The Culture of Poland - Research Paper Example

The Culture of Poland The Culture of Poland Introduction Poland has a total population of thirty nine million people and is richly endowed with natural resources (Woodward, Yörük, Koc, & Pander, 2010). In addition to the inhabitants of the country being good entrepreneurs, Poland has attracted numerous foreign investors, thereby making its economy dynamic (Woodward, Yörük, Koc, & Pander, 2010). The country’s capital city is Warsaw having a population of 1.6 million and is the political and economic center of Poland. The country is a member of the European Union and is the sixth biggest country in the union. The main sectors supporting the economy include information technology, automotive electronics, food processing, tourism, and the banking. According to Skarzynska (2002), the Polish people have a unique business culture where they are ambitious individuals who are hard negotiators and always eager to do business. They have also acquired western methods of business management and are bureaucratic. To successfully invest in a country and market your products, it is important to understand the cultural environment. This paper will analyze the cultural environment of Poland and to do this successfully, the paper will discuss the language, religion, art and entertainment, foods and social cultures and rituals in the country. Polish Language Language is an important aspect of the people’s culture and is critical when communicating with others. Comprehending the language of the people in a country is important when carrying out business with the inhabitants of the country or in daily general interactions. Poland is made up of four main ethnic groups: Poles, Germans, Belarusians and Ukrainians. The Poles are the majority making up 96.7 percent of the total population according to a census carried out in 2002; Germans are 0.4 percent; Ukrainians and Belarusian are 0.1 percent each (Woodward, Yörük, Koc, & Pander, 2010). The rest 2.7 percent of the population is made up of many small groups. The official language in Poland is Polish and is spoken by the majority of the people in the country. Polish is the second most spoken language after Russian among the Slavic languages. Poles share various vocabularies with languages spoken in the Slavic region. The other language spoken in Poland is English, which is mostly spoken by the youths and is the common foreign language when doing business. However, German was previously the most common foreign language taught in Poland. In addition, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Silesian, Kashubian, Wymysorys, and Romani languages are spoken in Poland (Woodward, Yörük, Koc, & Pander, 2010). Polish Religion Religion is an important aspect in the Polish society and is deeply rooted in the culture (Eberts, 1998). According to Eberts (1998), the religious holidays in Poland are treated as national holidays and most businesses are closed down during this period. Catholicism is the most prevalent religion in the country and Christianity was brought in 966 and is a device for unification. The other religious groups in the country include the Eastern Orthodox with 1.3 percent followed by Protestants with 0.3 percent. Presently, the registered churches in Poland are a hundred and thirty eight. There is also a segment of the population who either adhere to Islam or Judaism. Additionally, some people follow a combination of both Islam and Judaism known as the Karaite Religious Board (Eberts, 1998). The main characteristic of Polish religion is upholding of Christian ceremonies and traditional practices (Eberts, 1998). In Poland, Catholic Church is a revered institution and is linked to Polish nationalism, and the first significant date of Poland’s history is 966 when the country adopted Christianity. State structures were created with close connection to spread of Christianity (Eberts, 1998). The last Pope, John Paul II, was, in fact, born in Poland. Arts, Entertainment, Literature, and Sports The main forms of leisure among the Polish people include cinema, theater, and musical festivals. Moreover, the Poles enjoy visiting art galleries and museums which store the rich history and artifacts from the country. Musical and cultural festivals are common during summer months throughout the country. In addition, there are open air performances and street theaters in the capital city and other major cities in the country where different kinds of music ranging from classics to jazz are played. Particularly, Warsaw is a center of internationally recognized theatre groups, ballet and opera companies. The national Poland movie festivals are held in Warsaw (Advameg, 2012). Oral literature is among the oldest genres of literature in Poland, having emerged even before the civilization of the country. During this period, the Poles used folk songs, jokes, legends, riddles and poetry in artistic expressions. The folk songs devolved and concerned various themes, for instance, sorrow and love. The first written Polish literature was initially in Latin but by the sixteenth century, there was literature written in Polish. Poles have participated in great art movements of the European culture. The most popular sculptor was Wit Stwosz and he made a wooden sculpture in the Church of the Virgin Mary in Cracow (Skarzynska, 2002). There are also great paintings developed in the past centuries (Advameg, 2012). In Poland, sports are common with a variety of international competitions being held there, such as soccer, boxing and athletics. Nevertheless, soccer is the most popular sport both with spectators and in terms of participation. People engage in cycling as a traditional pastime and leisure activity and especially in the north lake region. Moreover, canoe rides and sailing are popular in the region. In Poland, tourism is becoming popular with many tourists being attracted into the country to enjoy the rich historical and cultural heritages and the numerous festivals organized in the country (Advameg, 2012). Polish Foods The foods in Poland are unique and differ from other foods in Europe. During communism, traditional foods were suppressed but this cuisine is now coming back (Bisol & Reporter, 2005). The traditional cuisine mostly consists of the traditional Slavic dishes although it was influenced by France and Italy. These foods have various features including soups prepared using mushrooms, beets and broth. Pierogi is the staple food in Poland and may have come from Russia. Pierogi consists of potatoes, onions, cabbages, mushrooms, cheese and meat served with sour cream (Bisol & Reporter, 2005). Another traditional dish in Poland is Zrazy which is bacon, mushrooms, cucumber and breadcrumbs that are rolled in a slice of seasoned beef and then grilled or fried. Fish is also a common dish while pork was the most popular type of meat in Polish traditional cuisines (Bisol & Reporter, 2005), although beef, chicken, duck and venison are now prevalent in restaurants currently. The main desserts include Polish cheesecake and apple tarts. Social Customs and Rituals Poland is a cultural bridge between the West and the East. The country is multifaceted with traditions coexisting with the modern, vibrant and progressive lifestyles (Skarzynska, 2002). The Poles have strived to maintain their customs and they are never willing to let the people dilute their customs. Some of the customs observed in the country include the fact that a person must carry with him/her flowers in case one is invited to a friend’s home. Moreover, Poles shake hands in greetings and these may either be men or women. An individual is supposed to choose formal greetings whenever one is addressing a person except when the people know each other or there is a mutual agreement to use first names (Skarzynska, 2002). In addition, Poles love social drinking late into the night, during which they engage in conversations on controversial topic or politics. When eating, Poles expect people to have both hands on the table. Given that catholic traditions dictate the way most Poles think, one must be careful not to offend people by giving strong opinions contrary to the people’s tradition. Consequently, it is even advisable for one to avoid religious debates. When a person is visiting a church, one is always expected to remove his hat and one should never joy with the Pope (Skarzynska, 2002). Polish Values The family is the most important value of all the Poles. All the Poles value a good and happy family and most of them are opposed to same sex marriages. The second most valued thing in the lives of the Polish people is good health for themselves and their families. This is followed by other virtues of life such as honesty, peace, faith and respect for others (Skarzynska, 2002). In Poland, various values such as riches and freedom of expression come low in the peoples’ ranking. People in Poland value socializing with friends and family where they meet in restaurants and various other venues. During conversations, one must maintain eye contact and one is not supposed to touch the other’s hand or back except when one is a close friend or relative. Poles also value dancing where they dance in groups, but a man must keep a distance from a woman. Punctuality is valued in Poland and during formal meetings, attendees arrive five to ten minutes earlier (Skarzynska, 2002). In Poland, religious ceremonies are also valued and during this time, most businessmen close up their businesses. Conclusion Poland has a rich culture and historical heritage. The language mostly spoken in the country is Polish although other local and foreign languages are spoken too. Currently, English is the most prevalent foreign language and it has replaced German. On the other hand, Christianity is the most prevalent religious belief in the country and approximately 90 percent of the Poles are Catholics. Religion is highly regarded in Poland and most businesses are closed during such holidays. Religion has also formed the base for some of the values and beliefs in Poland where, for instance, one should not joke with the Pope. Polish numerous theaters within cities and various musical and cultural festivals are organized annually. The country has numerous recognized artistic artifacts made in the past centuries, and literature has a long history. Poland has various traditional cuisines which distinguish it from the European foods. Poles value punctuality, their families, religion and good health. References Advameg. (2012). Poland. Retrieved 21 June 2012 from < http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Poland.html>. Bisol, A. L., & Reporter, S. (2005, Aug 16). Pierogis pack punch at polish festival. Telegram & Gazette, 1-1. Eberts, M. W. (1998). The Roman Catholic Church and democracy in Poland. Europe - Asia Studies, 50(5), 817-842. Skarzynska, K. (2002). Work as a cultural and personal value: Attitudes towards work in Polish Society. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (JOSE), 8(2), 195-208. Woodward, R., Yörük, D. E., Koc, P., & Pander, W. (2010). Knowledge-based entrepreneurship in Poland. CASE Network Studies and Analyses, 408, 1-65. Read More