Macedonian Folklore Costumes

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In the broad sphere of the Macedonian folklore culture, the folklore costumes represent a true reflection of the folklore traditions which are deeply rooted in the ethnic-cultural history, the social relations, the socio-political environment, in some elements of the ideology of people's beliefs, as well as, in certain aesthetic conceptions formed in the course of centuries. An immense skill is accumulated there, conveyed from one generation to another, existing as a live dialectics in the cultural process, in the center of which is the traditional normative culture. Their origin could be traced in the bygone old Slavic cultural past. Through the complex cultural-historical processes on the Balkan, there are many interwoven common elements characteristic for the material culture of other Balkan people. Along with the old Slavic and old Balkan cultural elements, an important role in the development of the culture of the South Slavs and, consequently, of Macedonian Slavs, had been played by the significant substratum of the Byzantine culture which already existed there. In that respect, an emphasis is also to be laid on the later influence of the Oriental culture, spread by the Turks, during their five centuries long ruling.
All these factors, influenced by the geographical makeup, respectively, the broken relief of the Republic of Macedonia into valleys surrounded mostly by mountains, along with the inadequate communications which, in the recent and past periods alike, had imposed a secluded economic life and isolated rural relations, had resulted in al extraordinary complex of costumes with numerous versatile clothes and clothing garments.
Basic characteristics The elementary clothing garment of the man's costumes is the shirt made of.white linen (flax, hemp or cotton, in small number of cases of cotton linen with "kenari"- stripes). It is made up of a front and a back "stan"- panel of a knees-length made from one piece of linen (overlapped like a poncho), with a low oval cut on the middle upper part - around the neckline; on the front vertically cut open; with a "koril"- collar (a narrow rectangular piece) around the neck. The sleeves are cut straight from one or one and a half width of the linen and are mainly loose or pleated around the wrist by "penchinja"- cuffs.
From the armholes (between the "stans"-panels) the shin is widened on the sides by inserted oblique cut pieces of linen -"klinovi"-gores, "kindoi"- insets, "rebrnjaci"- insets, or "bochnici"- sidepieces. The shirts for festive purposes and bridegroom's shirts are made with a greatest number of "bochnici"-sidepieces. With minor exceptions, this basic cut is represented on the whole territory of Macedonia. However, their versatility is nevertheless great. It is particularly noticeable in the applied method of the embroidery decoration. As an aesthetic value it is applied on: "koril"- a collar, the upper front part, the cuffs (if they are included), and in a smaller number of samples along the side of the sleeves (along the whole length as a decorative stripe). The red, black and yellow are the most prevailing colours used in the embroidered decoration; there are examples when the embroidery is made with white threads, combined at some places with white beads.
The breeches are made of the same material as the shirt. They are made up of two side pieces of linen for the leggings-long down to the ankles and of two middle parts (on the front and on the back), with an inserted piece in the middle "kutel"- a fly-piece shaped as an elongated rhomb for widening the crutch; around the waist they are pleated by a string -"gaknik" or "uchkur"-a waist-band. In certain costumes, the cut of the breeches varies too and until the end of the last century, there had also been a difference in their decorations.
A characteristic part of the man's festive costumes in a number of regional units (Golo Brdo, Debar plain, Debar Drimkol, Struga Drimkol, Struga plain, Ovche Pole, Radovish-Strumica plain, Skopska Crna Gora, Bojmija-Gevgelija region) is the robe ( ffistan", ''stan" or "v'stan"), a type of a lower garment made of white cotton fabric, having a knees-length, made up of a great number of "klinovi"- gores (50, 80, 100 and more).
A specific clothing part of some man's constumes until the first decades of the last century (Mariovo, Prespa, upper Bitola villages, Bojmija -Gevgelija region) were dzivri or klashni - a type of long leggings made of hand made "klashna"-broad-cloth, which were tied to the girdle by strings or straps sewn on the groins.
More specific for the lower part of the body are bechvi - baggy-bottomed trousers made of white broad-cloth, with
leggings long down to the ankles and a widened crutch in the upper part; they are always adorned with black braiding along the seams (Debar plain, Debar Drimkol, Struga Drimkol, Reka, Mavrovo plain, Gorna Reka, Upper and Lower Polog, Kichevo region). Chashiri - baggy-bottomed calf-hugging trousers (Skopska Blatija, Zegligovo, Sredorek, Durachka Reka, Lower Polog) and poturi - full-bottomed breeches (Ovche Pole, Radovish-Strumica plain, Maleshevo, Pijanec) have an identical function, and they are made of black, brown or dark blue "shayak" (heavy wool homespun), having long leggings adorned with black braiding in a similar way as the previously mentioned ones. Similar to these, however, with a more pronounced width are shalvars - baggy trousers, made of white or black folkweave woolen fabric (Golo Brdo, Debar plain, Mariovo), long down to the ankles or below the knees, mainly worn until the first decades of the 20th century. Until that period, shalvars had been worn by women too (Reka, Debar Drimkol), however, only during some specific house works.
Poyas - a girdle, as a particularly specific clothing garment is always woven of woolen yarn in a "twill weave'echnique. The most characteristic are the girdles long 3 to 5 meters, about 30 cm wide, with one of the ends always adorned with fringes or with some other kind of impressive decorative elements. According to the type of decoration, the most widespread are the girdles having straight horizontal patterns with harmonious colouring; there are also girdles woven in harmonious checkered combinations, as well as, girdles having most versatile ornaments. Red is the most prevailing colour. In many instances, a leather belt is girded over the girdle. Until the end of the last century, some people had worn a "silav" (a belt for holding weapons) in a similar way.
Very often, on festive occasions, one or two cloths "brishalki" (cloths for the girdle), having woven or embroidered decoration, are worn tucked in the girdle.
One of the rare and unique parts of the man's constumes in Macedonia is the apron (Prilep plain, Mariovo, Azot, Babuna, the northern Veles villages, Ovche Pole, a part of Skopje region, Shtip region, Kratovo region, a part of Radovish-Strumica plain), woven of woolen yarn (the same as the woman's one) in a rectangular shape made of one or two vertically attached "dipli" (pieces), almost always decorated with straight horizontal patterns.
Particularly great versatility with abundant variants is noticed in the numerous upper garments. Their length is considerably varied: waist-length, knee-length, calf-length and very rarely ankle-length. Some are sleeveless, others have short sleeves, and there are also garments with long sleeves. Those having a waist- length are almost always straightly cut with their sides widened by inserted pieces of fabric; if they have sleeves, these are also cut straight. A greater number of the longer garments are fitted snugly to the body down to the waist, while their lower part is bell-like widened by inserted oblique cut pieces. On the front they are open along the whole length. They were usually made by masters-tailors.
One of the most characteristic waist-length sleeveless garments is elek (a sleeveless waistcoat). It is made of various materials: deep red "shayak"- heavy wool homespun (BitolaPrilep plain), brown heavy wool homespun (Zegligovo, the eastern part of Slavishte, Durachka Reka), a striped home-made folkweave woolen fabric "aladja" or "shareno" (multi-coloured patterned fabric) (Skopska Blatija, Azot, Babuna, Ovche Pole, Kratovo region, Shtip region, Kochani plain, RadovishStrumica plain, Bojmija-Gevgelija region). It is always freely open on the front; very rarely, it is worn overlapped on the chest (Ovche Pole, Radovish-Strumica plain). Most often it is decorated with industrial ribbons, braids etc.
Of the same length, freely open or overlapped on the front is djamadan (an ornate man's jacket) made of white (Struga Drimkol, Debar Drimkol, Porechie), black (Mariovo) or red broad-cloth (Skopska Crna Gora, Gorna Reka), or heavy wool homespun, as well as, of red velvet (Upper Polog). Some samples are made sleeveless, while others have sleeves. It is adorned with braiding appliqu'es and sometimes with tailormade gold thread embroidery.
Very similar to the above two waist-length garments is mintan (a coat with long narrow sleeves) made of broad-cloth, baize, of handwoven woolen fabric with longitudinal stripes "aladja" or of industrial fabric. It is always made up with long sleeves, with an overlap on the front and fitted with buttons. On the reverse side this coat is lined and most often padded with cotton. In the composition of the folklore costumes it has been adopted from the urban dresses.
Another characteristic waist-length garment with long sleeves is dolama - an overcoat having freely open "poll"- front panels. In this cut it is mainly made of black or brown heavy wool homespun and is discreetly decorated with black braiding (eastern part of Slavishte, Zegligovo, Kratovo region, Durachka Reka, Skopska Crna Gora). This cut is applied for the garment with the identical name made of home made woolen striped fabric "interiya" (Bojmija-Gevgelija region). Particularly characteristic and extraordinary decorative is the festive garment "dolama"-an overcoat made of white broadcloth, of a calf-length and with long sleeves (cut open on the upper part on the inner side) which were usually worn thrown over the shoulders only for the purpose of "showing off". It was fitted snugly down to the waist, while the lower part had a pronounced width; richly decorated along the rims with trimming of black braiding in combination with discreet red braiding; the sleeves were decorated with characteristic ornamental forms "kolchazi"- embroidery trimmed with braids (Golo
Brdo, Debar plain, Reka, Struga plain, Struga Drimkol, Debar Drimkol, Kichevo region). Other upper garments have the same name, made of white broad-cloth, long down to the knees, but sleeveless (Zeleznik, Poreche). Djube (a type of a long man's coat) (Skopska Blatija, Skopska Crna Gora) is made of the same material, having the same length and sleeveless, decorated with black rustic braids. According to the form, in this kind of garments belong: juna (a type of a long peasant coat) made of white broad-cloth (Karshiyak), the very characteristic garment made of brown heavy wool homespun of the same name (Mariovo) and kurdija (a type of jacket-short sleeved or sleeveless) made of white or black broad-cloth (Prespa, upper Bitola villages) etc.
Among the above waist-length garments, however, with a different cut, especially characteristic is gunche or zobanche (short homespun peasant jacket) made of black or brown broad-cloth, with straight cut sleeves of elbow-length, having a specific rectangular collar which, according to the need, may be used as a hood (Golo Brdo, Debar plain, Debar Drimkol, Struga Drimkol, Malesija, Reka, Upper Polog, Kichevo region).
Particularly characteristic of the above mainly winter clothes are the massive shepherd's garments gunj, zobsn, sakma, yapandjak, talagan etc., (heavy coats), all made of woolen or blended woolen-goat's hair frabric, long down to under the knees or to the ankles. There are two types of these garments: a) cut out straight along their whole length (the cut is identical to that of the "gunjche"), with sleeves also cut out straight of elbows-length or even wrists-length, having a large rectangular collar which, if necessary, can be used as a hood (Reka, Mariovo, Debar Drimkol, Golo Brdo) and b) sleeveless, with a hood, with their lower part bell-like widened as a pelerine (Bitola-Prilep plain, Debar Drimkol etc.).
One of the more distinguished rustic garments is kozhuv (a sheepskin fur coat), which is an integral part of a major number of man's and woman's costumes. It is a waist-length sleeveless garment and in such a form is worn by men and women alike. Some samples of this kind used by women only, are decorated with appliqued pieces of leather, adorned at some places with tailor-made embroidery (Gorna Reka, Upper Polog, Reka). A specific man's winter garment is kozhuv (a fur coat) with long sleeves and its length varies from down to the middle of the thighs to down to the ankles.
An integral and very functional part of the man's and woman's costumes in Macedonia are the socks which show great richness of ornamental forms with impressive aesthetic qualities. They are knitted of woolen yarn with five needles in "ribbed" technique, and in some cases with one needle in technique "oplit"- crochet work. The most widespread are the ones of knees-length or up to the middle of the calf. On their upper part they have strings for tying around the leg. Almost without exceptions, they are ornamented along their whole length, usually in horizontal stripes. Every regional unit shows its own local features in the ornamental decorations.
There are two basic types of socks: a) socks with feet and b) socks - "kalci" or "chulci"(socks or legs) without feet. The bridal and the bridegroom's socks are distinguished with the richest ornamental decorations. For tightening the socks on the upper part of the leg (under the knees) special woven dizgi - garters are used - a kind of decorative ribbons adorned sometimes with fringes or "tuff" (tassels) on their ends.
In winter time, obyala - a kind of underknee wrapping cloth made of white broad-cloth, adorned along the edges with black braids, were worn over the socks. A more decorative kind of underknee garments are the tozluci (docked socks), worn both by men and women alike. They were made of broad-cloth or baize and were adorned by trimming of braids; some extraordinary decorative samples were adorned with gold thread braids and tailor-made embroidery (Gorna Reka, Mavrovo plain).
Typical footwear both for men and women are opinci (type of peasant slippers). The oldest kinds of "opinci" made of raw untanned leather were preserved until the end of the last century, and in some areas even later. Their form is usually shallow and they are pleated by hemp strings or by leather straps - "oputi"- laces which are tied to the leg, around the ankles or even up under the knees. On festive occasions, slippers made by craftsmen were usually worn. From the end of the last century, by the influence of the town culture, shoes started to be worn, but mainly on weddings.
The head is covered by a number of characteristic kinds of caps. The most widely used is shubara (a fur-cap), nade of sheepskin (Golo Brdo, Bitola-Prilep plain, Upper Polog, Lower Polog, Babuna, Azot, Skopska Blatija, Skopska Crna Gora, the western part of Slavishte, Durachka Reka, Kratovo region, Pijanec, Maleshevo, Radovish-Strumica plain, Shtip region, Kochani plain etc.). In a limited number of regional units (Reka, Prespa), the low oval small cap shapche was worn, made of black satin or black belvet, adorned with stitchings or with "patka"- black silk tassels attached to the middle of its upper part. Very similar to this one is the low thick woolen circular kapche (small cap) with an oval bottom (Golo Brdo, Reka, Debar plain, Kichevo region). Among the caps of the thick woolen kind is also the cap called valsnica or valavka (Mariovo), in white and black colour shaped like a "klobuk" (hat). Until the first decades of the 20th century, a red low fes (a cap) with a long tassel of blue silk fringes was worn ( Reka, Debar plain, Debar Drimkol, Golo Brdo, Struga Drimkol, Malesija, Kichevo region, Mariovo). During the period of the Turkish ruling, very widespread was the Turkish fes (a cap), with or without a tassel, which, in some cases, used to be worn wrapped with a
white or black cloth or a scarf like a turban. Sometimes the turban was worn without a fes (a cap).
From the end of the last century, by the influence of the towns and the town craftsmen, kachket (a type of cap) began to be widely used as the most characteristic head cover.The basic clothing garment of the woman.' s costumes is the chemise made of white linen (flax, hemp or cotton and sometimes of cotton linen with "kenari"- stripes). Its cut is almost identical to the man's shirt, however, it is much longer - down to the wrists (in recent times, down to the calfs or even shorter), having lesser number of widening side "klinovi" (gores) or "bochnici" (sidepieces) - only twoor three at each side. The sleeves are almost always wide open. This basic cut shows some deviations in certain regions, which are not very significant in comparison to the variations in the ornamentation, particularly the embroidery decorations. The folk embroidery, as the most favourite occupation of the Macedonian peasantwoman, is the main decoration of the woman's chemises of all the aesthetic values of arranging the Macedonian folk costumes. Hence, as an established aesthetic rule, it is present in numerous variants as a specific symbol and decoration of a particular age and family position, and, at the same time, it represents one of the essential features of the costumes as a proof of the Macedonian ethnic individuality and identity.
The woman's chemises in western Macedonia are distinguished with impressive aesthetic qualities, where each regional unit has its own creative arrangement. Sometimes the differentiation is so close that it is limited to several villages only. As an aesthetic value, the embroidery on the woman's chemises is applied on: "koril"- the collar, the front upper part - "parta", on the sleeves as a wide vertical surface (beginning from the shoulders down to the wrists), as a wide trimming along the lower-part of the sleeve or combined in a different manner, along the lower rim of the chemise - "dole"- "dolnica" as a wide richly decorated trimming in various combinations and variants, always following the architectonics of the cut constituting together a particular aesthetic' unit and value. In fact, all the ornamented parts on the chemises are distributed and composed on places where they are not covered by other parts of the costume.
This type of decoration is distinguished with richness of oriental patterns, mainly geometric, geometricized floral and very rarely zoomorphic ones.
The versatility is also expressed by the numerous very old embroidery techniques, in most number of cases elaborated on a number of threads of the linen, with woolen or silk hand-spun threads, so that the embroidery varies with an extraordinary visual-aesthetic structure and make-up.
The red in its widest spectrum is the dominant colour"alena"- flame-coloured and "gjuvezna"- maroon (Bitola-Prilep plain, Ohrid plain, Prespa, Zeleznik, Mariovo, Lower Polog, the villages below the mountain of Suva Gora), mostly in combinations with black and yellow and touches of dark-blue, green colours and gold and silver thread (Skopska Blatija, Poreche). Beside the dominant use of the red colour, followed by the specific technique "kinat vez" or "kinatica"- cutwork (the main feature of which is drawing a number of threads from the fabric), the decorativeness on some chemises is emphasized by another characteristic adornment - tassels of red woolen fringes - "alov kis" on the lower part of the sleeves (Reka).
Unlike the numerous examples where red is the dominant colour supplemented by the pedantry and sophistication in a technological sense, on some woman's chemises (Skopska Crna Gora) very remarkable is the specific rustic ornamental decoration of black and dark blue threads discreetly refreshed with dark green threads on a white background of linen. Although the colours are scant, they are distinguished by a rich plastic make-up, pronounced graphic quality and architectonics which, from the artistic point of view, make them the highest accomplihments of the Macedonian textile folk art.
Although in a lesser number, there are also chemises (Reka, Debar plain, Golo Brdo, Debar Drimkol, Struga Drimkol, Ohrid plain, Lower Prespa) which, beside the polychromous embroidered decoration, are also adorned with openwork embroidery- "kesme" or "chikme", very close to the technique "kinatica"- cutwork according to the technological procedure. This method of decoration is applied on the lower part of the chemises (where they are pure white), mainly along the seams (between "stans"- the panels and "bochnici"-the sidepieces ).
There are also chemises which, along with the embroidery, are adorned with applique of braids and "tirip". In more recent times, this method of decoration is supplemented by the use of white or multi-coloured beads. Instead of the embroidered decoration, a new way of adornment is used by the applique of velvet (Bitola-Prilep plain) or patterned industrial pieces of linen on the places which were usually embroidered (Debar Drimkol); there are cases where the lower rims of the chemise and the sleeves are adorned with white hand-knitted lace (the eastern part of Slavishte, Skopska Blatija etc.). In the regional units where the embroidery is not used for a long time now, or applied in a reduced or changed form, the chemises are decorated with multi-coloured hand-knitted laces combined with beads -"sorki" or "cucki"(Ovche Pole, Shtip region), "pupki" (Gevgelija region), "kininja" (RadovishStrumica plain) etc.......

     Georgi Zdravev - Macedonian Filk Costumes I

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