Rozsod Sheep on Stecówka

As commanded by centuries of tradition at St. Michał, and so on September 29 at Stecówka, famous for its pastoral traditions, took place Rozsod Owiec. Many of its participants, headed by shepherds, decided to precede the joint celebration with a presence at the Holy Mass, which was celebrated at 11 am at the nearby Church. Our Lady of Fatima. After this time of thanksgiving and prayer, young shepherd Mateusz Kawulok together with the President of the Silesian Highlanders Department of the Podhale Association Józef Michałek, the Deputy Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship Beata Białowąs, the Deputy Director of the Department of Rural Areas of the Marshal's Office Robert Karpeta and the shepherds went to the herd of sheep to bring them to the place . At the hut left behind the famous shepherd from Stecówka, the late Henry Kukuczka, many lovers of this extremely atmospheric event, which is the local Rozsod, have been waiting for sheep. The animals, frightened by the presence of photojournalists, did not want to undergo the usual counting, but we know from the accounts of the shepherds that this season on the slopes of the Golden Grape, Stecówka and Pietroszonka was grazing about 300 herd. Urszula Galej treated the guests and residents of the nearby hamlets with delicious sheep cheese. The charming, young shepherd sister learned to make bundz, bryndza, redykołki and other types of shepherd's delicacies from widow of Henry Kukuczka - Krystyna. There was also goulash, herbal tea or sweet buns - everyone could taste regional dishes here.

Rozsod is a time of summaries and first plans for the next grazing season, so for a few words we asked the local sheep - Jan Kędzior from Wisła and Adam Filary from Koniaków. The season was not easy, because it was the first spring-summer grazing conducted independently by a young yet very gaining shepherd Mateusz Kawulok. However, he did very well, despite the fact that this year shepherds were threatened by the threat posed by wolves in this area more and more often. There are also no hands for difficult and demanding work. Despite this, the sałaszów do not give up and want to continue the beautiful tradition and cultivate an indispensable element of our highlander identity, which is shepherding. We will meet again in spring - they assure. Here - on Stecówka on Miyszanie sheep. A flock of about 500 pieces will go to the mountains - these are the plans. Fortunately, real, natural, one hundred percent sheep's cheeses find buyers, although at first people usually don't understand why they are more expensive than those in the store. To understand this, it's worth coming to the hall, seeing this work up close, listening to the people who undertook it and getting to know their daily struggles.

Stecówka said goodbye to us still with the warm sun, gusty wind and amazing views of the mountains. Each Sheep is different, more or less solemn, but those who were here will probably want to come back because in this place there is something that goes beyond "here and now" and goes back to the history of our ancestors.