Folk Costume With an Argentine Gaucho Belt

Home > In Exile > “Composite” and adapted folk costumes > Folk Costume With an Argentine Gaucho Belt 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.

From Alsunga to Australia and Back

Home > In Exile > “Composite” and adapted folk costumes > From Alsunga to Australia and Back From Alsunga to Australia and Back Alsunga folk costume. Individual parts of the garment were made in Alsunga, Latvia, in the 19th and 20th centuries, and others in Australia in the 1970s. The Alsunga folk costume once belonged to Latvian-Australian Māra Siksna. The brooch, woven belt and shawl were given to Māra by Elfrīda Bikauniece, who bought parts of the Alsunga folk costume while walking around and knocking on people’s doors in the Alsunga area in the 1930s. The large antique brooch was given as a gift – it was found in the clay while digging the foundations for a barn. When Elfrīda fled Latvia in 1944, she used the colourful Alsunga shawl as a rucksack into which she folded the antique brooch and a few favourite paintings. “During difficult times, I often felt that the old brooch was like a talisman, a guardian angel that helped me escape from danger and gave me spiritual strength,” Elfrīda told Māra. In 1976, when the “Saules josta” dance ensemble was about to embark on an Australian and world tour with a dance and song performance, Māra Siksna decided to make the missing parts of the Alsunga folk costume so that she could show the antique brooch, belt and shawl to the world. Together with Māra, the Alsunga folk costume has been on stage at the Sydney Opera House; has performed with “Saules josta” in Australia, Canada, the USA, Sweden and England; and has taken part in Australian Latvian Arts Festivals and Latvian Song Festivals in Canada, Germany and Latvia. Māra has also worn the folk costume at political street demonstrations for Baltic freedom and at formal receptions at the Brisbane Parliament. The folk costume has now returned to Alsunga, the land of the Suiti people. On loan from Alsungas amatu māja. Māra Siksna in her Alsunga folk costume in Munster, Germany, in 1984. Donated by Māra Siksna. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre. From Alsunga to Australia and Back Playing Previous Song Play Pause Next Song /

A Folk Costume for the Brazilian Climate

Home > In Exile > “Composite” and adapted folk costumes > A Folk Costume for the Brazilian Climate A Folk Costume for the Brazilian Climate Made by Liana Arais Pydd in Ijuí, Brazil, in the late 1990s. Latvian-Brazilian Liana Arais Pydd used a thin and breathable striped fabric in shades of brown to make the dress. She wore pastalas (trad. leather footwear) on her feet and sometimes tied a woven belt around her head instead of wearing a crown or headdress. Liana says: “This is one of my folk costumes that I used to wear, and it reflects quite well the difficulties that people in Brazil have to go through. It’s hard to wear Latvian folk costumes from December to March because they are very warm.” Liana wore the folk costume to events at the Brazilian Latvian Centre, and once to a ball at the “Fenadi” ethnic community festival in Ijuí. Donated by Liana Arais Pydd. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre (LP2023.22.1-2). Liana Arais Pydd in one of her handmade stylised folk costumes at the ethnic community ball in Ijuí, Brazil, in 2015. From left: Armindo Pydd, Liana Arais Pydd, Maiga Arais, Eronita Arais. Donated by Liana Arais Pydd. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre. A Folk Costume for the Brazilian Climate Playing Previous Song Play Pause Next Song /

A Folk Costume for Folk Dancing in Ijuí

Home > In Exile > “Composite” and adapted folk costumes > A Folk Costume for Folk Dancing in Ijuí A Folk Costume for Folk Dancing in Ijuí Folk costume. Made in Ijuí, Brazil, 1991. The costume was made for the “Jautrais pāris” children and youth dance group in Ijuí. It was made from ethnographic drawings. The costume was made by two seamstresses – one pieced it together and the other embellished it with embroidery. The embroidery was done not by hand but by machine. Donated by Mara Susana Ceratti Salas. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre (LP2023.108) Latvian folk costumes are paraded at the “Fenadi” multicultural festival in Ijui, Brazil, 2006. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre.

Graduation Attire

Home > In Exile > Folk costumes – not just for the stage > Graduation Attire Graduation Attire Men’s folk costume. Made in the USA, 1980s. The folk costume belonged to Latvian-American Kristaps Hinkle (1966–2017). It was made when Kristaps began his studies at the Gaŗezers Summer High School. Kristaps also wore the folk costume while dancing in the “Mēnestiņš” folk dance ensemble in Syracuse. He also took part in Syracuse’s annual Festival of Nations, where dancers in folk costumes presented the Latvian cultural programme. Kristaps also performed in this folk costume at other events organised by the Baltic community, as well as at song and dance festivals in Canada and America. He also wore the folk costume while studying at the Latvian Studies Center in Kalamazoo, MI, USA. Donated by Maija Hinkle. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre (LP2020.96). Kristaps Hinkle in his folk costume at the graduation ceremony of the Gaŗezers Summer High School in 1985. Donated by Maija Hinkle. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre.

A Bride’s Attire

Home > In Exile > Folk costumes – not just for the stage > A Bride’s Attire A Bride’s Attire Abrene folk costume. Made in Latvia, 1991. The Abrene folk costume was made in 1991 in Riga. It was brought to the Latvian Song Festival in Canada by members of the “Rotaļa” dance group from Latvia, with the idea of selling the costume at the festival’s bazaar to raise pocket money to visit relatives. Latvian-Canadian Ingrīda Mazutis decided that one can never have too many folk costumes, and bought it. Laima, one of Ingrīda’s daughters, took a fancy to the Abrene folk costume; she recalls: “I was immediately attracted to it because it was different from other folk costumes – it was white, noble, festive. I also saw it as a silent demonstration against what had been illegally taken from Latvia – the territory of Abrene.” The folk costume was worn at various Latvian community events in Ottawa, Canada. Laima wore the Abrene folk costume when marrying her husband, Uldis Dimiševskis.  When Laima moved to Latvia in 2005, the Abrene folk costume had found its way back to Latvia. “The next very meaningful event that I wore this folk costume to was when I took part in the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in 2013. It was a great feeling to stand on the Mežaparks stage in my Abrene folk costume – I felt I belonged, and it was a great, festive feeling!” On loan from Laima Dimiševska. Laima and Uldis Dimiševskis in folk costumes on their wedding day at the Canadian Latvian estate “Tērvete” on 10 October 1998, Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, Quebec, Canada. Donated by Laima Dimiševska. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre.

Lost Folk Costumes Found Through Facebook

Home > In Exile > Handed-down folk costumes > Lost Folk Costumes Found Through Facebook Lost Folk Costumes Found Through Facebook Man’s folk costume. Made by Zigrīda Gaujeniece in New York, USA in the 1960s. The folk costume once belonged to Alfreds Gaujenieks. It was made by his wife Zigrīda, who took inspiration from the drawings of J. Brotze. Alfreds and Zigrīda were for many years Latvian Scout leaders in the USA, as well as leaders of the “Trejdeksnis” Latvian folk dance group in New York. Zigrīda Gaujeniece had a rich collection of Latvian folk costume books, which she used as sources of information. The folk costume used to have brass buttons made by Alfreds himself; the folk costume was also shown as an ethnographic specimen at the 1996 folk costume exhibition in Washington DC. Alfred was often seen wearing his folk costume in Latvian society, which inspired others – for example, the Latvian youth Mārtiņs Putenis made a similar folk costume for his wedding. Zigrīda also made folk costumes for herself and her sons Mārtiņš and Gatis. When the boys grew up, the folk costumes were loaned to others, and over the years they were passed from one dancer to another. Now living in Latvia and having sons of his own, Gatis Gaujenieks decided to find the folk costumes made by his mother via Facebook. The search was successful, and the costumes are back in the Gaujenieks family! On loan from Gatis Gaujenieks. Alfrēds and Zigrīda participating in the parade at the Song Days in Gotland, Sweden in 1979. Donated by Gatis Gaujenieks. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre.

A Folk Costume Inherited From an Aunt

Home > In Exile > Handed-down folk costumes > A Folk Costume Inherited From an Aunt A Folk Costume Inherited From an Aunt Bārta folk costume. Made by Anna Trops (1912–1958) in Latvia, 1930s. Making the Bārta folk costume was Anna Trops’ graduation project at the Višķi State School of Horticulture and Home Economics in the 1930s. The Trops family took it with them when fleeing Latvia at the end of WWII. Anna Trops wore her self-made folk costume while singing in the refugee camp choir in Neuötting, Germany, and later, in the US, in the Detroit Latvian Choir. After Anna’s death in 1958, the folk costume was inherited by her brother’s daughter Valentīna Pradenas (née Trops). The folk costume was often worn when performing with the Latvian choir in Detroit, later with the choir led by Bruno Skulte in New York, as well as with the kokle ensemble led by Andrejs Jansons. Valentīna also wore the national costume to political demonstrations demanding the restoration of Latvia’s independence. As the shirt had become very threadbare over the years, Valentīna made a new shirt by copying the old one. Valentīna bought the brooches in America. Donated by Valentīna Pradenas. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre (LP2014.116). Anna Trops in the Bārta folk costume in the 1930s. Donated by Valentīna Pradenas. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre.

Award-winning Archaeological Reconstruction of a Costume

Home > In Exile > Becoming a master folk costume maker > Award-winning Archaeological Reconstruction of a Costume Award-winning Archaeological Reconstruction of a Costume Archaeological reconstruction of a costume excavated in Stāmeriena. Made by Lilija Balgalve-Treimane and Toronto artisans in Canada in 1976. This archaeological reconstruction of a costume excavated in Stāmeriena was made by Lilija Balgalve-Treimane, an outstanding master folk art artisan, member of the Latvian Arts and Crafts Association in Canada, and author of the book “Celaines. Celu jostu un apaudu aušana”, [Tablet weaving: belts and trims]. The reconstruction of the ancient Latgalian costume was created for the applied arts exhibition at the 6th Latvian Song Festival in Canada in 1976. Preparatory work for making the costume was lengthy and included information gathering, sketching, and consulting with Aleksandra Dzērvīte. The shawl is based on archaeological materials obtained during the excavation of a Late Iron Age barrow on the shore of Lake Ludza in Stāmeriena Parish in 1898. Several people helped in the making of the costume: Rita Auziņa made the cloth for the skirt and shawl, and metalsmiths Oskars Grīns, Kārlis Grencions and Juris Kļaviņš made the metal jewellery and ornamentation. Lilija herself incorporated the bronze rings into the shawl and wove the trims. Lilija received several awards for her masterpiece – a certificate of recognition and an award from the Organising Committee of the 6th Latvian Song Festival in Canada, as well as a certificate of recognition from the Cultural Foundation of the World Federation of Free Latvians. The costume was later exhibited in several Latvian booths at ethnic folk festivals in North America. On loan from Lilija Balgalve-Treimane. Lilija Balgalve-Treimane in her Stāmeriena costume in Canada in the 1970s. Donated by Lilija Balgalve-Treimane. From the collection of the Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre.

Splendour From Plant Dyes

Home > In Exile > Becoming a master folk costume maker > Splendour From Plant Dyes Splendour From Plant Dyes Zemgale folk costume. Made by Valija Bērziņa (1916–2012) and Alise Stepaneka (1916–2002) in Germany, 1980s. The Zemgale folk costume was made in Germany and once belonged to Līga Morusa. She entrusted the making of the folk costume to craftswomen. Valija Bērziņa, an experienced handicrafter in Würzburg, dyed the woolen threads with plant dyes and wove the cloth for the skirt. Alise Stepanek in Munich embroidered the folk costume’s shirt, wove the belt, and made the shawl. Līga wore the costume when performing with the Munich-based ensembles “Atvasara” and “Kas tie tādi”. After moving to Latvia, Līga often lent the folk costume to singer Zane Šmite to wear at concerts, song festivals, the “Baltica” folklore festival, and elsewhere. Several years ago, Līga gifted the Zemgale folk costume to Zane. When Zane Šmite performs in this folk costume, “everyone comes up to touch it because it is insanely beautiful!” On loan from Zane Šmite. Līga Morusa (on right) in her Zemgale folk costume celebrating Midsummer’s Eve in Latvia in 1999. In private collection of Līga Morusa. Splendour From Plant Dyes Playing Previous Song Play Pause Next Song /