When Tradition Depends on the Weather

Abstract

Abstract Tradition helps local communities cope with the uncertainty of familiar and repetitive actions. What if tradition depends on variables and, in times of climate crisis, unstable factors? The Polish cultural landscape contains multiple traditions grounded in the human–environment relationship. This article presents the early results of ongoing research on the relationship between the practice of intangible cultural heritage in Poland and climate change. By drawing on ethnographic data, this article explores the implications of declining snow resources, alterations in the vegetation cycle, and hydrological drought on the tradition of winter horse-drawn carriage races and wickerwork. Based on the notions of ethnoclimatology and the anthropology of weather, the text draws attention to local perceptions of climate change and potential methods of safeguarding tradition as well as harnessing heritage into resilient actions in times of climate change.