This article discusses the highlander culture of the Polish Podhale region. The author presents different analyses of the Polish highlander culture in order to arrive at a brief historical and ethnographical characterization of the Podhale region which is indispensable for the description of its local communities and for the understanding of how exceptional and vital its culture is. The presentation of selected cultural aspects important for preservation and development of the highland identity (such as dialect, music, singing, dancing and attire) serves the author as an introduction to a reflection on the significance of the tradition in the era of liquid modernity.