Contemporary life of mountain folklore : example of International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane

Folklore, mountains, mountaineering people, dance, music, festivity, amusement, festival village, promotion, tourism are the key words, which for decades have illustrated the characteristics of the cultural landscape of Zakopane - the capital of the Polish Tatra Mountain region, called Podhale. Yet above all these words could be regarded as sui generis signs, which for 40 years have been creating the image of one of the oldest Polish and European International Festivals of Highland Folklore [Międzynarodowy Festiwal Folkloru Ziem Górskich (MFFZG)]. The following paper is an attempt to outline the history of the Zakopane Festival, its management, structure and ideological background, as well as its role in shaping the folklore and culture of the whole of Podhale region. In the summing up the author lays emphasis on the fact that in spite of the many turbulences and impediments that the organizers had had to confront from both the grass roots and the people in power, the Festival survived the test of time and is doing well today. At present it is a prestigious folklore event and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Zakopane, which draws masses of folk enthusiasts/fans from all over Poland and abroad. They visit the festival to “experience an exciting adventure and spend time together with highlanders from different parts of the world”. However, this is not everything, as apart from the carnival atmosphere, the educational promotional and commercial aims, the Festival is also an important event to the local people called Górale. They perceive it as an important annual holiday, during which they can present their traditional culture, and therefore simultaneously strengthen their sense of belonging and their regional identit