Latly, I’ve been diving into Polish folklore, as well as its transformation in Polish-American Polonia. I’m enjoying the extra benefit of exploring my roots while researching my next project.
Of everything to love about Polish monsters, I mostly appreciate their intricacy. Monsters that arise from deceased humans, such as rusalkas, carry the person’s backstory. They have individual motivations, past relationships, and connections to their environments. They are still, in essence, people, and they are people of the places they haunt.
Polish-American folklore carries the foundation of Polish legends into Polonia, with adaptions to suit the new environment. Over time, the creatures’ backstories become tailored to suit each area’s unique fears and struggles. Like old Polish religions, it didn’t fade away, it only continues to blend and adapt with its people.
Roxanne Klimek 