the hussar wings of Sobieski's forces that saved Europe from the 17th-century Muslim invasion, Our Lady of Częstochowa, Polish mottos "For your freedom and ours" and "God, Honour and Homeland", the Polonaise (dance), Polish folk dancers, the bread & salt welcome, bison, the Warsaw Mermaid, the King Zygmunt Column, Wawel Castle, busts of JPII, Wałęsa, Copernicus, Chopin, Piłsudski, Madam Curie, etc.

The graphic value of kiełbasa is doubtful, since sausage is indigenous to most ethnicities, and using a vodka brand-name such as Wyborowa or Belvedere would cheapen and commercialise the overall effect.

why dosen't everybody try and design the new Polish flag which would represent the 'modern' Poland, it would be fun and add a different angle to the thread, don't you think??

***IDEAS: 1ST BRAIN STORM- WITHOUT STOPPING OR ANALYZING- take all symbolism of Poland and write, sketch as many ideas as possible.
Next: intuitively focus on your objective of project and rely on what you gravitate towards. Don't limit yourself to 'placing value one over the other.' Although, you feel your placing importance over another-your not- and that makes your project limited.

You've stated your leaning toward Syrenka/Mermaid? Will that capture the Polish Spirit?
Focus on what Poles truly stand for..Good Luck..Would love to see finished Design!

Yes, Our Lady of Częstochowa - Queen and Protector of Poland.



The mermaid or Syrenka in Polish is on the coat of arms of £orsoł. If you search in Google images you will find many designs. There are too statues of her in Warsaw. It doesn't represent the whole country as such but take here, there is a subheading expaining the legend:

intronizacja.pl/gr/art/inicjatywa_referendalna.jpg

Our highlanders - Górale

etnologia.uj.edu.pl/portal/images/galeria/Kursy/wedding.jpg

Weird, I haven't heard of her... and saying that she represents Polish people that's going over the top..

That's OK. Welcome to Poland. She doesn't represent the communists, ex-communists turned biznessmen, and other leftist trash.

That's why the OP is asking Poles and not you.

Well, apparently you know very little about Polish people and history.


No, it isn't.

Oh, and it's not "she" but "She" (with a capital letter). Have some respect when
you write about Our Queen!

hahahahaha - LOVE this response!

i like this idea.. how about a palm right in the middle.. or an blue octagon.. yeah.. :D :D


to me nike is the one that really captures the spirit.




not at all.. many non polish catholics know all about her.. she's a huge symbol in PL.

One of the most important symbol:

Poland Solidarity Symbol

A poster from first semi free elections after WW2 in Poland

and one thing more:

nypost.com/photos/galleries/sports/pp_20080609_euro_cup_fans/photo01.j pg

a symbol of Polish success after 1989... ;)

She also doesn't represent evolutionists, most scientists, and many other people with open tolerant minds and great wisdom.. with your post you just proved you're a narrow minded person, attacking me without a reason. There, you have it, your average hateful parochial Pole, I'm amazed - you haven't used the word "Jew" even once...

Besides, don't say that something represents "Poles" when in fact it represents just you and your point of view.


Of course I know about her, I was pulling his leg - because I don't like when somebody says that some fairy lady represents ALL Poles when in fact she doesn't.

i'm not religious and i agree with her on this.. one of the very few things i seem to..

Actually after a little rethinking, it's true, all religious icons wheater it's black madonna or anything else will represent part of Polish bigtry, but not all Poles..

To say that something/someone represents Poland or Polish people (as in the thread
title) doesn't mean that it has to represent ALL Poles. It's enough if it represents
the majority of them and we can safely say that Our Lady of Czestochowa represents
the majority of my compatriots.

Anyway - nodoby said that she represents ALL Poles. Looks like you said it yourself
and argue with yourself... strange.


You meant bigotry? You see, I'm a Catholic and I have absolutely no problem
with atheists. You don't believe in God and don't want to have anything to do
with religion? Very well, it's your life, your free will - do as you want.

You on the other hand seem to have some kind of a problem with Christianity
(or maybe religion in general?) and I really don't give a toss if you do, but I don't
take kindly to you saying that Black Madonna represents "bigotry" (it's probably
the biggest nonsense I read on this forum and I read a lot :)).

Todays best post!

I would have said that this picture would fit best for Poland.

Think of it forcibly build (Just like Poland after 1945)
Some kinda not nowadays but made used of (satalites at top etc, just like Poland! It's not like a westenr country but it catches up!)

The old grudge it holds but yet not destroyed!
The history it shows wich we shouldn't forget!

It all represents Poland in allmost everything!
Many look upon it as tragic! I would say it shows us everything

• 
  palac_kultury_i_nauk.jpg
  

Thank you very much for your answers!

There are quiete some answers that say that vodka is typical... I thought that it was more Russian, than Polish... =)

About religiuos symbols, as you can see from the different comments, it's a touchy matter. Therefore, I wouldn't like to go into it and use a religious symbol...

If I put a lot of represantative symbols on the cover... well, it could have a cheap look: too many things and it's kind of hard to organize such a composition... usually it looks too caotic and it's actually hard to actually execute it...

food and drinks... well, I'm not sure if it really represents Poland, as a culture... to represent= to express all the values that it has.

So so far I see the eagle, the warsaw mermaid (but not everybody agree that it would symbolize the whole), the wawel castle, nike, the King Zygmunt Column, as symbols in terms of something that could be designed on the cover... What would be the best of these things? Is there anything else?

Could also do the winged Hussars, heavy calvary?

.......that might be more for history buffs though........

For a cover i would probably go with eagle - you can't argue that it is a national symbol :)

all / majority that's of a little difference... and saying "our Queen" sounds exactly like you were stating that she is a queen of all Poles. I know some deeply religious people, catholics, who would never say something like that.


I have nothing against catholics, if you were paying more attention while reading this thread instead of making an arse of yourself by nitpicking typos you'd know that I was referring to 1jolas "She doesn't represent the communists, ex-communists turned biznessmen, and other leftist trash." that was his bigot reply to my neutral statement. It was not about Black Madonna. If you are so open minded and tolerant you should notice that this kind of hostile answer pretty much follows Radio Maryja.. my bad for not quoting the obvious

Szczerbiec - Polish Kings Coronation Sword

Bocian (Stork) – good luck symbol, also a symbol of polish countryside.

Wycinanki łowickie (paper-cut artwork) – symbol of polish folk art

Bursztyn (amber) – excellent symbol of Poland. For ancient Slavs it was a magical stone, wearing it protected the wearer from illness and evil. Wearing an amber for the Kashubian people meant successful hunt and safe return from the sea voyage.

Ciupaga - symbol Podhala one of the first gifts received by Pope John Paul II after his election for a reason.

Lajkonik - unofficial symbols of Krakow, one might say a postcard for the city of Kraków, a symbol of victory.

Kolumna Zygmunta (Sigismund's Column) - The column commemorates King Zygmunt III Waza, who had moved Poland's capital from Kraków to Warsaw.

These are just a few examples of the lesser known symbols of Poland. Those objects might not be associated with Poland by a foreigner, but anyone who is Polish would immediately think of Poland.

frd
Weird that you had to attack that one particular symbol. Like it or not even during the darkest days of communism there was organized pilgrimage to that site annually. Atheist like yourself not only had to allow it but they had to recognize the fact that for majority of Poles She is the symbol of Poland. Please enlighten us one more time, Who's intolerant?

So me stating "saying this icon represents Poles is over the top" is not tolerant? in what way? That's just my point of view, deal with it. Beside that, my other posts were all focused on answering people who were trying to mock me.. where your great intolerance?

Not really. All means 100%. Majority can mean, for instance, 51%.
Do you really see no difference?


Really? You have nothing against Catholics but you called Saint Virgin Mary...


Fairy lady? Do you even realize how insulting that is for Catholics?
What makes you think you have right to ridicule people's beliefs
like that?

You seem to be an arrogant person, using words like "bigotry", "hateful parochial Pole",
"narrow minded person", "fairy lady", "making an arse of yourself" or replacing a part of
my quote with "rabble, rabble".

Seriously, I have to say that most atheists I meet on internet boards are quite
aggressive and intolerant for religious people but still they see themselves as
posessing


Hilarious :)

You haven't answered anything about what 1jola said, and you know well that most of the things I posted concerned his post and was a reply to his hostility. Only the "arse" part was about you being all mocky about my typo, which is a highschoolers way of dealing with a lack of reasoning...


whoops, that was supposed to be "fair lady"


Our queen is closer to "queen of all of us" than "queen of the majority of us"

that's enough of "someone is wrong on the internet" for today..