Silesian Gorals ( pl, Górale śląscy, cs, Slezští Goralé, Cieszyn Silesian: ''Gorole''; literally "highlanders") are an ethnographic group (subgroup of Gorals) living in Silesian Beskids and

Moravian-Silesian Beskids The Moravian-Silesian Beskids (Czech: , sk, Moravsko-sliezske Beskydy) is a mountain range in the Czech Republic with a small part reaching to Slovakia. It lies on the historical division between Moravia and Silesia, hence the name. It is part o ...

within historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. They are one of the four major ethnographic groups of Cieszyn Silesia.

Vlach colonization "Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other Eastern ...

of Silesian Beskids began in the late 15th century roughly at the time when Brenna was first mentioned in 1490. It peaked in two following centuries. The group now shares a lot of cultural traits with other Gorals of Western Carpathians stemming from a common way of living from

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...

ing in mountainous pastures, but they are also characterised by various different cultural and spiritual elements like dialect, beliefs, customs, costume, etc. Wincenty Pol in his survey of Gorals in the middle of the 19th century subdivided Silesian Gorals into 4 groups: * Breniacy – in Brenna. * Wiślanie – in Wisła. * Jabłonkowianie (Jablunkov Gorals) – exemplary Silesian Gorals living in mountainous villages around Jablunkov (Polish: Jabłonków) including Koniaków,

Jaworzynka is a village in Gmina Istebna, Cieszyn County in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. The village is situated in Beskid Śląski mountain range, near to the borders with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in the historical region of Cieszyn S ...

, Istebna, Bukovec (Bukowiec), Mosty,

Písek Písek (; german: Pisek) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 30,000 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Písek is colloquially called "''South ...

(Piosek), Dolní and Horní Lomná (Łomna Dolna i Górna). * Morawianie (Moravians) – Gorals in the villages: Krásná, Morávka and

Pražmo Pražmo is a municipality and village in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants. Geography Pražmo lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. The municipality is mostly ...

. Their dialect was transitional between the Polish and Czech language (see also:

Moravians Moravians ( cs, Moravané or colloquially , outdated ) are a West Slavic ethnographic group from the Moravia region of the Czech Republic, who speak the Moravian dialects of Czech or Common Czech or a mixed form of both. Along with the Silesi ...

and

Lach dialects The Lach dialects, also known as Lachian dialects ( cs, lašská nářečí, laština, pl, gwary laskie), are a group of West Slavic dialects that form a transition between the Polish and Czech language. They are spoken in parts of Czech Sile ...

Gorolski Święto Gorolski Święto (literally ''Goral's Festival'') is an annual international cultural and folklore festival held in Jablunkov, Czech Republic, the first weekend in August. It lasts from Friday to Sunday. It is organized by the Polish Cultural an ...

is an annual international cultural and folklore festival held in Jablunkov with a primary goal to present folklore of the local Gorals.

Gallery

File:Henryk Jastrzembski akwarela Górale z Istebnej 1846.png, Henryk Jastrzembski: Gorals in Istebna (1846) File:Henryk Jastrzembski akwarela Górale z Brennej 1848.png, Henryk Jastrzembski: Gorals in Brenna (1848) File:Henryk Jastrzembski akwarela Góral z Wisły 1848.png, Henryk Jastrzemski: A Goral in Wisła (1848) File:Festiwal pzko 1078.jpg, ''Gorol'' men's choir from Jablunkov during a parade of

PZKO Polski Związek Kulturalno-Oświatowy (commonly known as PZKO) ( cs, Polský kulturně-osvětový svaz) (meaning "Polish Cultural and Educational Union") is a Polish organization in the Czech Republic. It represents the Polish minority in the C ...

(2007) File:Gorolsko drzewionka.jpg, Traditional Gorol wooden house (''drzewiónka'') in Silesian Beskids

Notes

References

Gorals Cieszyn Silesia Ethnic groups in Poland Ethnic groups in the Czech Republic Silesian Voivodeship {{Europe-ethno-group-stub

Gallery

See also

Notes

References