Folk Costume With an Argentine Gaucho Belt

Bārta folk costume. Made by Mrs Arāja in Argentina, 1950s.

The Bārta folk costume was made by Mrs Arāja in Buenos Aires for the Latvian-Argentinian Anna Drabis-Streļčūna. As there were no Latvian belt weavers in Argentina, a gaucho belt made in Argentina with patterns similar to Latvian ornamentation was added to the costume. Ever since Latvian war refugees arrived in Argentina in the 1950s, folk costumes have been worn at various Latvian festivals, theatre performances and choir concerts. This Bārta folk costume is still in use today – Astrīda Streļčūna wears the national costume inherited from her grandmother every year to proudly carry the flag of Latvia into the hall for Latvia’s Independence Day celebration.

On loan from Jānis Streļčūns.

Astrīda Strelčūna in the Bārta folk costume (first from right) with other Latvian-Argentinian descendants and an Argentinian gaucho dancer in the courtyard of the church of the Congregation of La Resurreccion in the Buenos Aires suburb of Hurlingham, Brazil, on 19 November 2017. Photo by Brigita Tamuža.