What Is Dyngus Day?
- Written By: Sheri Cyprus
- Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
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2003-2013 Conjecture Corporation
Dyngus Day, sometimes spelled Dingus Day, is a holiday that is celebrated in Poland as well as in some Polish communities in the United States. This holiday always takes place on Easter Monday and it's meant to be a fun, light-hearted holiday. It is also called Wet Monday as the tradition of Dyngus Day is for males to soak females with water from buckets, hoses and the like. Traditionally, the females are supposed to get their revenge on Tuesday by throwing dishes, but now most females just soak the men back with water on the same day.
The history of Dyngus Day dates back to the Easter Monday 966 A.D. baptism of the Polish prince Mieszko I. This was a significant baptism because it was taken by the Polish people to mean that all of Poland was Christian. Since baptism is thought to relate to purification, cleansing and fertility, the idea somehow adapted into Dyngus Day and boys soaking girls with water. Dyngus Day water traditions also relate to the mass Lithuanian baptisms that took place after the Lithuanian Duke, Jagiello, and the Polish Queen, Jadwiga, were married.
Dyngus Day is meant as a fun holiday after the serious period of Lent. The actual Easter Monday act of soaking a person with water and/or hitting him or her with switches of pussy willows is called Smigus Dyngus. Originally, Smigus Dyngus referred to a sort of trick-or-treating tradition that has mostly died out in urban areas. It involved the use of a special cart and rooster brought to each house in order to collect food and drink. The rooster was either real or carved from wood.
Still another legend associated with Dygnus Day is one that remembers a Polish Princess named Wanda. The use of water to soak females is said to remember Wanda as she chose to drown herself in the Wilsa River rather than marry a man she didn't love. Religiously, Dyngus Day marks the start of Polish Catholicism.
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anon173747
Post 5 |
Dyngus Day festivities are very much alive and thriving in the Buffalo, NY area. I've been putting on a Dyngus celebration for 22 years at the Leonard Post VFW in Cheektowaga. People from all around the country come to celebrate the many festivities that happen the whole Eater weekend in Buffalo, NY. Every year it gets bigger! |
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Domido
Post 4 |
@laluna - I love the thoughts of Dyngus Day, although I've never participated myself. I think I would rather go with the water version myself! It sounds like fun and too much perfume makes me sneeze! Here's to a Happy Dyngus Day in all its forms! |
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dimpley
Post 3 |
Dyngus Day sounds like a hoot! I think we should all gather together in mass and bring it back to the forefront of tradition! A whole day of relaxed fun – and I think it could quite easily become another day off from work for many folks! Who doesn’t like the idea of that! |
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tlcJPC
Post 2 |
Well, this is a great little piece of history! Dyngus Day is something that I was not familiar with, and so I was a little surprised and intrigued with the concept! I think that it sounds like a great way to open up the nicely warm days of spring! I mean, what better way than to have some water fun! And, personally, I am very open to throwing some dishes at the men in my life! Not only might I get in a lick or two, but I’d get to buy all new dishes every single year! |
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laluna
Post 1 |
I have heard of this tradition, however not knowing that dyngus day was a polish tradition. I think there is a slight variation to this custom, however, instead of water being used to spray the ladies, perfume is used instead. |
