The folk art of the Kurpie region is primarily expressed in architecture, ornamentation, sculpture, weaving, and paper cutting. Old customs are cultivated, accompanied by songs and dances, and the local dialect is still used.
The Kurpie cottage derives from a “hut” made of logs, interwoven with moss and covered with turf or branches. The Kurpie cottage consists of four rooms. From the yard, we enter the hallway, which leads to the chamber and upstairs, i.e., the attic. Where there is no granary, there are straw stacks with spare grain in the attic. From the hallway, we also enter the large main room, usually intended for guests and rarely used by the host family. From the large room, we enter the “alcove,” a smaller room serving as a bedroom and dining room. All rooms meet at the corners by the fireplace.
Kurpie cottages are positioned with their gables facing the road, but not right next to it. They were separated from the road by flower gardens or small orchards, most often with cherry and pear trees. Above the gables of the cottages, there are horns on the sides, called “śparogi” here. They are carved in various patterns, depicting bird or animal heads, axes, horns, etc.
The characteristic furnishings of the room included: a wooden bed, a decoratively profiled table, chairs with seats woven from straw and wicker, a chest usually painted brown and red with multicolored floral motifs, a weaving loom, a shelf or open cabinet for plates, bowls and spoons stuck into special holes in a spoon holder.
In terms of folk art, the Kurpie region is an exceptionally interesting area, clearly distinct from the rest of Mazovia. The main element of folk art here is the paper cutout, the most important decoration of a Kurpie room, next to fabric.
A characteristic feature of paper cutouts from the Zielona Forest is the leluja, a tree-shaped cutout. Other elements of folk art that used to play an important role in Kurpie included wood carving, root weaving, and pottery.
The Kurpie people wore cloth trousers, white at the bottom, tied with a strap, tucked into clogs made of leather or linden wood, a linen shirt, and a red ribbon around the neck. On top of this, they wore a vest, and on cold days, a dark gray cloth sukmana, pleated at the back and tied with a woolen belt. They wore a hat or cap with a visor on their heads.
Women wore woolen striped skirts, boots, and white linen shirts. Girls braided their hair with lots of ribbons. Only the women’s festive costume has survived to our times. It can be fully admired on solemn holidays, e.g., during the Corpus Christi celebrations. Young Kurpian women wear a tall, stiff “czółko” (headdress) made of black velvet, decorated with sequins and beads, and finished with a bunch of ribbons at the back. Older women tie scarves around their heads. The Kurpie women’s costumes are complemented by beautiful amber or glass, as well as wooden, painted beads.
Kurpie folklore is interesting: customs, songs, dances, fairy tales, legends, and myths. The customs were related to the occupations of the Kurpie people, such as beekeeping, shepherding, hunting, etc. One of the most interesting regional spectacles is the “Kurpie Wedding” with its interesting ancient rituals, dances, and wedding songs.
