Pussy Willow Whips and Water? It’s ‘Wet Monday’ Connecticut
If you woke up this morning to a light whip from a pussy willow branch, or you were doused by a cup of water, you're probably Polish.
Have you ever heard of 'Wet Monday','Smigus Dyngus', or 'Dyngus Day'? It's a ancient Pagan/Roman Catholic tradition that celebrates the end of Lent on the Monday following Easter Sunday. For most of us, that means that we can eat meat on Friday again, and whatever we gave up for Lent is now back in our faces. For Eastern and Central Europeans, Dyngus Day celebrations traditionally include boys whipping girls that they like with pussy willow branches, and dousing them with water, seriously. Here's a video I found on YouTube of traditional Dyngus Day celebrations in Poland.
I've seen New Britain's Little Poland try to raise awareness of Dyngus Day in Connecticut, but what about you Ansonia? Enfield? Sure, Ansonia has a Packzi eating contest, but I haven't seen a pussy willow branch stand on Division Street the past few years. How about you Naugatuck? I think your new skate park would be a great destination for the Polish population in Naugy to get their Wet Monday antics on next year.
We can't let Buffalo, New York and Cleveland, Ohio become the Dyngus Day center of the American Polish world, can we Connecticut? Come on Polish Plate, Rogi Shop, Martin Rosol, Janik, and Little Poland, can't we all come together and figure out a venue for a Dyngus Day in Connecticut for 2024?
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