I wanted to see this for long. It is not a performance for tourists as it may seem from pictures with those strangely dressed up people, it is a real life, or more accurately a living tradition: a pilgrimage to the St. Lawrence's church in the Chods' country in Bohemia. I think this is the last area in Bohemia where people have been wearing their folk costumes for church festivities without breaking the tradition. People used to wear folk costumes there even during week days still back in the 60s. They were more simple, of course, the skirts were pleated, women had short blazers or whatever the right vocabulary is, and wore black scarves similar to those in the pictures. I actually remember women in their daily folk costumes on a square in the town where I grew up. I grew up pretty close to the Chods' country. Nevertheless, I learned about the pilgrimage to the St. Lawrence from TV, two years ago. Such is a paradox of my longing for more authentic ethnographic experiences.
6 comments:
I guess some programs on TV are good :)
How long is the pilgrimage? I've always liked the idea of pilgrimages - setting off, journeying, and finally getting there - they must be very special events.
Honestly, pilgrimage is probably inappropriate word although originally these people used to take longer routes than this, this one was as long as was the alley...
So another translation would be fair...
In Finland the same people still wear their traditional costumes to church and other festivities. Among youngsters in Lapland it is actually in fashion to wear the folk costum on daily basis.
What a great tradition! I would love to see that myself. Yet another thing to add to my "bucket list" :-)
Merruli, it is cool that they wear it for fashion. It actually does not surprise me.
lovely tradition. Here at the Basque country in Spain, people are very attached to their old traditions and the young ones wear the traditional costumes at all the festivities.
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