W dniach 23-30 czerwca odbył się w Ciechocinku 51. Festiwal Folkloru Kujaw. Narodowy Instytut Kultury i Dziedzictwa Wsi był współorganizatorem imprezy.
The Municipal Cultural Center in Ciechocinek has planned a series of festival events. On Sunday, June 23, the Ciechocinek marina on the Vistula River hosted a traditional bonfire, garland weaving and Midsummer rituals. Various attractions were scheduled throughout the week: exhibitions and concerts, as well as workshops for children. The festival was accompanied, as every year, by the Ciechocinek Folk Fair, and at the NIKiDW stand, one could get acquainted with and purchase the Institute's publications.
However, the most important event was the Competition Review of Folk Art of Artists from the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, which took place on June 28 and 29 in the historic Summer Theater in Ciechocinek.
The jury selected winners in three categories:
- Singing group:
- First prize: the Witowo band
- Second prize: the band "Na swojską nutę" from Wierzbinek.
- Singers and storytellers:
- First prize: the duo "Wikliniorze" from Wierzbinek.
- Honorable mention: Danuta Kaczmarek from Smilowice
- Honorable mention: Antoni Benedykt Lukaszewicz from Kowal.
- Song and dance groups:
- First prize: "Wrzos" from Wloclawek.
- Honorable mention: "Swojacy" from Baruchów
- Honorable mention: "Kujawskie Słomkowiaki" from Słomków.
Special awards were given to: The "Kujawy" song and dance ensemble from Radziejów for their dance: the shaken polka, for playing the violin Henryk Szymkiewicz from the "Kujawioków from Dobre" folk ensemble, and the "Kapela spod Kowala" for their traditional dance: the kujawiak with a glass.
The main special award of the Kuyavian Folklore Festival Director Michal Gajewski went to the "Środa Kujawska" ensemble from Toruń. The singing group distinguished itself from others with its presentation of authentic repertoire and reconstruction of the Kuyavian style of singing. The jury thus drew attention to the need to protect the Kuyavian traditional repertoire, encouraging instructors and performers to use source materials - recordings, ethnographic and ethnomusicological works - in preparation for the competition, instead of reaching for common folk melodies or feast songs. The departure from traditional Kuyavian dances, instruments and the manner of singing was of concern to the jury, as during the review, the accordion was the dominant instrument and songs were often performed in two voices, which is at odds with the old practice of singing in Kuyavia.
The "Środa Kujawska" ensemble from Toruń is part of the trend present among city dwellers of seeking a rural style of music and singing, without having to wear folk costume when performing it in public. It is increasingly common among young people - amateurs of traditional music and dances. More about the demand for traditional culture expressed by the city was told by Prof. Andrzej Bienkowski at https://nikidw.edu.pl/muzyka-odnaleziona/.
