TRADITIONAL FOLK CLOTHING IN

ZVOLENSKA SLATINA

The area under Polana is interesting with its own expression of folk culture. Musical, singing, dancing and creative art is reflecting in itself the feeling of temperament, pride and strong motivation of people of this region.

The name used for the clothing of this region is "Podpoliansky." We don't have to understand the folk clothing as an archaic element. It was evolving and changing its pattern, decoration and material. It was affected by the esthetic feelings, different migrations, expansion of industry and factories, etc.

To women's clothing belongs from homemade linen underskirt called "spodna" that reaches below the knees. From the waste up they would stitch to it "stanka" a woven kind of an undershirt of red, black or white color. "Oplecko" or a half shirt would go over it with wide embroiled sleeves about elbow length. At the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th century there was wide spread of new technique of embroiding with bent needle under Polana. There was a slow change in the form, decoration and the colorfulness of oplecko. The sleeves are shortened and are made from more delicate and bought materials, embroidery is more elaborate with use of wider color palette. Over the oplecko another garment was worn called "brusliak" kind of a vest also reaching only to the half of the waist. Under it from more delicate material around the neck and tied on the back they used to wear a triangle shaped "kosicka," scarf. Ends of which were embroiled or decorated with tassel. Lower part of the body was covered with skirt made of white linen. It was worn as over or under skirt under "kitla." Kitla used to be made of blueprint material or from glot another type of fabric. Lower part of the skirt used to be sown with different color material and was decorated with colorful ribbons and embroiled ornaments. Older skirts used to reach all the way to ankles. Aprons were made from the same materials as skirts.

Girls used to comb their hair smooth to one braid, decorated with ribbon. Women in Zvolenska Slatina used to wear bonnets formed to the shape of their head. On the neck for extra decoration they would wear silk braid or beads. In the old days the prevailing colors were white, black light yellow and natural brown. Young girls used to look happy in red and light yellow and older women would wear blue, lack and violet colors.

Men in Zvolenska Slatina wore short sleeves with uncovered waste, typical for the area under Polana. In the period between the WW I and II they started to wear long shirts with cuffs. "Gati"-long really wide pants made of wide linen had their bottoms with tassels. Besides these they would also wear white cloth pants. The skirt and pants were embroided with yellow tread. After the WW I there was a wide spread of wearing black pants to boots called "brice." With the short shirt they would wear a sheepskin coat with no sleeves and with long shirt sheepskin called "cucaj" that would reach to the waste. Over the shoulder they would wear "kabanica" a sort of jacket from black linen. Unforgettable addition to the men’s clothing were belts and hat with leather strap or with tiny chains on top.

Women in Zvolenska Slatina walked bare foot. In winter they would wear canvas "kapce"-shoes made of sheep’s wool that were made mostly by men. To special occasion clothing belong black hard boots. Men would wear krpce or black leather boots.

The women traditional clothing in Zvolenska Slatina lost its importance in the 50's, however it is still worn during special occasions. Even today one can find traditional parts of folk clothing in the households and some women still today are familiar with the technique of decorating folk clothing.

The folk clothing not only in Zvolenska Slatina is a reflection of cultural values, artistic feeling, skillfulness, and people's psychic….And could be permanent source of inspiration, admiration and respect.

Katarina Kostialova

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Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 6, No. 2, Summer 1998
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1998 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.
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