Table. Rite – everyday life – design. A short report from ethnographic research on practices of dwelling

Abstract

The subject of the considerations presented in the article is the table understood as an important element that co-creates the space of dwelling in different cultural environments. In Polish tradition, it has different meanings – sacralized, associated with ritual behaviors, functioning as a metaphor of meeting and a sign of hospitality. Involved in both everyday practices and celebrating holidays. In contemporary culture, it is treated primarily as a piece of furniture and a typical item of home furnishings, adjusted to the specific style of the interior and individual tastes of the users. Using the results of her own ethnographic studies inspired by the anthropology of design, conducted in the years 2020–2023, the author tries to answer the question of how the table is currently treated in Polish domestic spaces, what significance is attributed to it, how it is used in ordinary and special situations. This knowledge, in turn, may constitute a set of tips for design specialists, but also a documentation of the ways of living practiced in contemporary Polish society.