Sordyl Józefa and Zofia
from Korbielów, born in 1945
Unusual twin sisters, faithful followers of the musical folklore of Żywiec highlanders and traditional forms of decorative art. "Last Pollances". Busy, operable, full of cheerfulness and joy of life. They were born on May 2, 1945 in Krzyżowa. They live and run a farm together. They have been singing since childhood – archaic, white voice and highland dialect. They owe much to their mother. It was from her (and her grandmother's) that they learned singing and dancing, learned about the oldest customs and regional rituals: Mother sang all day long, different song to diffrent job. She sang really beautiful. When we were small, sometimes we looked into her throat to see why she sings so beautifully and strongly. She knew a lot songs (about 300), and Jan Tacina, called Beskid Kolberg, wrote all of them years ago. Since 1960, Józefa and Zofia Sordyl have been active in the team of the Country Housewives' Association Dziewięciornik in Korbielów, and they run a youth team. In their repertoire, there are mainly church songs, ballads, wedding songs, "holajskie" and cluster songs. They collect and save old and new texts. They are happy to participate in folklore reviews and festivals, winning awards and distinctions, including at the National Festival of Polish Folk Bands and Singers in Kazimierz Dolny on the Vistula, Folklore Festival of Polish Highlanders in Żywiec, Sabałowe Bajania Festival in Bukowina Tatrzańska, the storyteller competition in Przybędza, the review of Carolingal and Rite of "Żywieckie Gody" and many regional competitions. In 2005, they were honored with the Oskar Kolberg Award for music and dance folklore and folk artistic creativity.
The sisters also deal with ritual arts – they make paper flowers, bunk palms, harvest wreaths, and wool decorations. They also proved themselves as instructors on Gody Jeleśniańskie – groups prepared by them (Three Kings and carolers with a star) got first places. They take part in Korbielów Redyk, they are present at Hołdymas Gazdowski. They cook and bake excellent – according to old recipes (for yeast dough with cheese and poppy seed they got the first prize in a competition announced by Radio Katowice). Moreover, with great enthusiasm, they provide the young generation with knowledge about the life of the old village and participate in educational programs popularizing traditional music (including singing and dancing), customs and rituals as well as ceremonial art.
Musical works of Józefa and Zofia Sordyl have been documented many times. The recordings can be found in the archives of the Radio Center of Polish Radio People's Culture, in the local branches of the Polish Radio in Katowice and Lublin, as well as in the archives of the Katowice Television. In December 2017, a book with a film were edited "In harmony with nature and culture. About the Sisters Józefa and Zofia Sordyl".