Program

This section contains information about the Poland in the Rockies Program.

Culture

Poland in the Rockies provides an introduction to Polish culture with lectures and films on the cultural history of Poland, on the significance of translation in the transmission of culture, and on Polish culture abroad.

Situated between East and West, populated by nations speaking a variety of languages and practicing a variety of faiths, Poland developed a unique culture. Despite the invasions and occupations that destroyed art, architecture and even a nation, Poland’s cultural heritage is being studied, reclaimed and restored. It is the heritage of more than just one people and ultimately so much more than just the sum of its parts.

The purpose of Poland in the Rockies is to introduce the subject and it is assumed that many participants will come with little familiarity with it. Professor Bill Johnson is returning once again to discuss Polish literature -- and what is lost, gained or altered through translation. Professor John Bukowczyk will join us this year to discuss Poles in America, how they perceive themselves and how they are represented in contemporary literature in America.

Excursions

The Poland in the Rockies program is intensive, but it is by no means restricted to lecture rooms.The town of Canmore, nestled within the Three Sisters Mountain Range, is close to some of the most spectacular sights in the Rockies. Our program allows time to visit Banff, Johnson Canyon, Sulphur Mountain, Lake Moraine and Lake Louise, and to enjoy barbecues and campfires within the National Park.

Films

When possible, Poland in the Rockies invites directors of documentaries to show and discuss their films. This year we are pleased to have the BBC's Wanda Koscia on hand to screen and discuss her work, including her documentary about the Warsaw uprising, "The Battle of Warsaw."

In 2006, Menachem Daum joined us for a presentation of Hiding and Seeking, and Eva Nagorski presented her short narrative film Solidarity. Other documentaries on the program have included Zegota, CNN’s Warsaw Uprising, the New Zealand production, Exiles, Web of War, and A Forgotten Odyssey. A further selection of films will be available for independent viewing but are not part of the program.

History

Poland in the Rockies invites eminent historians, as well as writers, journalists, filmmakers and other professionals with a specialised interest in Poland. An understanding of the past is essential for an understanding of contemporary social, political and economic developments, including Poland’s relations and mutual perceptions with other nations.

History also provides a framework for understanding a nation’s culture, including the many cross-cultural influences that contributed to the formation of the modern nation.

Poland’s unique historical position in Europe as a tolerant multi-ethnic state and its early development of democratic institutions, including the first constitution in Europe, have been credited with Poland’s survival and restoration as a democracy in the face of first, the partitions, and later, the genocidal attack by Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia, and finally a half-century of communism imposed by Moscow. Poland’s present day foreign policy, with its emphasis on restoring peaceful and respectful relations with the nations that once were an intrinsic part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and its disciplined effort to establish good relations with all its neighbouring countries, has won the country both respect and influence.

Identity

Are we Canadian? American? Polish? Or a hyphenated combination of these?

These and other questions are discussed by students and speakers about our identity. Some are recent immigrants and speak Polish well. Many are the second or third generation, or have North American roots going back to the turn of the 20th century.

Many trace more than one ethnicity in their background, not surprising given the multi-ethnic character of historic Poland. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was an early modern state remarkable for its diversity and its tolerance.

A discussion of ethnicity, religious differences and cultural orientations is of particular interest to people living in modern multi-cultural countries such as Canada and the U.S. The society is enriched – but not without tensions and inequities.

Is language essential to one’s identity? What about common cultural references? Can these be transmitted from one generation to another and if so, are they authentic or do they become myths? What is lost in translation – and what is lost because not enough is translated?

Identity provokes a lively discussion, enriched by the research and professional experience of Poland in the Rockies speakers and animated by personal anecdotes from all participants.

Student Presentations

One day is set aside for presentations by students. In the past, these have included papers on subjects including literature, history, the status of women, Polish-Jewish relations and creative writing, as well as two short documentary films, one about a family member who was a prisoner at Auschwitz, and another about post-war architecture in Warsaw.

Students wishing to make presentations are asked to submit their proposal with their application.