Kashubia or Cassubia ( or ; ; or ) is an ethnocultural region in the historic Eastern

Pomerania Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...

(

Pomerelia Pomerelia, also known as Eastern Pomerania, Vistula Pomerania, and also before World War II as Polish Pomerania, is a historical sub-region of Pomerania on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland. Gdańsk Pomerania is largely c ...

) region of northern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. It is inhabited by the Kashubian people, and many in the region have historically spoken the

Kashubian language Kashubian () or Cassubian (; ; ) is a West Slavic language belonging to the Lechitic subgroup.Stephen Barbour, Cathie Carmichael, ''Language and Nationalism in Europe'', Oxford University Press, 2000, p.199, In Poland, it has been an officia ...

, with some still speaking it. The unofficial self-description of "capital city of Kashubia" has long been contested by

Kartuzy Kartuzy (; , or ; former ) is a town in northern Poland, located in the historic Eastern Pomerania ( Pomerelia) region. It is the capital of Kartuzy County in Pomeranian Voivodeship. Geographical location Kartuzy is located about west of Gdań ...

and

Kościerzyna Kościerzyna (; Pomeranian language, Pomeranian and ; former ) is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with 23,327 inhabitants as of June 2023. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship si ...

Location and geography

Located west of

Gdańsk Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...

(inclusive of all but the easternmost district) and the mouth of the

Vistula The Vistula (; ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra i ...

river, it is inhabited by members of the Kashubian ethnic group. The region is home to the Kashubian Lake District. According to the 1999 basic study ''Geografia współczesnych Kaszub'' (Geography of present-day Kashubia) by the Gdańsk scholar Jan Mordawski 43 municipalities (''

gmina The gmina (Polish: , plural ''gminy'' ) is the basic unit of the administrative division of Poland, similar to a municipality. , there were 2,479 gminy throughout the country, encompassing over 43,000 villages. 940 gminy include cities and tow ...

s'') of the

Pomeranian Voivodeship Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ; ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk. The voivodeship was established on January 1, 1999, out of the former voivodeships of Gdańsk Voivo ...

have a Kashubian share of at least one third of the total population: * Cities:

Gdynia Gdynia is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With an estimated population of 257,000, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in the Pomeranian Voivodeship after Gdańsk ...

(''Gdiniô'') *

Bytów County Bytów County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its admi ...

(''Bëtowsczi kréz''): Town of

Bytów Bytów (; ; ) is a town in the Gdańsk Pomerania region of northern Poland with 16,730 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the capital of Bytów County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. In the early Middle Ages a fortified stronghold stood nea ...

(''Bëtowò'') with Gmina Bytów, Gmina Czarna Dąbrówka (''Czôrnô Dãbrówka''), Gmina Lipnica (''Lëpnica''),

Gmina Parchowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Parchowo () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Bytów County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Parchowo, which lies approximately north-east of Bytów and west of the regional capit ...

(''Parchòwò''), Gmina Tuchomie (''Tëchòmié'') *

Chojnice County Chojnice County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms in 1998. Its administra ...

(''Chònicczi kréz''): Town of

Brusy Brusy (; formerly ) is a town in northern Poland, located in the Chojnice County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. As of June 2023, the town has a population of 5,103. History Brusy was a royal village of the Polish Crown, administratively located ...

(''Brusë'') with

Gmina Brusy __NOTOC__ Gmina Brusy is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Brusy, which lies approximately north-east of Chojnice and south-west of the regional ...

Gmina Chojnice __NOTOC__ Gmina Chojnice () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Chojnice, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina. The gmina covers ...

(''Chojnice''),

Gmina Konarzyny __NOTOC__ Gmina Konarzyny () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Konarzyny, which lies approximately north-west of Chojnice and south-west of the ...

(''Kònarzënë'') *

Człuchów County __NOTOC__ Człuchów County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1 ...

(''Człëchòwsczi kréz''): Gmina Przechlewo (''Przechlewò'') *

Lębork County __NOTOC__ Lębork County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland, on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local ...

(''Lãbòrsczi kréz''):

Gmina Cewice __NOTOC__ Gmina Cewice () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Lębork County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Cewice, which lies approximately south of Lębork and west of the regional capital Gda ...

(''Céwice'') *

Kartuzy County __NOTOC__ Kartuzy County (; ) is a county in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with administrative seat and largest town being Kartuzy. It came into being on 1 January 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. The ...

(''Kartësczi kréz''): Town of

(''Kartuzë'') with Gmina Kartuzy, Town of

Żukowo Żukowo (, , ) is a town in Kartuzy County, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of northern Poland in the cultural region of Kashubia, with 6,236 inhabitants (2005). It is located along the Radunia river in the historic Pomerelia, about southwest of G ...

(''Żukòwò'') with

Gmina Żukowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Żukowo () is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Żukowo, which lies approximately east of Kartuzy and west of the regional cap ...

, Gmina Chmielno (''Chmielno''), Gmina Przodkowo (''Przedkòwò''), Gmina Sulęczyno (''Sëlëczëno''), Gmina Sierakowice (''Sërakòjce''),

Gmina Somonino __NOTOC__ Gmina Somonino () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Somonino, which lies approximately south of Kartuzy and west of the regional capita ...

(''Somònino''), Gmina Stężyca (''Stãżëca'') *

Kościerzyna County __NOTOC__ Kościerzyna County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1 ...

(''Kòscérsczi kréz''): Town of

(''Kòscérzëna'') with

Gmina Kościerzyna __NOTOC__ Gmina Kościerzyna is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Kościerzyna, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina. The gmin ...

, Gmina Dziemiany (''Dzemiónë''),

Gmina Karsin __NOTOC__ Gmina Karsin () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Karsin, which lies approximately south of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regi ...

(''Kôrsëno''),

Gmina Lipusz __NOTOC__ Gmina Lipusz () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Lipusz, which lies approximately west of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regio ...

(''Lëpùsz''), Gmina Nowa Karczma (''Nowô Karczma'') *

Puck County __NOTOC__ Puck County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland, on the Baltic coast. The ''powiat'' of this name existed in the history of Poland, since the times of th ...

(''Pùcczi kréz''): Town of Puck (''Pùck'') with

Gmina Puck __NOTOC__ Gmina Puck is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Puck, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina. The gmina covers an area of , a ...

, towns of Hel (''Hél''),

Jastarnia Jastarnia (, ) is a resort town in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodship, northern Poland. It is located on the Hel Peninsula on the Baltic Sea. It is a popular Polish seaside resort and small fishing port. The place was mentioned as "Osternese" in ...

(''Jastarniô'') and

Władysławowo Władysławowo (Kashubian language, Kashubian/Pomeranian language, Pomeranian: ''Wiôlgô Wies'' �vʲɞlɡɞ ˈvʲɛs ) is a city on the south coast of the Baltic Sea in Kashubia in the Pomerelia region, northern Poland, with 9,363 inhabitant ...

(''Wiôlgô Wies''),

Gmina Kosakowo __NOTOC__ Gmina Kosakowo () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Kosakowo, which lies approximately south-east of Puck and north of the regional capita ...

(''Kòsôkòwò''), Gmina Krokowa (''Krokòwa'') *

Wejherowo County __NOTOC__ Wejherowo County (, ) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland, on the Baltic coast. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government ...

(''Wejrowsczi kréz''): Town of

Wejherowo Wejherowo (; formerly ) is a city in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 48,735 inhabitants (2021). It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a city in Gdańsk Voivodeship (1975–199 ...

(''Wejrowò'') and Gmina Wejherowo, towns of Reda (''Réda'') and Rumia (''Rëmiô''), Gmina Choczewo (''Chòczewò''), Gmina Gniewino (''Gniewino''),

Gmina Linia __NOTOC__ Gmina Linia () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Linia, which lies approximately south-west of Wejherowo and west of the regional capi ...

(''Lëniô''), Gmina Luzino (''Lëzëno''), Gmina Łęczyce (''Łãczëce''),

Gmina Szemud __NOTOC__ Gmina Szemud () is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Szemud, which lies approximately south of Wejherowo and north-west of the regional ca ...

(''Szëmôłd'')

Culture

Kashubian emblem and flag

Although there are no legal regulations regarding the use of Kashubian symbols, the

griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...

, i.e. a mythical animal, derived from antiquity, is considered the emblem and symbol of the Kashubians. The Kashubian griffin is in black on a yellow background (optionally golden). The colors of the Kashubian flag are taken from the emblem - the upper color is black, and the lower one is yellow (golden). A Kashubian flag with a griffin in the center is also used. If there is an emblem on the flag, then the background is yellow.

Embroidery

Embroidery Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...

is an important part of Kashubian culture which uses seven colours; three shades of blue representing the sky, the lakes and

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

, green representing the meadows and forests, yellow representing the sun, red representing the peoples' love for the region, and the black representing the hard work of the Kashubians. Its origins date back to the early 13th century.

Cuisine

Kashubian

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...

is mostly based on

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

and

meat Meat is animal Tissue (biology), tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, ...

Grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...

is also widely used within Kashubian dishes.

Herring Herring are various species of forage fish, belonging to the Order (biology), order Clupeiformes. Herring often move in large Shoaling and schooling, schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate wate ...

are the most widely used fish due to their high numbers in the region.

Mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. ''Toadstool'' generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. The standard for the n ...

s are also a part of Kashubia's wide variety of dishes.

Music

Kashubia has a wide variety of

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

; Zemia Rodnô is widely considered to be the anthem of Kashubia. The most recognised Kashubian song is ''Kaszëbsczé nótë'', a traditional song that is the most recognisable part of Kashubian

folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

. Dances are also a noticeable part of Kashubian culture, which are moderately energetic, except for a few. The most famous dance is the ''Kòséder''.

Language

The Kashubian language is a West Slavic

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

belonging to the Lechitic subgroup. It was historically considered a dialect of Polish, but is now officially recognized as a

regional language * A regional language is a language spoken in a region of a sovereign state, whether it be a small area, a federated state or province or some wider area. Internationally, for the purposes of the European Charter for Regional or Minority La ...

and enjoys legal protection as such. In a 2011 census, over 108,000 people in Poland declared that they mainly use Kashubian at home.

Religion

Kartuzy Church of the Assumption 2019 P08

The population of the region, like the majority of Poland, is predominantly

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. Important regional Catholic sites include the Wejherowo Calvary in

, and the Church of the Assumption within the former Carthusian monastery in

Sports

The ethnolinguistic identity of Kashubia is often reflected in the names of the region's sports associations such as Cassubian Bolszewo, Kaszubia Kościerzyna, Kaszuby Połchowo, Kaszubia Starzyno, Kaszubia Studzienice, and the football team

Nörda Karwia Nörda Karwia is a association football, football club based in Karwia, Kashubia, Poland. As of the 2024–25 season, the club competes in Klasa B, the eighth level in the Polish football league system, Polish league pyramid. The club is notable ...

which incorporates the Kashubian language into its club name. Supporters of the football club Arka Gdynia regularly express their Kashubian identity with the chant "''Arka Gdynia Kaszëbë!''" In 2010, during the Tricity Derby at the MOSiR stadium,

ultras Ultras are a type of association football fans who are known for their fanatical support. The term originated in Italy, but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of association football teams. The behavioural tendency ...

of Arka Gdynia unveiled a new banner displaying the moniker ''Kaszëbë'', which was to become one of the fans most recognisable banners. The club has since capitalised on the Kashubian identity of its fanbase. On the occasion of Kashubian Unity Day in 2023 the team played in the colours of the Kashubian flag with a kit incorporating the Kashubian language and patterns inspired by traditional Kashubian embroidery.

References

External links

kaszubia.com

kaszebsko.com

Ducatus Pomeraniae Tabula Generalis in Qua sunt Ducatus Pomeraniae, Stettinensis, Cassubiae,... 1680
{{Authority control Geography of Pomeranian Voivodeship Kashubia Pomerania Regions of Poland Historical regions in Poland