Jukace gonią po Żywcu. Tradycja dziadów żywieckich jako symbol tożsamości regionalnej

The article deals with the issue of regional identity, analyzed through the prism of tradition and morality, using the example of a selected folk rite. The phenomenon of tradition was described, indicating its social and cultural meaning. Definitional considerations were made, recalling the definitions appearing in the literature, indirectly also indicating the value that tradition has for the existence and development of human communities over time. The problem of identity was raised as a subject from the borderline of philosophy and social sciences, with particular emphasis on the identity in a collective perspective. The importance of identity in the process of shaping the self-consciousness of individuals and groups was demonstrated, as well as the importance of the sense of identity for their duration in history. Some attention was given to the concept of the region, describing its various definitions and specificity, and then discussed the phenomenon of regional identity, synthesizing previously collected information. By building a contextual background for a selected folk ritual, Dziady Żywieckie, the author presented the Żywiec region, describing its geographical, social and cultural specificity. Much attention was devoted to the regional tradition of the Żywiec region, showing the historical, social and economic factors that shaped it, and exchanging and describing the most characteristic elements of its cultural heritage. In the main part of the article, the Dziady Żywieckie ritual is described in detail, describing its rules and course, appearing figures and costumes. The author also attempted to determine the origins of the Dziady custom, recalling regional versions of the interpretation of the rite. The expression and meaning of the event were analyzed, considering its functions from the point of view of the regional tradition of Żywiec. The main thesis of the article assumes that Dziady Żywieckie is a distinctive symbol of the regional identity of Zywiec highlanders. On the basis of information obtained from the literature on the subject and regional internet sources and based on the author's own observations and thoughts, the thesis was confirmed.