Maciej Sekerdej

Zps

Description

Maciej Sekerdej

Sujets

• Arts

Informations

• Publié par: ifydesut
• Nombre de lectures: 38
• Langue: Français

Extrait

Can Western Models of Minority Rights Maciej Sekerdej Be Applied in Eastern Europe? Nationalism Studies Prof. Will Kymlicka CEU

Should Kashubes be regarded as indigenous peoples?

The Kashubes are the inhabitants of the West Pomerania, the northern district of Poland. They

are one of the biggest ethnic minorities in Poland and, at the same time, one of the most 1 distinct non-national ethnic groups . It is estimated that about 500.000 people regard themselves as Kashubes and, at least, 300.000 communicate in Kashubian language on a daily basis (Borzyszkowski, 2001).Furthermore, some Kashubes live abroad, mainly in Canada,

Germany and USA.

 ‘The first undisputed record of the nameCassubiadates back to 1238. It appeared in the papal document ratifying the possession of Stargard on the Ina by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. ... In subsequent papal documents concerning the Dominicans and Franciscans, the nameCassubiawas used consistently to denote West Pomerania’ (Borzyszkowski, 2001). th Later, the scope of the term was widened to include duchy of Meklemburg. In the 13 century the princes of Eastern Meklemburg signed their names as ‘duces Cassubitarum’. Nowadays,

the largest part of Pomerania is located within the borders of Poland with the exception for the part of West-Pomerania Duchy (Outer Pomerania), which lies in the German land of Meklemburg- Vorpommern.

 The location of the Kashubian region actually sealed their fate. From the Middle Ages they were constantly germanised from the West and polonised from the South. This process was parallel with religious division between Protestants and Catholics (Dzierzykray-Rogalski,

1991). Therefore, in the West Pomerania German language gradually became the language of the Church and in the South Pomerania the main language of the Church was Polish, even during the period of Poland’s partitions. Kashubes’ self-identity Kashubes are deeply aware of their cultural distinctiveness, unique features of their language and culture, which they try to maintain (Synak, 1999). Their cultural identity is not connected with a state or nation, they regard themselves as a regional group. Nevertheless, that cultural

1  I call them an ethnic group, although it is difficult to classify them unambiguously. In ethnological, sociological works they are also called: regional community, folk community, ethnographic group, subnation or sub-national ethnic group (cf. Synak, 1999)

1