The beginnings of tourism in the Tatra Mountains date back to the 2^nd half of the 19^th century. In 1873, Galicyjskie Towarzystwo Tatrzańskie [The Tatra Society in Galicia] was established with its aim of marking out routes, building mountain shelters, doing ethnographic research and describing the uniqueness of the area (maps were created and meteorological phenomena were observed). All this brought tourists to the mountain trails.

Highlanders kept tobacco (habryka) in leather pouches, the so-called miechóry, which were made of cat skin, sheepskin or rabbit skin. They also kept tobacco in pouches made from specially prepared pigs’ bladders, the so-called maharzyny, which were tied up with a leather strap. The tobacco stored in them did not lose its natural moisture and did not get mouldy.

Wayside wooden crosses were usually several metres high. With time, the wood decayed and had to be dug in again; this was usually done after All Souls’ Day. This action was repeated until the cross became quite small. Chapels and crosses, which were an expression of...

Although bagpipes are usually associated with Scotland, one must not forget that they were one of the most popular folk instruments used in old Poland!
They were also known in Podhale, where nearly every village had its piper who earned his living by playing this instrument...

The workshop of a pipe-maker, as well as a stud-maker, consisted of a small table on four wide spread legs, with a rather shallow drawer, bordered on three sides with low slats preventing tools and items lying on the table from sliding down. A small iron anvil was attached to the table; on top of the table, there were tools, scraps of metal, and rivets, as well as various bits and pieces which could be of use. The drawer was used to keep larger pieces of sheet metal, as well as unfinished and finished goods. The workshop was usually placed by the window in a dark room in the cottage, or it was taken outside on warm and sunny days.

The spoon rack was one of the elements of the traditional furnishing of a Podhale cottage. It usually hung between the entrance door from the hall and the dish shelf in the black room, which was called thus because of the colour of the smoked walls. This room catered to the everyday life of a highlanders’ family; it served as a bedroom, kitchen, workshop and storage for all kinds of farm equipment and tools. A spoon rack, or several spoon racks in wealthier households, was also hung in the white room, which served as a place for meetings and family celebrations...

The tradition of Polish Christmas nativity scenes has its roots in Italian nativity plays, which were brought to our land by the Franciscan Order. Initially, they were organised in the side altars of churches, and comprised figures of Baby Jesus, Mary, Saint Joseph, the shepherds and the Three Kings...