National and Cultural Identifications of the Greeks Born in Poland

Abstract

This paper deals with analysis of the national identity of Greeks born in Poland. It reveals a specific rupture of this identity and the need for the distinction between the national identification, built around the “myth of blood”, very strong in everyday thinking, and the cultural identification, defined as perceiving a given culture as one’s own, understandable, and close. Antonina Kłoskowska was first to introduce such terminological distinction. The term “walencja” she used as the indicator of the cultural identification is expanded in this contribution, as is not describing adequately this aspect of identity of Greeks born in Poland.