Przebieraców

Przebieraców, more commonly written as przebierańcy in Polish, refers to people who dress in disguise or costumes, i.e., masqueraders or impersonators. The term is derived from the verb przebierać, meaning to change clothes or to disguise oneself. In standard usage, przebierańców is the genitive plural form, while przebierańcy is the nominative plural.

In Polish folklore and traditional culture, przebierańcy denotes groups of masked masqueraders who appear in villages and towns during pre-Lenten festivities. These masquerades are characterized by a variety of costumes and masks, with participants often playing roles such as devils, animals, merchants, or soldiers. The performances may include singing, dancing, and short improvisations, and in many local customs they involve going from house to house to entertain, exchange greetings, and sometimes request small offerings. The practice is connected to regional carnival traditions and the broader cycle of winter rites that mark the transition to spring. Specific customs, costumes, and songs vary by locality, but the underlying themes commonly include social inversion, humor, and communal participation.

In contemporary usage, przebierańcy can also refer more generally to anyone who masquerades or performs in disguise, such as actors in theatrical productions or participants in modern masquerade events. The term can be encountered in literary or journalistic descriptions of traditional folk customs, as well as in discussions of cross-dressing or drag performance, though in these contexts more precise terms may be used.

Overall, przebierańcy denotes the act and practice of dressing in disguise, with particular prominence in Poland’s carnival and folk-tradition heritage.