Why Poles Love Chestnuts: The Secret Cultural Life of Kasztany

kasztany-fot_szymon_pulcyn_pap_pap_20051007_0fj-s.jpg, default, Sweet chestnuts on a chestnut tree, photo: Szymon Pulcyn / PAP

#lifestyle & opinion

Every autumn, Polish parks are littered with shiny brown sweet chestnuts. Children fill their pockets with them, kitchen tables temporarily become miniature toy workshops and people pop some in their bag for good luck. In Poland, kasztany are more than a seasonal curiosity: they are a ritual, a childhood memory and one of the most recognisable signs that summer is over.

Inspired by the contents of my 3-year-old son’s pockets after returning home from nursery every day of autumn so far, I decided to take a closer look at Poland’s love of sweet chestnuts, or kasztany. As our home’s collection continues to grow, I listened to my friends and colleagues tell me about their fond memories of collecting chestnuts with their friends and parents, and discovered some lovely little tidbits about these lovely little nuts.

Collectibles

First and foremost, kasztany are the most convenient and cheapest kind of collectible out there. Forget Pokemons (gotta catch ‘em all!), model cars, coins, stamps or Labubus, chestnuts are everywhere – in the park, on the street, in the parking lot, on the walk back from preschool – and cost nothing at all.

For whatever reason, these smooth, brown and beige gems call out to children walking by: ‘Take me home!’. In all honesty, I too have been known to pick up a kasztan or two and catch myself playing with it in my pocket as I stroll to the metro. Perhaps they are the OG fidget toys?

In baskets, bowls, in little groups on household furniture, spread across the floor, they find their way into every Polish house as soon as autumn comes. Collecting them is a nice reminder of childhood's past – slower paced, more focused, more filled with imagination.

Toys & TV shows

Although sweet chestnuts do make for beautiful fall decor, they are also quite fun to play with. Whether using them as payment in a child-run cafe (I recommend the flat white), as well as the pastries in said cafe, or as small drivers of small cars, the possibilities for play really are endless.

Poland’s most popular way to play with kasztany, however, is making them into little chestnut people and animals. Preschools across the country use this precious, albeit free, resource for as long as the season allows. Not only does it motivate kids to go on chestnut hunts, to search high and low, but also gives them the gift of creating their very own custom toys.

So popular is this Polish pastime that there was even a cartoon about them! The chestnut-people that is. Kasztaniaki, which ran from 1990 to 1998, was about two chestnut brothers, Pękatek and Tutek, who live under a chestnut tree in the park. As they wander around with their friends, a squirrel, a toad and an earthworm, among others, they discover all that nature has to offer. Together they learn about changing seasons, different kinds of weather and how animals prepare for the winter months. It turns out chestnuts are educational too!

Superstitions

Now, I share with you something I only learned about as of late: there are apparently a whole list of Polish beliefs surrounding the magical powers of this seemingly inconspicuous nut. I first heard about this from a colleague of mine (who will remain nameless, out of fear for the health and wellbeing of his family), who told me that in the 1990s there was a rumour going around that chestnuts could help combat harmful radiation, so their aunts would place some on their television sets (this was, course, when TVs were thicker than a piece of paper).

This piece of information led me down a whole chestnut-related superstition rabbit hole. Here we go:

Pick up a chestnut and pop it in your pocket – it was believed to ward off negative energy, evil spells and misfortune; however, if you carried around more than one, according to some traditions, they were thought to help maintain health and strength – especially in the autumn and winter months! Now, if you brought some kasztany into your homestead, they would ensure prosperity – placing them in drawers, cupboards or placing them on bookshelves would be the way to go. Others chose to hide some under their beds – the under-bed chestnuts would ward off illness and nightmares.

Once those chestnuts dried up, it meant that they had absorbed all of the bad energy and it was time to part with them. Not by chucking them in the bin, but by returning them to nature.

A chestnut found by chance – was said to be a good omen, especially if it was exceptionally smooth, large or unusually shaped. Generally chestnuts were meant to bring good luck, much like four-leaf clovers, so kids and adults alike would carry them around, just in case.

An autumnal hymn

Let’s end on a musical note (forgive the terrible pun) – if there are TV shows about chestnuts, why not pop hits? Natasza Zylska, one of 1950s Poland’s most popular singers and starlets, sang so many memorable and beloved songs it’s hard to name them all. One, however, that stood out to me, was Kasztany, written by Krystyna Wodnicka and arranged by Zbigniew Korepta. Normally I would only share a fragment of this lovely tune, but it is impossible to choose just one verse. You’ll understand why, I hope:

Text

My love, my love

Chestnuts fall from the trees above

Beneath the feet of laughing lovers

Like a wonderful, auburn hail

Like the night, when out in the court

I gave you an auburn nut and my heart

Only two words did you impart

That you love me and the wind

Your hair is like a chestnut, you said

Chestnut are the eyes in your head

When we strolled together, my love

Through golden leaves, parks and stars

The wind shook chestnuts under our feet

In a trembling voice you said ‘goodbye’

But, my dear, wherever I go

This golden night will follow

It’s been three golden autumns so far

The leaves have fallen for the third time

Yet your love hasn't returned from afar

In the park there are leaves and stars

I am left with just this chestnut of gold

An amulet of happier days

And this autumnal song, simple and bold

Which maybe the wind will carry your way

Author

Trans. NR

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You’ll also find mentions of the Poles beloved chestnuts in literature, art and more. But I think this a good place to put a stop to this old chestnut. In spring we could say ‘stop and smell the flowers’, during Polish autumn, I would urge you to ‘stop and pick up a chestnut’. Happy autumn, all!

P.S. If you happen to find some acorns, while on your search for chestnuts – gather those too! Polish zoos are happy to take them from you as they will help feed some of their critters, big and small, in the winter!

P.P.S. For safety purposes: these sweet chestnuts are not edible, so only pretend cafe pastries please!

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