Research report by the Jagiellonian University, Poland - cult rural

123.2. Inhabitants of RzeszówJan Stanisław Bystroń (distinguished ethnographer) in his work Ethnography of Polandwrote; “And we make one more group separately, namely Rzeszowiacy. And here we alsodeal with the borderland, which although a direct prolongation of Małopolska to the eats,developed separately. The name Rzeszowiacy (…) includes native, long time ago settledPolish people of the western part of previous Ruskie voivodship. The spatial range of theethnographic group in question covered the areas situated on the right bank of the lowerWisłok river-basin and the left bank of the middle San. In the north it spreads to SokołówMałopolski, in the east to Jarosław, in the south to Błażowa and in the west to SędziszówMałopolski.The folk culture of Rzeszowiacy was formed during over six centuries of historical andsocial development, initiated by intensive settlement of people of Polish origin in the 14 th and15 th centuries on the territory covered by influences of Russian people.The favourable natural conditions of the Sandomierska valley – relatively rich soils, awell-developed net of rivers and streams and mild climate made agriculture the basic industryof Rzeszowiacy. At the same time, the source of extra money was weaving, mainly producinglinen but also woollen cloth. These factors decided that Rzeszowiacy were relatively richer,which resulted on one hand in the feeling of superiority in relation to Lasowiacy who weretheir neighbours in the north, and on the other hand in forming a separate group ethosexpressed in monumental buildings, in which the pillar construction was applied whilebuilding houses, richly equipped interior, developed decorations and the attire, in which wecan see elements of rural and noblemen fashion, as well as rich customs and rituals.4. The folk attire4.1. The Podhale attire as a symbol of the regional identityThe Podhale attire, originates from shepherd-Wallahian tradition shared by many groupsinhabiting the Carpathians, which can be proved by e.g. “Wallahian” shirt or cloth as a basicmaterial for production of many items of clothing. During the previous centuries both afemale attire as well as a male one have changed and adopted new elements. Shaped byenvironmental and social factors, and also culture fashions coming from both theneighbouring regions and the elitist strata it was a kind of a barometer of changes occurringin the Podhale community.