Dyngus Day, or Wet Easter Monday, hearkens back to pagan rites of purification and fertility. Since 966 AD, Poland has used the occasion to commemorate the baptism of Prince Mieszko I, which marked the beginning of Poland’s Christian-ization. Historically, roguish pussy-willow-wielding suitors would chase maidens and douse them with water; the women would have to wait until the following day to respond. In these more egalitarian times, women are as likely as men to spend Wet Monday sharpshooting, during a water fight that sees Poles fire Super Soakers from balconies across the country.
