pl, Kaszuby , native_name_lang = csb, de, csb , settlement_type =

Historical region Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a cultural, ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that ...

, anthem =

Zemia Rodnô Zemia Rodnô (, lit. ''Motherland'') is a Kashubian patriotic song commonly regarded as the anthem of Kashubia and its people. Its author is Jan Trepczyk, an prominent Kashubian activist, which wrote the song in 1954. The first symphonic perf ...

, image_map = Kashubians in Poland.png , image_flag = Kashubian flag.svg , map_caption = , coordinates = , image_shield = Kaszëbsczi Herb.png , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Region , subdivision_name1 =

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

, capital =

Kartuzy Kartuzy () ( Kashubian ''Kartuzë'', ''Kartëzë'', or ''Kartuzé''; formerly german: Karthaus) is a town in northern Poland, located in the historic Eastern Pomerania ( Pomerelia) region. It is the capital of Kartuzy County in Pomeranian Voivode ...

, largest_city =

Wejherowo Wejherowo ( csb, Wejrowò; german: Neustadt in Westpreußen, formerly Weyhersfrey) is a city in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 48,735 inhabitants (2021). It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 19 ...

, seat_type = Largest cities , seat =

Gdynia Gdynia ( ; ; german: Gdingen (currently), (1939–1945); csb, Gdiniô, , , ) is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With a population of 243,918, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and ...

Sopot Sopot is a seaside resort city in Pomerelia on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is located in Pomeranian Voivodeship, and has the status of the county, being the smallest city ...

, Puck,

Kościerzyna Kościerzyna ( Kashubian and Pomeranian: ''Kòscérzëna''; formerly german: Berent, ) is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomerania ...

Bytów Bytów (; csb, Bëtowò; formerly german: Bütow ) is a town in the Gdańsk Pomerania region of northern Poland with 16,730 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the capital of Bytów County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The origins of Byt ...

Gdańsk Gdańsk ( , also ; ; csb, Gduńsk;Stefan Ramułt, ''Słownik języka pomorskiego, czyli kaszubskiego'', Kraków 1893, Gdańsk 2003, ISBN 83-87408-64-6. , Johann Georg Theodor Grässe, ''Orbis latinus oder Verzeichniss der lateinischen Benen ...

, timezone =

CET CET or cet may refer to: Places * Cet, Albania * Cet, standard astronomical abbreviation for the constellation Cetus * Colchester Town railway station (National Rail code CET), in Colchester, England Arts, entertainment, and media * Comcast En ...

, utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST =

CEST CEST or cest may refer to: * Central European Summer Time (UTC+2), daylight saving time observed in the central European time zone * Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory * Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer, a subset of Magnetization transfer in ...

, utc_offset_DST = +2 , area_total_km2 = , area_footnotes = , population_total = , population_as_of = , population_footnotes = , population_demonym = Kashubian , blank_info_sec2 = , iso_code = , image_map1 = Kashubia or Cassubia ( csb, Kaszëbë, Kaszëbskô, pl, Kaszuby, german: Kaschubei, Kaschubien) is a language area in the historic Eastern

(

Pomerelia Pomerelia,, la, Pomerellia, Pomerania, pl, Pomerelia (rarely used) also known as Eastern Pomerania,, csb, Pòrénkòwô Pòmòrskô Vistula Pomerania, prior to World War II also known as Polish Pomerania, is a historical sub-region of Pome ...

) region of northern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

. It is defined by the widespread use of the

Kashubian language Kashubian or Cassubian (Kashubian: ', pl, język kaszubski) is a West Slavic language belonging to the Lechitic subgroup along with Polish and Silesian.Stephen Barbour, Cathie Carmichael, ''Language and Nationalism in Europe'', Oxford Univers ...

Location and geography

Located west of

(inclusive of all but the easternmost district) and the mouth of the

Vistula The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...

river, it is inhabited by members of the Kashubian ethnic group. The region is home to the

Kashubian Lake District Kashubian Lake District ( pl, Pojezierze Kaszubskie; csb, Pòjezerzé Kaszëbsczé) ( 314.51) is a mesoregion part of the Eastern Lake District macroregion, the northernmost of all Pomeranian lake districts. Nearly of the lakes lie at a height ...

. According to the 1999 basic study ''Geografia współczesnych Kaszub'' (Geography of present-day Kashubia) by the Gdańsk scholar Jan Mordawski 43 municipalities (''

gmina The gmina (Polish: , plural ''gminy'' , from German ''Gemeinde'' meaning ''commune'') is the principal unit of the administrative division of Poland, similar to a municipality. , there were 2,477 gminas throughout the country, encompassing over 4 ...

s'') of the

Pomeranian Voivodeship Pomeranian Voivodeship, Pomorskie Region, or Pomerania Province (Polish: ''Województwo pomorskie'' ; ( Kashubian: ''Pòmòrsczé wòjewództwò'' ), is a voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk. The ...

have a Kashubian share of at least one third of the total population: * Cities:

(''Gdiniô'') *

Bytów County __NOTOC__ Bytów County ( csb, bëtowsczi pòwiat, pl, powiat bytowski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Pol ...

(''Bëtowsczi kréz''): Town of

(''Bëtowò'') with

Gmina Bytów __NOTOC__ Gmina Bytów is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Bytów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Bytów, which lies approximately west of the regional capital Gdańsk. The gmina covers ...

Gmina Czarna Dąbrówka __NOTOC__ Gmina Czarna Dąbrówka ( csb, Czôrnô Dãbrówka) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Bytów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Czarna Dąbrówka, which lies approximately north ...

(''Czôrnô Dãbrówka''),

Gmina Lipnica __NOTOC__ Gmina Lipnica ( csb, Lëpnica) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Bytów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Lipnica, which lies approximately south of Bytów and south-west of th ...

(''Lëpnica''),

Gmina Parchowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Parchowo ( csb, Gmina Parchòwò) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Bytów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Parchowo, which lies approximately north-east of Bytów and west ...

(''Parchòwò''),

Gmina Tuchomie __NOTOC__ Gmina Tuchomie ( csb, Tëchòmié) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Bytów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Tuchomie, which lies approximately west of Bytów and west of the ...

(''Tëchòmié'') *

Chojnice County __NOTOC__ Chojnice County ( csb, Chòniczzi kréz, pl, powiat chojnicki) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the P ...

(''Chònicczi kréz''): Town of

Brusy Brusy ( Kashubian: ''Brusë''; formerly german: Bruß) is a town in northern Poland, located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 5,201. History Brusy was a royal village of the Polish Crown, adminis ...

(''Brusë'') with

Gmina Brusy __NOTOC__ Gmina Brusy is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Brusy, which lies approximately north-east of Chojnice and south-west of the regional ...

Gmina Chojnice __NOTOC__ Gmina Chojnice ( csb, Chojnice) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Chojnice, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina. The ...

(''Chojnice''),

Gmina Konarzyny __NOTOC__ Gmina Konarzyny ( csb, Kònarzënë) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Konarzyny, which lies approximately north-west of Chojnice and ...

(''Kònarzënë'') *

Człuchów County __NOTOC__ Człuchów County ( csb, Człëchòwsczi kréz, pl, powiat człuchowski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result ...

(''Człëchòwsczi kréz''):

Gmina Przechlewo __NOTOC__ Gmina Przechlewo ( csb, Przechlewò) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Człuchów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Przechlewo, which lies approximately north-west of Człuchów ...

(''Przechlewò'') *

Lębork County __NOTOC__ Lębork County ( csb, Lãbòrsczi kréz, pl, powiat lęborski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland, on the Baltic coast. It came into being on January 1, 1999, ...

(''Lãbòrsczi kréz''):

Gmina Cewice __NOTOC__ Gmina Cewice ( csb, Céwice) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Lębork County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Cewice, which lies approximately south of Lębork and west of the region ...

(''Céwice'') *

Kartuzy County __NOTOC__ Kartuzy County ( pl, powiat kartuski; csb, kartësczi pòwiat) is a county in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with administrative seat and largest town being Kartuzy. It came into being on 1 January 1999, as a result of the Polish ...

(''Kartësczi kréz''): Town of

(''Kartuzë'') with

Gmina Kartuzy __NOTOC__ Gmina Kartuzy is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Kartuzy, which lies approximately west of the regional capital Gdańsk. The gmina ...

, Town of

Żukowo Żukowo ( csb, Żukòwò, german: Zuckau, la, Sucovia) is a town in the Kartuzy County, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of northern Poland, in the geographical region of Kashubia, with 6,236 inhabitants (2005). It is located along the Radunia ri ...

(''Żukòwò'') with

Gmina Żukowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Żukowo ( csb, Gmina Żukòwò) is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Żukowo, which lies approximately east of Kartuzy and west ...

Gmina Chmielno __NOTOC__ Gmina Chmielno is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Chmielno, which lies approximately west of Kartuzy and west of the regional capital ...

(''Chmielno''),

Gmina Przodkowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Przodkowo ( csb, Przedkòwò) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Przodkowo, which lies approximately north-east of Kartuzy and we ...

(''Przedkòwò''),

Gmina Sulęczyno __NOTOC__ Gmina Sulęczyno ( csb, Sëlëczëno) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Sulęczyno, which lies approximately west of Kartuzy and west ...

(''Sëlëczëno''),

Gmina Sierakowice __NOTOC__ Gmina Sierakowice ( csb, Gmina Sërakòjce) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Sierakowice, which lies approximately west of Kartuzy and ...

(''Sërakòjce''),

Gmina Somonino __NOTOC__ Gmina Somonino ( csb, Somònino) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Somonino, which lies approximately south of Kartuzy and west of the ...

(''Somònino''), Gmina Stężyca (''Stãżëca'') *

Kościerzyna County __NOTOC__ Kościerzyna County ( csb, Kòscérsczi kréz, pl, powiat kościerski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on 1 January 1999 as a result of ...

(''Kòscérsczi kréz''): Town of

(''Kòscérzëna'') with Gmina Kościerzyna,

Gmina Dziemiany __NOTOC__ Gmina Dziemiany ( csb, Dzemiónë) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Dziemiany, which lies approximately south-west of Kościerzyna ...

(''Dzemiónë''), Gmina Karsin (''Kôrsëno''),

Gmina Lipusz __NOTOC__ Gmina Lipusz ( csb, Lëpùsz) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Lipusz, which lies approximately west of Kościerzyna and south-wes ...

(''Lëpùsz''), Gmina Nowa Karczma (''Nowô Karczma'') *

Puck County __NOTOC__ Puck County ( pl, powiat pucki, csb, pùcczi pòwiat) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland, on the Baltic coast. The ''powiat'' of this name existed in the hist ...

(''Pùcczi kréz''): Town of Puck (''Pùck'') with

Gmina Puck __NOTOC__ Gmina Puck is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Puck, Poland, Puck, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina. The gmina covers a ...

, towns of Hel (''Hél''),

Jastarnia Jastarnia ( csb, Jastarniô, german: Heisternest) is a resort town in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodship, northern Poland. It is located on the Hel Peninsula on the Baltic Sea. It is a popular Polish seaside resort and small fishing port. The ...

(''Jastarniô'') and

Władysławowo Władysławowo ( Kashubian/ Pomeranian: ''Wiôlgô Wies'', german: Großendorf) is a city on the south coast of the Baltic Sea in Kashubia in the Pomerelia region, northern Poland, with 15,015 (2009) inhabitants. History In 1634 engineer Fryd ...

(''Wiôlgô Wies''),

Gmina Kosakowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Kosakowo ( csb, Kòsôkòwò) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Kosakowo, which lies approximately south-east of Puck and north of ...

(''Kòsôkòwò''),

Gmina Krokowa __NOTOC__ Gmina Krokowa ( csb, Krokòwa) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Krokowa, which lies approximately north-west of Puck, Poland, Puck and nort ...

(''Krokòwa'') *

Wejherowo County __NOTOC__ Wejherowo County ( csb, Wejrowsczi kréz, pl, powiat wejherowski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland, on the Baltic coast. It came into being on January 1, 1 ...

(''Wejrowsczi kréz''): Town of

(''Wejrowò'') and

Gmina Wejherowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Wejherowo is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Wejherowo, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina. The gmina cover ...

, towns of Reda (''Réda'') and

Rumia Rumia (; Kashubian: ''Rëmiô''; German until 1945: ''Rahmel'') is a town in northern Poland, in the Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship, with some 45,000 inhabitants. It is a part of the Kashubian Tricity (Rumia, Reda, Wejherowo) and ...

(''Rëmiô''),

Gmina Choczewo __NOTOC__ Gmina Choczewo ( csb, Chòczewò, german: Chottschow) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Choczewo, which lies approximately north-west ...

(''Chòczewò''),

Gmina Gniewino __NOTOC__ Gmina Gniewino is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Gniewino, which lies approximately north-west of Wejherowo and north-west of the regio ...

(''Gniewino''),

Gmina Linia __NOTOC__ Gmina Linia ( csb, Gmina Lëniô) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Linia, which lies approximately south-west of Wejherowo and west ...

(''Lëniô''),

Gmina Luzino __NOTOC__ Gmina Luzino ( csb, Gmina Lëzëno) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Luzino, which lies approximately south-west of Wejherowo and nort ...

(''Lëzëno''), Gmina Łęczyce (''Łãczëce''),

Gmina Szemud __NOTOC__ Gmina Szemud ( csb, Gmina Szëmôłd) is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Szemud, which lies approximately south of Wejherowo and north-w ...

(''Szëmôłd'')

Culture

Kashubian emblem and flag

Although there are no legal regulations regarding the use of Kashubian symbols, the

griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...

, i.e. a mythical animal, derived from antiquity, is considered the emblem and symbol of the Kashubians. The Kashubian griffin is in black on a yellow background (optionally golden). The colors of the Kashubian flag are taken from the emblem - the upper color is black, and the lower one is yellow (golden). A Kashubian flag with a griffin in the center is also used. If there is an emblem on the flag, then the background is yellow.

Embroidery

Embroidery Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...

is an important part of Kashubian culture which uses seven colours; three shades of blue representing the sky, the

lakes A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

and

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...

, green representing the meadows and forests, yellow representing the sun, red representing the peoples' love for the region, and the red representing the hard work of the Kashubians. Its origins date back to the early 13th century.

Cuisine

Kashubian

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...

is mostly based on

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

and

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...

Grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...

is also widely used within Kashubian dishes.

Herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...

are the most widely used fish due to their high numbers in the region.

Mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...

s are also a part of Kashubia's wide variety of dishes.

Music

Kashubia has a wide variety of

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

;

is widely considered to be the anthem of Kashubia. The most recognised Kashubian song is ''Kaszëbsczé nótë'', a traditional song that is the most recognisable part of Kashubian

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

. Dances are also a noticeable part of Kashubian culture, which are moderately energetic, except for a few. The most famous dance is the ''Kòséder''.

Language

According to Edwin Rozenkranz, the term "Kashubia" was introduced to Gdańsk Pomerania by Slavic displaced people from Western Pomerania (mainly knights), who had to give way to German colonists over time. The name stuck to these lands at the end of the Middle Ages, and it was popularized in the 16th century. Therefore, the Kashubian language is a Slavic language with some German influences with the status of an official language since 2005.

Religion

The population of the region, alike the majority of Poland, is predominantly

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Important regional Catholic sites include the Wejherowo Calvary in

, and the Church of the Assumption within the former Carthusian monastery in

References

External links

kaszubia.com

kaszebsko.com

Ducatus Pomeraniae Tabula Generalis in Qua sunt Ducatus Pomeraniae, Stettinensis, Cassubiae,... 1680
{{Authority control Kashubia Pomerania Regions of Poland Historical regions in Poland