‘Our Lady of Czestochowa’, is a religious film showing the history of the monastery and sanctuary of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa, Poland. The film takes you on a tour of Poland’s greatest religious shrine, including those places which are not accessible to ordinary visitors. This film helps to  understand the unique phenomenon of the Jasna Gora sanctuary

The Black Madonna Icon is a 122 x 82cm painting on a wooden panel which is shrouded by richly ornamented jeweled robes, legends and miracles.It is believed that Poland is under protection of The Black Madonna painting. A famous Catholic icon celebrated by Polish people on 15th August each year.

Story about a Pilgrimage to Czestochowa, Poland

The tradition of pilgrimages to Czestochowa, a famous Marian sanctuary (also commonly known by the name of Jasna Gora, or the Bright Mountain) is a long and diverse in Poland.

The most characteristic form of devotion is the summer walking pilgrimages to the sanctuary, when people from all over the country set off to walk in organized groups to this very special place. The experience involves hours or days of walking but there’s much more to do than just walk. The friars organize lectures on the way, focusing on various aspects of Catholic spirituality.

Perhaps the most striking feature of such an experience, it is the attitudes of people you inevitably meet on the way. From sharing drinking water or carrying your backpack for a while, to just being there to listen when you need it – but also inhabitants of local villages that pilgrimage passes through offer vast assistance, provide meals and places to stay overnight. Thus the way to the sanctuary becomes at least equally important to finally reaching it – another nice parable to the Christian way of life.

The experience is open to anyone who would like to participate in the  pilgrim  each August. There are some foreign guests – from the US, France, Finland, Philippines. Just bring yourself a pair of comfortable shoes – and you can start walking. Text by Kamila (Warsaw, Poland)

A 10 year Karol Wojtyla in the 1930’s in Poland, has dreams, many dreams. One by one they are shattered. First, by the loss of his mother and brother. Then by the outbreak of war and the death-fleeing exodus that ensued. And finally by the first sign of Jewish persecution.

These events will mark Karol’s long journey from worker, to poet and to teacher. A journey full of encounters that eventually leads him to become the man we all knew. A man who has marked an era. A man who has made history.

Karol Wojtyla, whose tireless fight for humanity and basic fundamental rights begins with the German invasion of his native Poland in 1939.

Appalled at the brutal treatment afforded his Jewish friends, Karol turns to his religion as a means of making a difference in the world, and with the help of several other like-minded individuals mounts a non-violent, but extremely effective, anti-Nazi resistance.

Ordained as a priest at war’s end, Karol finds himself fighting another form of Godless totalitarianism, this one from the Communists who have overtaken his country.

Ultimately, Father Karol Wojtyla’s noble mission culminates in his being elected as Pope John Paul II in 1978 and it was surely no coincidence that Poland’s liberation was now but a matter of time.

Polish Museum, 125 Elliot St, Howick phone 09 533 3530.

Entry by cash donation or internet banking

This exhibition is part of the Auckland Heritage Festival 2018

View delightful styles of Polish ceramics, from hand-painted Boleslawiec blue dot tableware, famous in Europe for several hundred years, to regional Kashubian plates and a vintage folk-art floral teapot.

The other galleries in the museum will also be open.

Entry by Donation to the museum is suggested $10 – $5

BOOKING RECOMMENDED

Starts at 2pm and runs for 2 hours till 4pm

Celebrate a Polish Christmas with paper and wool decorations.

• Make wool spiders and paper chains with a twist for your own Christmas tree.
• Create your own unique paper Christmas star to hang
• Taste the Polish ginger biscuit called Pierniki
• Learn some Christmas Eve traditions, watching the first star and Wigilia supper

This workshop is available for adults and/or children during the weeks leading to Christmas.

‘In Desert and Wilderness’ dir. Gavin Hood (2010).

Stas (14) and Nel (8) are thrilled to be with their fathers in exotic Egypt. The palm trees and beaches offer a welcome change from the chills of Europe and the children are fascinated by the different languages and religions of North Africa. During the night, Stas and Nel are kidnapped by Egyptian rebels. As the children of Suez Canal engineers, they are valuable hostages, but they soon escape with the help of two young Africans. While their fathers organize rescue parties, the children’s adventure takes them across the beautiful, vast desert.

This popular feature film with beautiful cinematography is set in 1890 and based on the Nobel prize-winning novel for youth ‘W pustyni i w puszczy’, written in 1912 by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

School holiday family entertainment.

English. Age 7+. 2-4pm. Captions available for deaf community by request.

Museum entry by donation. Polish Museum, 125 Elliot St, Howick. Ph 533 3530

A family activity for Easter.   Starts at 2pm and finishes at 4pm. 2 hours of fun filled craft with a short educational presentation.

$8 per person including adults. To make your booking please phone 533 3530

• Design your own Polish Easter Egg        What is pisanki? It’s a Polish word for…?
• Create an Easter Palm from paper        Taste Mazurek, a Polish Easter cake
• What is smingus-dyngus? It’s something fun!

Adults without children are welcome too !

(Please note:Children must be accompanied with an adult)

A school holiday family activity before Easter, sharing our Polish traditions

Starts at 10am till 12 noon. 2 hours of fun filled craft with a short educational presentation.

$8 per person including adults. To make your booking please phone 533 3530

• Design your own Polish Easter Egg        What is pisanki? It’s a Polish word for…?
• Create an Easter Palm from paper        Taste Mazurek, a Polish Easter cake
• What is smingus-dyngus? It’s something fun!

Adults without children are welcome too !

(Please note:Children must be accompanied with an adult)

Paper cut-outs school holiday workshop $8.00 per person, 7 years plus, relaxing and fun, plenty of ideas given to take home and try more designs!

Come create with paper and scissors. Great activity for the whole family

Polish decorative paper cut-outs belong to the most colourful in the world. Traditionally they were cut by hand, without drawing the lines first, using sheep-sheering scissors.

• Take home 2 art works.
• Watch a short presentation
• Designs based on the Lowicz and Kurpie regions of Poland
• This workshop is also available throughout the year, other dates and days,  and is ideal for birthday parties too!

Bookings preferred please, phone 533 3530 or 021 107 0169 or email us.

Museum hours Tue to Fri 10-4 and Sunday 12-5

BOOKING RECOMMENDED

Starts at 2pm and runs for 2 hours till 4pm

Celebrate a Polish Christmas with paper and wool decorations.

• Make wool spiders and paper chains with a twist for your own Christmas tree.
• Create your own unique paper Christmas star to hang
• Taste the Polish ginger biscuit called Pierniki
• Learn some Christmas Eve traditions, watching the first star and Wigilia supper

This workshop is available for adults and/or children during the weeks leading to Christmas.