Cepelia - Poznan

"Wielkopolska" - know in the past as Major Polonia - the land of green valleys and many lakes - is the cradle of Polish statehood. In the past, this land has been characterized by living and rich folklore, which appears in music, dances, songs and costumes. Still to day, people here play old folk instruments. Here also are found different compositions of folk bands. Folk customs and annual ceremonials, which originated in the immemorial past, are still kept alive. Rich in many small subregions, Wielkopolska shows us a whole variety of music, songs, dances and costumes.

The Folkloristic Group "Cepelia - Poznan" came into being in January 1962. At the very beginning, the Group was attached to The Union of Folk and Artistic Handicraft Cooperatives "Cepelia" in Warsaw, next it was acting under the auspices of "Estrada Poznanska" and at present it is under protection of Provincial Public Library in Poznan.

The Group was called upon to cultivate the musical and vocal traditions of its land - Wielkopolska and some subregions such as Szamotuly, Biskupizna, Dabrówka Wilekopolska, also the Bambers-inhabitians of former villages of Poznan.

For many years the repertoire of the Group "Cepelia - Poznan" has developed and now it also contains Polish national dances such as polonaise, mazurka, krakowiak, oberek and kujawiak. The Group adapts, in a very delicate way, authentic folk song and dances from different Polish regions such as Lowicz, Lublin, Rzeszow, Cracow, Silesian Beskid, Slask which are always presented in very rich and colourful costumes.

Over a thousand performances in Poland and abroad seen by many millions of spectators, television and radio recordings, two cassette recordings and a video cassette of Wielkopolska folklore titled "Whit a cheer over Wielkopolska", these are only some of groups many activities. During its artistic tours the Group visited Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakistan, Korea, Macedonia, Malaysia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Uzbekhstan and White Russia. The band of "Cepelia - Poznan" also played at the exhibition "Poland 75" in Brussels as well as in the United States, Canada and Sweden.

For its actives, the Group has been awarded the prize of the Ministry of Culture and Art, the Diploma of honour of Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promoting Polish culture abroad, the Medal of Society "Polonia", the prize of Poznan town and Poznan District Authorities and many other awards in competitions, parades and festivals in Poland and abroad