Polish Highlanders

[kaima]

There is an interesting writ-up on the Polish Highlanders at
www.pgsa.org/Towns/Gorale.htm

while the author is recommended as a well respected scholar and the reading is interesting, he uses the term "Gorale" as generic for all Highlanders, including the Lemko / Rusyn, the Rusyn and various other people on the Slovak side of the border have been there for centuries (when the borders were yet to be finalized), and perhaps more recently settled Polish people in the Highlands. There are substantial Gypsy populations in the Slovak highlands, and Jews were thoroughly intermingled for centuries as well.

Of the Goral he separates them into
The Jabłonkowianie, or Silesian highlanders
the Żywczaki, in the densely populated valley of the Soła and Koszarzawa
the Babiogórcy, who settled in the valley of the upper Skaw
the Rabczanie or Zagórzanie
the Kliszczaki, or the Highlanders from Łętownia
the Nowy Targ valley is occupied by the Podhalanie
Highlanders from Nowy Targ, Nowotarżanie
Pieniny highlanders also called the highlanders from Krosścienko
the highlanders of Sącz
the highlanders whom we call Spiżacy from the upper Poprad
the Czuhońcy or Czuchońcy They call themselves Rusnacy - a variation on Rusyn.
Kurtacy
the Wallachian
Bojkos
the small and very old clan of the Tucholcy
the Hutsuls [in Polish Huculi]

I never knew there were so many of us (put me in with the Spiżacy).

Kai

[Jaga]

Kai,

this is very interesting analysis really. Yes, there were many groups or clans among highlanders... it is interesting that they try to translate it into English!

[Pawian]

kaima said:

There is an interesting writ-up on the Polish Highlanders at
Of the Goral he separates them into
The Jabłonkowianie, or Silesian highlanders
the Żywczaki, in the densely populated valley of the Soła and Koszarzawa
the Babiogórcy, who settled in the valley of the upper Skaw
the Rabczanie or Zagórzanie
the Kliszczaki, or the Highlanders from Łętownia
the Nowy Targ valley is occupied by the Podhalanie
Highlanders from Nowy Targ, Nowotarżanie
Pieniny highlanders also called the highlanders from Krosścienko
the highlanders of Sącz
the highlanders whom we call Spiżacy from the upper Poprad
the Czuhońcy or Czuchońcy They call themselves Rusnacy - a variation on Rusyn.
Kurtacy
the Wallachian
Bojkos
the small and very old clan of the Tucholcy
the Hutsuls [in Polish Huculi]
I never knew there were so many of us (put me in with the Spiżacy).
Kai

As a man who lives in Krakow which is close to the mountains I should know more names.

However, I know only two specific names: Huculs and Bojkos. All other tribes are generally called Highlanders, Górale, without all detailed origin.

I suppose most people in Poland use one name for all tribes.

I am sure only people who belong to different Highlandish tribes know and use seperate names.

[Jaga]

pawian said:

As a man who lives in Krakow which is close to the mountains I should know more names.

However, I know only two specific names: Huculs and Bojkos. All other tribes are generally called Highlanders, Górale, without all detailed origin.

I suppose most people in Poland use one name for all tribes.

I am sure only people who belong to different Highlandish tribes know and use seperate names.

Jerzy,

I think there was always quite a difference between the mountaineers from Nowy Sacz, these from Orawa and Spisz and also these from Silesia (Zywiec). They had different cloths and different traditions

[Pawian]

admin said:

pawian said:

As a man who lives in Krakow which is close to the mountains I should know more names.
However, I know only two specific names: Huculs and Bojkos. All other tribes are generally called Highlanders, Górale, without all detailed origin.
I suppose most people in Poland use one name for all tribes.
I am sure only people who belong to different Highlandish tribes know and use seperate names.

I think there was always quite a difference between the mountaineers from Nowy Sacz, these from Orawa and Spisz and also these from Silesia (Zywiec). They had different cloths and different traditions

Of course, there are many differences. But for a layman like me and for most Poles people from the Highlands are just Górale. The most distuingushable are those from Zakopane region - everybody knows their folk clothes and funny accent. But even they are called Highlanders, just like all the rest.