In Dallas, TX - interested in connecting with my Polish heritage

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Jun 13, 10, 03:32 #1

I was born just outside of Detroit, MI in 1973 and growing up I remember being called a Polack (a disparaging term for a person of Polish birth or descent) when I mentioned that I was half Polish (my mother's father was born in Poland and his wife's parents were also immigrants from Poland). I became ashamed of that part of my heritage when asked, so I would just mention the other part of my heritage (French/Irish).

I have recently been trying to get as much information as possible about my mother's side of the family and my Polish heritage. I learned that my grandfather went back to Poland after emigrating to America so he could fight for the Polish Army in WWI and then came back to America in 1919-1920. I have been searching for ways to become closer to my Polish roots, as I am very proud of the sacrifices that my ancestors made to allow me to be me and I want to be able to pass that heritage on to my daughter. I have been reading the great posts on these forums and checking out many of the ideas. I am in Dallas, TX now and would like to get involved with a group locally or possibly locate any Polish festivals I could attend for a more encompassing experience.

I am also looking to get my next (number 8) tattoo, which I want to have my mother and daughter design together. I would like to find an idea that they can use as a starting point that represents my Polish heritage. The eagle is a beautiful symbol, but it seems overused and would like something a bit more feminine.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you..

MEMBER ♀

Jun 13, 10, 03:45 #2

Salano:

I am in Dallas, TX now and would like to get involved with a group locally or possibly locate any Polish festivals I could attend for a more encompassing experience.

there is a Polish church in Dallas where all Poles meet up now and then... other than that, not much is going on... there is a Polish festival in Houston once a year but i went there last year and it wasn't anything special... there are two Polish restaurants in Dallas..

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Jun 13, 10, 07:21 #3

Salano

I remember being called a Polack (a disparaging term for a person of Polish birth or descent)

Well, I was born and raised in a Polish Enclave in Chicago and I've never heard any other term. It's like the the Brits call themselves Brits. We've always called ourselves this. Never Pole.

I became ashamed of that part of my heritage when asked, so I would just mention the other part of my heritage (French/Irish)

What's there to be ashamed of?

a bit more feminine.

eight tatoos ain't too feminine. Good Art is always subtle

Pana Maria is a ghost town? between san antoin and corpus christi and is the first Polish Settlement in America. Lots of Polish history in Texas. They had a bit to do with the Texas Independence movement in the 1830's.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 13, 10, 08:34 #4
Chicago Pollock: It's like the the Brits call themselves Brits. Some negros call themselves niggas, so I supose it is the same as some Poles calling themselves Polacks.

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Edited by: zetigrek Jun 13, 10, 09:30 #5

Chicago Pollock:

Well, I was born and raised in a Polish Enclave in Chicago and I've never heard any other term. It's like the the Brits call themselves Brits. We've always called ourselves this. Never Pole.

there was a disussion over is polack offensive or not:
http://www.polishforums.com/society-culture-38/word-polackrascist-5812 /

Well i would have problems to find feminine symbols of Poland. Besides maybe Mother of Christ, nothing comes to my head.
Try maybe something with husaria which is also regarded as a polish symbol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husaria

rpp8jlh

Jun 29, 10, 03:50 #6

I found this on Wikipedia: The Polish word for a Polish person is Polak (masculine) and Polka (feminine); however, when the masculine form of this common noun is used in the English language (usually spelled as Polack) it is always offensive.

However, when the use of the term Polak is intended as an insult, it shows and is definitely received poorly. My mother always spoke badly about Polish people, always referring to them as "that Polak" etc. Funny that her husband and her kids are Polish. Nice.
So, I prefer to not refer to any Polish people with this term. It makes me cringe and I think of it as a cutdown/insulting word.

We are attractive, intelligent, creative people and I am proud to be Polish!

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Jun 29, 10, 03:56 #7

rpp8jlh:

I found this on Wikipedia: The Polish word for a Polish person is Polak (masculine) and Polka (feminine); however, when the masculine form of this common noun is used in the English language (usually spelled as Polack) it is always offensive.

we are attractive, intelligent, creative people and I am proud to be Polish!

Claiming to be Polish yet not knowing the most basic vocabulary of the Polish language? Irony.

stumaniacThreads: - Posts: 9 Joined: Aug 13, 10 ♂	Aug 13, 10, 16:56 #8
I am in Austin and have done a lot of genealogy on my Polish family. See my post at http://www.polishforums.com/genealogy-ancestry-6/genealogy-resources-3 318/4/ for some info, feel free to contact me for more hints--if you have some names and info dates (birth, marraige, death), I can look them up in a few places.

polka ze slaska

Sep 5, 10, 06:00 #9

I am from Poland. I am so proud to be Polish, and not without the reason. I visited so many countries in my life, and now I've lived here for 4 months. Then, being objective I can say that Polish people are more rich in culture than any other nation.
In fact, we study a lot, we speak fluently foreign languages and we get integrated in completely different nations from our own. Polish girls are beautiful and thin, we like fashion and we have good taste. Polish people like traveling, they know other costumes, they love animals, they are really open minded and they have one important feature...they ARE ALWAYS HUMBLE!!!!
GOD BLESS POLAND, ESPECIALLY POLISH WOMEN!!!!!

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Sep 5, 10, 12:03 #10

I also rate many aspects of Polish culture highly and am happy to call this my home from home. However, let's get some things straight.

I have also visited many other countries in my life and am not prepared to say that Poland's culture is richer than all others. It's just different! It is one of the richer ones but please avoid hyperbole.

Some study a lot and some don't. OK, let's accept your proposition that Poles study a lot. That can be a fault. People doing jobs meaningful to the nation is important and not taking advantage of free education and avoiding the inevitable.

In general, most Poles are not a patch on Scandinavians or Benelux countries when it comes to languages. It's getting better but there is still much work to do, especially as regards your plentiful older generation in connecting them with the modern world through English.

Integration? LOL. You have many enclaves in the UK and pockets apart from the mainstream. Some integrate and some don't so quit the exaggeration.

Let others be the judge of your taste. Many have the taste of a dead frog and my wife, being a Pole, completely agrees. Some are beautiful and some aren't. I'm just back from the meat shop and there was a woman there that would have found pride of place amongst the grubaski w McDonaldsie. I see quite a few overweight women here.

Other costumes? Other customs I think you meant. Some do and some don't. I tend to find my level quite a bit above that of my students when it comes to knowledge of other cultures so they are not that good ;) ;)

They love animals? Many do and I like this about the Poles. They have a very responsible attitude when it comes to caring for pets.

Open-minded? Some are but many aren't. I think you were having a laugh with this one. Come back in 15 years and things will likely be different. There is potential here to change typically close-minded attitudes.

Always humble? I'm glad I'm not sitting on a barstool as I would have fallen off. When it comes to hospitality, yes, you are right. However, about their own abilities? NOPE! I really love those humble Poles you have in mind. However, they are just one type of Pole. Too many are braggarts.

You just see what you want to see, now. I also see many good things in life here and there is much mutual respect between myself and many Poles. More and more are looking to make life easier and I thank them for that. However, I don't like blanket statements that look like they are pulled straight out of a propaganda leaflet. More balanced commentary next time.

Pgtx is the resident expert on Dallas. She'll set the record straight on things :)

♂ [Suspended]

Edited by: delphiandomine Sep 5, 10, 12:10 #11

Salano:

(my mother's father was born in Poland

Sigh. No he wasn't - Poland didn't exist at that time.

Salano:

I have been searching for ways to become closer to my Polish roots, as I am very proud of the sacrifices that my ancestors made to allow me to be me and I want to be able to pass that heritage on to my daughter.

Learn Polish. And I mean properly, not just learning "kiełbasa i pierogi". There's no better way to become closer - indeed, how can you be proud of a country if you don't speak her language?

matowy:

Claiming to be Polish yet not knowing the most basic vocabulary of the Polish language? Irony.

Hilarious, isn't it? They're so proud, yet none of them have been to Poland - and when they do come here, they get upset because it's not like how Babcia described it.

Eating pierogi, drinking Polish beer and going to a few music festivals doesn't make you Polish!

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07 ♂	Sep 5, 10, 13:28 #12
Can you speak Polish Delphian :)

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Sep 5, 10, 19:46 #13

Salano:

I was born just outside of Detroit, MI in 1973 and growing up I remember being called a Polack (a disparaging term for a person of Polish birth or descent) when I mentioned that I was half Polish (my mother's father was born in Poland and his wife's parents were also immigrants from Poland). I became ashamed of that part of my heritage when asked, so I would just mention the other part of my heritage (French/Irish).

I have recently been trying to get as much information as possible about my mother's side of the family and my Polish heritage. I learned that my grandfather went back to Poland after emigrating to America so he could fight for the Polish Army in WWI and then came back to America in 1919-1920. I have been searching for ways to become closer to my Polish roots, as I am very proud of the sacrifices that my ancestors made to allow me to be me and I want to be able to pass that heritage on to my daughter. I have been reading the great posts on these forums and checking out many of the ideas. I am in Dallas, TX now and would like to get involved with a group locally or possibly locate any Polish festivals I could attend for a more encompassing experience.

I am also looking to get my next (number 8) tattoo, which I want to have my mother and daughter design together. I would like to find an idea that they can use as a starting point that represents my Polish heritage. The eagle is a beautiful symbol, but it seems overused and would like something a bit more feminine.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

This dude ain't Polish.He's an American.Born in the US ,doesn't speak Polish,wasn't raised in Poland and has no clue what's Poland like.I don't know why he worried about being called Polack since he is an American.Nothing wrong with that.
Lets face it 99% of "Polish" Americans are Americans with a strange twist to call themselves "Polish" or "Polacks" but they have nothing to do with Poland.
Btw anybody knows if you acctualy have to speak Polish and have basic knowlage of Polish history to become naturalized citizen of Poland?

BolleThreads: 3 Posts: 226 Joined: Apr 29, 10 ♂	Sep 8, 10, 22:07 #14
delphiandomine: Learn Polish. You too.

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂ [Suspended]	Sep 8, 10, 22:15 #15
grubas: Btw anybody knows if you acctualy have to speak Polish and have basic knowlage of Polish history to become naturalized citizen of Poland? No. There should definitely be a language and knowledge test - but then again, the Polonia would probably scream about it. I mean, heaven forbid needing to speak the language to be a citizen! Bolle: You too. I'm not Polish, nor am I a citizen.

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Sep 8, 10, 22:55 #16
delphiandomine: No. There should definitely be a language and knowledge test - but then again, the Polonia would probably scream about it. I mean, heaven forbid needing to speak the language to be a citizen! Bolle: You too. I'm not Polish, nor am I a citizen. then butt out and quit telling Poles what to do or how to do it, eh?

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Sep 9, 10, 10:53 #17

polka ze slaska:

I am from Poland. I am so proud to be Polish, and not without the reason. I visited so many countries in my life, and now I've lived here for 4 months. Then, being objective I can say that Polish people are more rich in culture than any other nation.
In fact, we study a lot, we speak fluently foreign languages and we get integrated in completely different nations from our own. Polish girls are beautiful and thin, we like fashion and we have good taste. Polish people like traveling, they know other costumes, they love animals, they are really open minded and they have one important feature...they ARE ALWAYS HUMBLE!!!!
GOD BLESS POLAND, ESPECIALLY POLISH WOMEN!!!!!

Oh Sweet Jesus!

This is one of the funniest posts I've seen here so far...

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Sep 9, 10, 11:47 #18

Teffle:

Oh Sweet Jesus!

This is one of the funniest posts I've seen here so far...

Yep, it is absolutely hilarious in a sad way... It made wonder if she was a victim of some horrendous car accident during one of her trips abroad and barely survived , suffering now from a massive post traumatic stress disorder and undergoing some kind of off-the-charts positive self-assurance therapy. That was the hilarious part (call me evil).
Then I realized that she actually meant it and I started to weep...

zej	Sep 27, 10, 09:09 #19
Salano: there is a Polish church in Dallas where all Poles meet up now and then... other than that, not much is going on... there is a Polish festival in Houston once a year but i went there last year and it wasn't anything special... there are two Polish restaurants in Dallas.. Hi! Could you share the names of the two Polish restaurants in Dallas? Are there really only two?

smocz	Jan 17, 11, 20:59 #20
Try Panna Maria Texas. The church is beautiful. It is the oldest Polish settlement in the USA.

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Jan 18, 11, 00:54 #21

Przepraszam .....Dzien dobry....
Can you give me more information on Pana Maria in Teksasie?? Is there any good Polish piekarnia in Texas...I know of German and Czech spots. I miss Poland..I have been twice and going back very soon.I have friends in the Village towns..We kick back outside and bbq kielbasa...listen to music and sip on wodka i ogurek. I like bigos and golonka with homemade corn tortillas!

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