„We will certainly commemorate all that the first generations of Polish families did in Argentina. Polish Settlers’ Day is of tremendous importance for me and has sentimental value” – Family News Service was told by Prof. José Skowron-Posluszna, a descendant of the first generation of Poles who arrived about a century ago in the province of Misiones, Argentina. On Sunday 9 June, the descendants of Polish settlers concluded their annual celebration of Polish Settlers’ Day, a national holiday in Argentina.
In an interview with Family News Service, Prof. José Skowron-Posluszna indicated that Argentina is the only country in the world to observe Polish Settlers’ Day as a national holiday. It marks the arrival in 1897 in Misiones Province of the first 11 families, 6 of which were from Polish territories. At that time the province was in high demand of workers.
Since 1995, before the centennial of the first settlers’ arrival, the Polish Union in Argentina was lobbying the Argentine Parliament to introduce such a holiday. On 6 December 1995, the Argentine Senate promulgated Act No. 24601, establishing 8 June of each year as Polish Settlers’ Day to honour those who, with their tenacity and dedication, effectively contributed to the history of Argentina.
Prof. José Skowron-Posluszna is vice-president of the Argentine-Polish Cultural Association (ACAP) and vice-president of the European Union Club in Argentina. He feels Argentinian, but, like hundreds of thousands of the country’s inhabitants, he does not forget his Polish origins. „My first language was Polish”, he stressed, recalling the time he spent in his family home, where Polish was used on a daily basis. After graduating from secondary school, Prof. Skowron-Posluszna became a student at the University of Buenos Aires. He then visited Poland, including Krakow, his father’s hometown.
The Polish Union in Oberá Misiones runs a Polish House built in the Zakopane style. Poles still meet there today, especially on anniversaries and holidays. Commemorative religious services are also held to mark Polish Settlers’ Day. Representatives of other nations living in Argentina join in the celebrations. „All Polish and Argentine organisations celebrate this Polish holiday”, stressed the professor.
This year, celebrations at the Polish Embassy in Argentina, at the church and at the Polish House took place on 8 and 9 June. On Friday, 7 June, there was an exhibition of photographs of Polish emigrants organised by Parliament and the Polish Embassy in Buenos Aires. The actual celebrations started even earlier and continued for a full week.
The largest group of Polish emigrants, about 13,000 Polish families, arrived in Misiones between the world wars. „My parents and grandparents came to Misiones at that time and started working there”, recalled the professor. Living in a place so different from Poland was not easy. „First of all, because of the tropical climate and the 'Jungle’. It is very hot and rainy here and humidity is high. The Polish settlers had to walk into the jungle as there was no road. They made pathways. To this day, there are two small paths called the Polish Path and the Galician Path”, reported a descendant of Polish emigrants, and added: „Today, a quarter of Misiones is made up of people of Polish descent”.
Argentina appreciates the contribution of Poles to the economic development of the region. Poles have made a huge impact on the development of Misiones. The largest yerba mate company in Argentina is Amanda. Jan Szychowski is the founder of the Polish-Argentine yerba mate family. Polish settlers were pioneers in the development of the tea industry, establishing first tea plantations, then industrial plants, and finally contributing to the export of the finished product.
Today, some 38 000 hectares of tea are cultivated in the province of Misiones, and some 90 000 tonnes are exported, representing 95 per cent of total output. Poles and their descendants have made a significant contribution to the development of this industry in the area. There are many tea companies in Argentina that are in the hands of descendants of Poles. „This is very important for Argentina, but it is worth remembering that when the Poles arrived, they did not know the language and could not communicate with the local population; there were no roads, no hospitals, and no essential infrastructure”, added Prof. José Skowron-Posluszna, recalling the tough beginnings.
As the descendant of Poles reported, „there are now about 300,000 people of Polish origin living in Misiones. Across Argentina, in places like Cordoba, Chaco, Buenos Aires, and Comodoro Rivadavia it is about 500,000”. From the very beginning of their stay on Argentine soil, Poles prioritised religion and education in their families. „Today there are many engineers, politicians, and physicians of Polish origin. The third generation still speaks a little Polish; they feel Argentine, but they never forget their roots”. The professor pointed out that „a lot of young people visit Poland. They look for the places where their grandparents were born. They want to know where they came from”. In 1997, the descendants of the Poles arriving in Argentina had the opportunity to meet St. John Paul II in Krakow.