Muzykanci podwórkowi w rzeczywistości posttradycyjnej – portret Kapeli z Naszego Miasteczka
Backyard Musicians in a Post-Traditional Reality – A Portrait of a Local Band Kapela z Naszego Miasteczka

Summary/Abstract: Talented folk instrumentalists, who are called band players to distinguishthem from professional musicians, have held and continue to hold an importantplace in traditional culture. The author notes that, with the declineof verbal and musical folklore and the replacement of traditional cultureby various forms of pop culture, we can observe diminishing room for thepassion of natural-born musicians in the post-traditional reality. Therefore,he highlights the active role of the last bearers of musical heritage incultivation and popularization of this heritage in the study area, arguingthat their creative presence in the local community serves to maintain thecultural identity of Upper Silesians.Evidence of the activity of contemporary musicians is provided by Kapela zNaszego Miasteczka, known as Trzy Ofiary Drogi do Europy or Trzy Ofiary,founded by Czesław Żemła in 1989. In terms of their repertoire, the groupfalls into the category of stylized music bands, drawing on the traditionof backyard bands founded in Upper Silesia by unemployed vagabonds (‘Elwer’ - in Silesian folk dialect) in the 1920s and 1930s. The band’s repertoireis dominated by comic and humorous songs with Silesian themes,and their lyrics are full of references to tradition and the specific spheresof life of Upper Silesians: marital, familial, social, religious, and especiallyprofessional, related to miners’ work in the mines. The author cites anddiscusses excerpts from the band’s compositions, emphasizing their poeticlayer, which is dominated by Silesian vocabulary and phraseology. Hethen presents a profile of contemporary backyard musicians, highlightingtheir musical talents and their creative contribution to local culture.The author concludes that the popularization of elements of native folkloreby backyard musicians has an educational impact on the younger generation’s sense of ethnic identity, shaping a positive attitude toward their owncultural heritage and an emotional connection to it. Through their creativeauthenticity, the musicians of Kapela z Naszego Miasteczka contribute tothe revival of musical folklore in the region of Rybnik, but also to the promotionof traditional Silesian culture in the region and beyond. Talented folk instrumentalists, who are called band players to distinguish them from professional musicians, have held and continue to hold an important place in traditional culture. The author notes that, with the decline of verbal and musical folklore and the replacement of traditional culture by various forms of pop culture, we can observe diminishing room for the passion of natural-born musicians in the post-traditional reality. Therefore, he highlights the active role of the last bearers of musical heritage in cultivation and popularization of this heritage in the study area, arguing that their creative presence in the local community serves to maintain the cultural identity of Upper Silesians. Evidence of the activity of contemporary musicians is provided by Kapela z Naszego Miasteczka, known as Trzy Ofiary Drogi do Europy or Trzy Ofiary, founded by Czesław Żemła in 1989. In terms of their repertoire, the group falls into the category of stylized music bands, drawing on the tradition of backyard bands founded in Upper Silesia by unemployed vagabonds (‘Elwer’ - in Silesian folk dialect) in the 1920s and 1930s. The band’s repertoire is dominated by comic and humorous songs with Silesian themes, and their lyrics are full of references to tradition and the specific spheres of life of Upper Silesians: marital, familial, social, religious, and especially professional, related to miners’ work in the mines. The author cites and discusses excerpts from the band’s compositions, emphasizing their poetic layer, which is dominated by Silesian vocabulary and phraseology. He then presents a profile of contemporary backyard musicians, highlighting their musical talents and their creative contribution to local culture. The author concludes that the popularization of elements of native folklore by backyard musicians has an educational impact on the younger generation’s sense of ethnic identity, shaping a positive attitude toward their own cultural heritage and an emotional connection to it. Through their creative authenticity, the musicians of Kapela z Naszego Miasteczka contribute to the revival of musical folklore in the region of Rybnik, but also to the promotion of traditional Silesian culture in the region and beyond.

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