Śmiergust

thumb|A video documenting the śmiergust in Wilamowice in 2015 Śmiergust is a long-standing folk custom popular in some parts of Poland, particularly in and around the town of Wilamowice. It involves young men, often in costume, dousing young unmarried women with water. The celebrations take place on the Market Square of Wilamowice on Wet Monday (Easter Monday), and in or near the women's homes on Easter Sunday. The traditions of Śmigus-dyngus, known in the Polish diaspora as Dyngus Day, include the water dousing element.

== Historical outline == Traditionally, at Śmiergust, groups of dressed-up men walk from house to house, visiting homes and dousing girls with water. The custom is sometimes observed on Easter Sunday – mostly in the area surrounding Oświęcim; specific locations include Kozy and Wilamowice. The custom was first published by Józef Latosiński in his 1909 book entitled Monografia miasteczka Wilamowice (The Town of Wilamowice – A Monograph), describing it as a cross-dressing festival: "(...) On the second day of Easter, in the afternoon, young men dress up as girls and adult girls as men. Some of them wear masks; they visit houses, play accordion music and douse passers-by with water; this procession is called "smirgust" (...)".