Travel Love Poland Magazine – March 2021

the past
About Rękawka
Photos & Digitalisation: www.ct.mhk.pl, public domain
Rękawka is a Polish Easter custom celebrated in Krakow on the
Tuesday after Easter, originally referring to the Slavic tradition
of the spring version of Dziady. The tradition of Rękawka
included, among others, throwing and rolling eggs, a symbol of
new life.
The name of the custom comes from the name of the mound,
which, on an engraving by Matthäus Merian and Vischer de
Jonge, from around 1600, was called Tumulus dictus Rękawka
(the Mound called Rękawka). In the register containing the list
of expenses related to the coronation of Henry III of France,
there is an entry regarding the illumination of the mound on
that occasion: Peasants who burned a fire on Rękawka on Te
Deum laud. after the coronation and who carried wood there -
21 groschen each.
It is related to the legend of Krakus Mound, built by the people
after the king's death. According to tradition, the soil for the
mound was carried in sleeves (in Polish: “rękawy”) and hence
the name "Rękawka". One of the epigrams by Jan Kochanowski
indicates a similar origin of the word "rękawka" as in it means a
tomb strewn with hands (in Polish: "rękami"). Rękawka with its
roots undoubtedly refers to the pagan rituals associated with
the Spring Forefathers (Dziady) which fall on the spring
solstice. The very etymology of the word, contrary to the folk
tradition, has nothing to do with carrying the soil, although it
alludes to the cult of the dead. In 1592, a case concerning the
borders of Wola took place before the Land Court of Kraków. It
was about the violent scattering of seventeen mounds that
separated the area of the village of Wola Świętoduska from the
area of the town of Kazimierz, the village of Janowa Wola, and
the sudden settlement of the grove and area of the village of
Wola ... that is six leagues, at the fields below Lasotyna
mountain and besides the route, running from Kazimierz to
Wieliczka. The document contains a detailed description of the
boundaries of Wola, adjacent to the meadows of the city of
Kazimierz, with one of them lying at the Wieliczka main route
(now Wielicka street. At the time of the separateness of
Kazimierz, Krakowska street was also called Wielicka as it led to
Wieliczka, then more or less along the course delineated along
the present Limanowskiego street to today's Wielicka), on the
west side, it was called Raczka. Primary reverence for the
deceased included throwing food and coins down the hill It is
possible that it was based on the possibly still pre-Slavic mound
and a combination of threads from the legend of Krakus with
Slavic beliefs. The rite may also echo the ancient Celtic
traditions associated with the cult of the god of death,
Smertius.
On the slope of the mound, the mighty of the city rolled eggs,
cobbler pancakes, bagels, rolls, apples and gingerbread directly
into the hands of boys and crowds. Back in 1939, the biggest
attraction was throwing bread, apples, Easter eggs, toys and
balloons from the hill.
It is assumed that the foundation of the church of St.
Benedict and the establishment of the patron day on March 21
(the first day of spring), was the reaction of the Catholic
Church to the vivid Slavic religious practices in Krzemionki.
Historically, at least from the 17th century, as evidenced by
sources, during the indulgence (on Tuesday, which was also a
public holiday), wealthy Cracovians dropped fruit, sweets and
money from the top of the mound (coins from various
historical periods were found in the surface layer), while the
poor, students and children collected them at the foothill. Until
the mid-nineteenth century, Rękawka was held at Krakus
Mound itself, but after digging the hill for the construction of
a railway line, it moved to St. Benedict Mount in the northern
part of Lasota Hill and was combined with an indulgence and
folk party near the church of St. Benedict in Krzemionki.
During the Austrian partition, in 1897, the celebrations were
banned. Even the access to the mound was closed. The
authorities planned to build an artillery fort in this area and
also wanted to eliminate the tumult and signs of aggression
among those gathered at the mound.
126 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND