Krystyna Cehaniuk takes care of the one of Polish Houses in Kaczyka. She always offers great hospitality to polish visitors.
Most people in rural parts of Bukovina derive their livelihoods from agriculture and animal herding.
Ms. Waselena is one of the oldest persons in the community. She spends her days on painting the eggs.
Polish community is officially represented by Ghervazen Longher. Many of the members are conflicted with him, as he pulled members of his family into lucrative positions. Here, posing for television in front of traditional Easter procession.
Community is strongly concentrated not only around Polish Houses but also catholic church.
Michał Kucharczyk is one of the active members strongly involved in Polish community. He had a conflict with Ghervazen many years ago and decided to take a back sit, but many people still consider him as a leader.
Bolesław Majerik, folk sculptor working in wood. He is also conflicted with Ghervazen, who tends to not invite him on the official events. Bolesław is well known not only in Polish community - he cooperates with many Karpathian artists. In the neighborhood of Plesza one can find his sculptures from his early years carved in rocks.
Polish and Romanian youngsters playing football. After growing up, many of them will probably emigrate looking for better living conditions.

Polish minority in Romania

Most of the Polish people immigrated to Bukovina, region located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians after 1774 to work in salt mines in Cacica. Another wave of Polish immigration arrived in Bukovina in the early 19th century, when the region was a crownland of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Today Poles concentrate mainly in the villages of Suceava County. There are three exclusively Polish villages: Nowy Sołoniec, Plesza and Pojana Mikuli, as well a significant Polish presence in Kaczyca and Paltynosa. Poles in Romania form an officially recognised national minority, having one seat in the Chamber of Deputies of Romania and access to Polish elementary schools and cultural centres known as „Polish Houses”. They attach great importance to tradition, publishing their own magazine and organizing many cultural events. However, it’s an aging society and their population slowly decreases – due to the better perspectives many young people decide to move to Poland. Mostly old people stay, living from farming and animal herding.

Krystyna Cehaniuk takes care of the one of Polish Houses in Kaczyka. She always offers great hospitality to polish visitors.

Most people in rural parts of Bukovina derive their livelihoods from agriculture and animal herding.

Ms. Waselena is one of the oldest persons in the community. She spends her days on painting the eggs.

Polish community is officially represented by Ghervazen Longher. Many of the members are conflicted with him, as he pulled members of his family into lucrative positions. Here, posing for television in front of traditional Easter procession.

Community is strongly concentrated not only around Polish Houses but also catholic church.

Michał Kucharczyk is one of the active members strongly involved in Polish community. He had a conflict with Ghervazen many years ago and decided to take a back sit, but many people still consider him as a leader.

Polish and Romanian youngsters playing football. After growing up, many of them will probably emigrate looking for better living conditions.

Polish minority in Romania