My First Folkdress

The Lithuanian immigrants who settled in Chicago and other American cities continued the tradition of preserving the culture of the homeland. Children who enrolled in Lithuanian school, for instance, learned poetry, folk songs, and folk dances. Every year, the Lithuanian school sponsored a program in honor of Lithuania's original independence day, February 16, 1918, when Lithuania secured its freedom after being occupied by the Russian Empire.

The independence day program was a big deal. The children staged a production for the adults, and we practiced our routines for many months. On the evening of the program, we recited poetry, played instruments, and performed folk dances. The school required us to appear in folkdress.

During celebrations, adults wore authentic, floor-length folkdresses crafted from precious fabrics. My grown-up folkdress, for example, consists of a spectacular skirt woven for my Mom on the occasion of her marriage. My vest and blouse belonged to my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana; both date to the early twentieth century.

Children instead had miniature versions of folkdress. The girls wore short skirts made from fabrics that only resembled Lithuanian woven textiles. The vests and blouses were simpler, and our Moms made crowns from ribbons available at a fabric store; they did not use the rarer woven sashes. Little girls wore amber beads, like the adult women did, but the necklaces were smaller and were made from cheaper, opaque amber beads.

My Mom and my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, sewed my first folkdress for the 1965 celebration of Lithuanian independence.

Suburban Chicago, February 1965. Dad captures the moment as I leave for the performance.

 

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Suburban Chicago, February 1965. The crown and amber beads made me feel like a grown-up.