From the life of a guardsman.National Guard from Majdan Zbydniowski.History-tradition-modernity
From 13.09.2015 to 20.04.2016.
photographic outdoor exhibition, 10 Popiełuszki St.
The Lower Silesian region has preserved many interesting traditions that are worth documenting and popularising. One of them is the National Guard from Majdan Zbydniowski, the oldest such formation preserved in Podkarpacie.
The Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola has prepared an exhibition, which will popularize this tradition, which, contrary to appearances, is little known and unique in the scale of Poland.
The open-air exhibition titled “From the Life of a Guard. The National Guard from Majdan Zbydniowski. History – Tradition – Modernity” is the result of research conducted by the museum in 2015 as part of a project funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage through the ministerial program Cultural Heritage, Priority: Folk and Traditional Culture.
The Majdan Army, due to its service at the tomb of Christ during the Easter period, is often associated solely with the so-called “Turks,” a popular and vibrant custom of tomb guardianship in the Podkarpacie region, and is limited to it. However, from the very beginning of the existence of the Guard, founded around 1818 by Dominik Horodyński (aide-de-camp to Tadeusz Kościuszko), through the partitions, it has been inextricably linked with the national liberation aspect. Since regaining independence to this day, the patriotic element remains very significant, hence the uniforms, distinctions, and military armament of the formation. Being in the Majdan Army is a manifestation of patriotism, pride, and honor for its members. However, today the character of the group is changing, as more and more often, alongside native residents of Majdan, volunteers from nearby towns are serving in the Guard. The scope of its activities has also expanded.
In the report section of the exhibition, the guards participating in the rituals of Holy Week and the festive Easter Sunday will be presented. The historical section will showcase photographs documenting various periods of the Guard’s activities in the 20th century. The oldest photos date back to 1914-1918 and the interwar period. This part of the exhibition will tell not only about interesting events in the lives of the guards, such as the storage of weapons and uniforms, and the Majdan families that have served in the guard for generations, but also about the transformations of the costumes in which the guards presented themselves over the past hundred years.
The exhibition will feature nearly one hundred archival and contemporary photographs documenting the history and tradition of the army from Majdan, accompanied by extensive commentary.
The outdoor photographic exhibition will be presented from September 13 to March 2016 in front of the Intercollegiate Library at ul. Popiełuszki 10.
EDUCATIONAL OFFER: for kindergartens, for primary schools grades 1-3, for primary schools grades 4-6, for middle schools, for high schools, for adults, for families, program for guests with disabilities.
