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Bunad stories

This is a series of articles on Norwegian folkedrakt (folk dress) and bunader (folk costumes) by Jody Grage Haug. Jody is a member of Valkyrien Lodge #1, Daughters of Norway, and is known as "the bunad lady" from her work gathering and sharing information through the Bunad Nettverk.

Index to articles from 1998:

Norwegian Folk Costume Silver (February 1998)

This is the fifth of in the series of articles on Norwegian folkedrakt (folk dress) and bunader (folk costumes) by Jody Grage Haug.

Silver was magical in Norway, the stuff of superstition and legend. The mines were thought to belong to the moutain trolls who were the very best silversmiths. Silver was used to protect against storms, heal sickness, make beer work, consecrate water, etc. A small silver brooch was pinned on a baby's clothing so the trolls couldn't make a swap with a troll baby. Silver pieces handed down from previous generations were especially valued because of their ancestral and spiritual connections.

The silver jewelry worn by his wife and daughters was an important status symbol for a farmer, as well as a way to store the family's wealth. Many farmers, especially in Setesdal and Telemark, became silver craftsmen to add to their incomes. Pieces could be stamped, cast or cut from sheet silver and embellished with engraving, filagree, etc.

The word "filigree" means thread/wire - ball/grain in Latin and describes silver threads and balls of different sizes and dimensions, soldered and twisted together into a design. Filigree work probably came from the Far East and followed the old trade routes through the Middle East and up through Europe. It first came to Norway in Viking times and was again popular during the Renaissance. In the early 1700's filagree was a basis for the development of many regional folk jewelry designs in Norway.

Guilds of silversmiths date back to 1568 and only guild members could legally work with silver. Guilds provided education for silversmiths and were found only in large towns. Theoretically the government controlled all precious metals and the guilds controlled who could work and where, however, silver work continued in the countryside.

Today machine-made silver is also available. These pieces are either stamped from thin sheets of silver or cast from a mold and may have some handmade parts. They cost about one third the price of handmade pieces and, as with handmade pieces, the quality varies widely. In deciding what to buy - and how much to spend - consider that you will wear a piece for the rest of your life and pass it on to children and grandchildren. It is traditional to collect pieces over a lifetime, rather than purchasing them all at once.

The usual women's silver includes a neck pin or button which holds the shirt together at the neck, a brooch fastened across the front slit of the shirt (and almost never fastened to the bunad itself!), cufflinks and shoe buckles. Rings, belts and bridal accessories are common, but earrings are not traditional with folk costumes.

The jewelry is quite regional in design, although the boundaries are often vague and inherited pieces are always appropriate. Simpler pieces should be worn with more everyday costumes and in all cases care must be taken not to wear more silver than is appropriate.

Many questions have been raised about the meaning of the elements in Norwegian folk jewelry. There are some symbols whose meanings are universal and ancient, and some elements that have different meanings in different places and times. Basically a silver pin is used to hold the shirt closed, and much of the meaning of the elements has probably changed as appropriate over time. The circle is a universal shape and the prong across the middle is to secure the pin. The rich layers on many pieces are quite intriguing, and the hanging parts glitter and/or tinkle to call attention to the piece.

Special care is needed to preserve silver. DO NOT use dip solutions since they destroy the silver. Old silver is supposed to look old; it's called patina. Silver should be washed since the crevices accumulate dirt, and soap and water will do for this. Dampened baking soda, or a mixture of natural soap with a bit of ammonia, used on a soft, worn toothbrush also works well. A silver cloth can be used to rub the leaves and other flat surfaces.

Keep silver in separate boxes so chains and pins don't destroy the delicate work. Do not use rubber bands near your silver as they contain sulpher which can permeate the box and affect the silver contents.

Pieces with a prong in the center and no pin on the back should probably not be altered. If they are that old, they may have antique value. The shirt fabric is pulled through the pin's center and the prong goes through the fabric to secure the pin.

Thanks to Hilde Nødtvedt and Lori Talcott who assisted with information for this article.
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Bunader for Women in Setesdal (April 1998)

This is the sixth of a series of articles on Norwegian folkedrakt (folk dress) and bunader (folk costumes) by Jody Grage Haug. Jody is a member of Valkyrien Lodge #1, Daughters of Norway, and is known as "the bunad lady" from her work gathering and sharing information through the Bunad Nettverk.

Setesdal has always been relatively isolated even by Norwegian standards and was largely unexplored by outsiders until well into the 20th Century. People in Setesdal had their own self-sufficient community.

The woman's bunad from Setesdal is one of the oldest folk costumes in Norway and one of only a few costumes which has been in continuous use. In the 1930's young girls used the white skirt as a school uniform, although boys and young men were changing to more "modern" fashions.

The Setesdal bunad is shorter than the other women's costumes in Norway, coming to just below the knee. It may be true that this was to show off the especially nice legs of the Setesdal women.

It is fascinating to compare older pictures from Setesdal of people working - often in old, worn garments - with newer pictures of heavily embellished Setesdal costumes in idealized conditions.

The most important difference between the older and newer costumes is the extent of the embellishment. Parts which in previous times had little or no ornamentation are decorated, and parts which had some ornamentation have even more now. The hems of the skirts are stiffer and wider than earlier, and the silver which was used only occasionally and by the more well off is now usual.

Married women, unmarried women and girls are dressed alike. Women have two skirts which have had almost the same design since the last part of the 17th Century and probably even longer.

The first skirt, worn alone for everyday and summer, is of natural, off-white boiled wool. The hem is stiffened with heavy linen or cotton sandwiched between two layers of black boiled wool and shaped so that it bells out. Two borders of black wool broadcloth are added above. The skirt is gathered onto a wide band with shoulder straps in natural wool with black edging and embroidery. Worn and faded black skirts can also be used as the first skirt.

The black outer skirt is only worn over the white skirt and can be of thicker wool with a heavier hem than the first skirt. This second skirt is shorter and just reaches the top of the black bands on the first skirt. It has three panels in the front. The red hem is also shaped and stiffened so it bells out, with a second red band and a green band above. The skirt band and supporting straps are black with red edging, a red back panel, silver bands and wool and cotton em-broidery in the special geometric patterns of Setesdal. Traditionally the outer skirt was pleated, stored for a year, died black, stored for another year and then assembled.

The belt is black leather with a silver buckle. A pattern-woven band which circles the waist twice and has ends hanging at the side or back is often used over the outer skirt.

The women's shirt is linen or cotton with the collar and cuffs trimmed with wide white lace, crocheted lace or tatting.

For both married and unmarried women, the usual head covering is a black fringed scarf which may be embroidered or have a printed rose pattern. It crosses in back and ties with a knot on top of th head. A silk scarf can be used for special occasions. In summer a white printed scarf tied at the back of the neck can be used. Hair is braided in with a woven hairband and hangs down below the scarf. The braids can be wrapped around the head if a scarf is not being worn.

The short black jacket with wide sleeves has green wool edging, silver ribbons and embroidery on the front, shoulders and cuffs. The shirt collar and cuffs extend beyond the edges of the jacket. A woven shawl may be worn over the jacket for warmth and for special occasions. If only the inner skirt is being worn, an undyed gray or brown jacket with less ornamentation is used, rather than the more ornate dyed black jacket.

Black pattern-knit stockings have gussets to fit over the calf muscles and are worn with woven garters without tassles or leather straps with buckles. Embroidered mittens, gloves, fingerless gloves and wristlets are also used.

It seems as though nearly everyone in Setesdal is a silversmith, so it is not surprising that a lot of massive, spectacular jewelry is used. The skirt is fastened with large neck buttons threaded through buttonholes. In addition there are two or three brooches for the blouse, the largest at the top, and button cufflinks. Each skirt is fastened with a clasp. A watch chain may be worn around the neck with the watch kept in the waistband or in a small inside pocket. The jacket has silver buttons in front and on the cuffs and closes with a wide clasp connected with chains.

A bride wears a third skirt which is red with a green hem and two white bands above it. She wears an apron and two silk scarves from her belt and, over her jacket, a vest decorated with a great deal of silver. Her hair is drawn up into a high topknot and wrapped in a silk scarf or she wears a padded headpiece covered with silver jewelry.

Women with more resources can have more fabric widths in the skirt, more embroidery or more silver jewelry. Poorer women can even have only one band on the skirt. Older women use less silver, as do widows.
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Beltestakk from Telemark (August 1998)

This is the seventh of a series of articles about Norwegian folkedrakt (folk dress) and bunader (folk costumes) by Jody Grage Haug.

On May 10, 1998, a press conference was held at the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo to announce the release of the book, Bunad og Folkedrakt: beltestakk før og næ by Kari-Anne Pedersen, curator for costumes and textiles at the Norwegian Folk Museum. It was a pleasure to be a part of this event, not only because the author is a personal friend and colleague, but because the book is wonderful.

The book's large, coffee-table format, the countless historic and contemporary pictures and drawings, and the massive amount of information included make it a grand addition to the series on "Living Norwegian Traditions" by the Technological Publishing Company.

Kari-Anne's book explores the question of why a newly made beltestakk seldom looks like the historical clothing it is supposed to resemble. The nature and processes of clothing research, the history of clothing in East Telemark, and the details of the many parts of a beltestakk are carefully examined.

A bunad is a formal or festive dress which can have roots in local traditions or can be totally new with no connection to older clothing. Folk dress - folkedrakt - was used by rural people before the Industrial Revolution. The cut of the everyday and festival dress was often the same, with details, wealth of decoration, or degree of wear making the difference. Folk dress was used daily and was the only clothing people had, while the bunad is used for special occasions as an alternative to contemporary clothing.

When the beltestakk was the usual daily wear, cut and fit were most important. A great deal of time and energy was invested in creating the proper silhouette and drape and in quality handwork details. Particularly important for the beltestakk were the smallness of the rolled edges, the bowed skirt hem, and the visible stitches as a display of sewing machine ownership.

Ideas of beauty and good taste change over time, as do the colors and patterning of fabrics. When people grew up with folk dress, they knew how it should look, while today we use folkedrakt or bunader only occasionally so we are less confident and feel a need to be careful in our choices within the options available. We are also accustomed to coordinated colors and patterns, lighter-weight clothing, and less complex layering.

A new beltestakk emphasizes color and embellishment. As a bunad it is appropriate for May 17th, proper and pretty by today's standards of taste. It doesn't look strange or odd and is culturally safe so the wearer doesn't feel overdressed.

For a beltestakk the options seem nearly endless. The short bodice varies in size and shape, fabric and sometimes embroidery, and edgings and embellishing bands. The cartridge-pleated skirt varies in dark color and type of weave, length and width, and hem shaping, stiffening and coverings. The apron varies in dark color, fabric type and weave, length and width, ties, and hem and side embellishments. The shirt and underjacket vary in cut of sleeve and collar, fabric type/color/pattern, and embroidery styles and colors if the fabric is white. The card-woven belt varies in length and width, colors, and fastening style. The headwear varies in hairband colors and in fabric type, colors and patterns of the scarves. Stockings vary from knitting to embroidery on wool fabric. Shoes vary between wooden, leather with fringes, and high laced boots. The outer jacket varies in color, cut, embellishment and lining. Knit cuffs and gloves vary with embroidery and dense fringes. Traditional jewelry also varies within local norms.

In times past the boundaries of cut and fit for a beltestakk were traditionally determined and fabric and embellishment options were limited by availability. Clothing parts were accumulated - and replaced - over time.

To acquire a beltestakk today means choosing between the older and newer approaches and among a wide variety of materials - and doing all this over a comparatively short period of time. Mindboggling - but fascinating!

Note: For further information on Kari-Anne's beltestakk book, contact Jody Haug. The book is available only in Norwegian and costs approximately $60 US.
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Why (and How) to Own a Bunad (December 1998)

This is the eighth of a series of articles on Norwegian folkedrakt (folk dress) and bunader (folk costumes) by Jody Grage Haug.

Wearing a bunad, a festival costume, has many connotations and denotations and is an important event on many levels. A bunad can save a lot of money and decision making. In many places and many circles a bunad is wonderful for any and all special occasions.

One primary focus is appreciation of and homage to your Norwegian heritage in general and to YOUR part of Norway in particular. It is customary to wear a bunad or folkedrakt from an area to which you have a genetic or residential connection. Then you won't have to explain to those who greet you (feeling they've found someone from their region) that you just liked that particular dress.

Your bunad should display good to excellent fabrics and workmanship, fit nicely, and be clean and in good repair. Because you are wearing traditional (or traditionally related) clothing, conservative makeup and hairstyles are suitable. More contemporary additions such as earrings, high heels and nylons are out of place. References to the "bunad police" are made only partly in jest!

Since a bunad is a festival garment, less ornate traditional dress is more suitable, and practical, for work situations. Everyday cotton or wool costumes, colored and patterned shirts and aprons, and simpler sølje are among the possibilities. Consider getting an everyday (hverdags) dress, which is less expensive and easier to make and care for. If fabrics are carefully chosen and workmanship is excellent, you will have appropriate clothing for traditional events. You may even decide that it fulfills your needs for traditional Norwegian dress. Or you can begin acquiring a festival costume and spend the money and/or take the time necessary to do a really magnificent job.

There are many avenues for acquisition of a bunad. Used bunader are sometimes available through inheritance, gift, or purchase. Traditional clothing is usually made for easy alteration and, since fit is so important, I am always pleased to discuss the possibilities.

Cleaning is a good investment for all used clothing since dirt can cause discoloration and disintegration over time. It is important to specify "short cycle" which is a more moderate procedure. (I recommend Casimir Cleaners on Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle. They do the cleaning for the University of Washington Costume and Textile Study Center.)

Linen requires special care because of the absorbency of the fibers and should be laundered by hand after each use in tepid water with a neutral detergent. Chlorine bleach must not be used. Squeeze but don't rub. Rinse in fresh water at least five times since the shirt will yellow unless it is rinsed very thoroughly. Hang to drip dry or roll in a towel before hanging, but do not wring out. Store in a dark place in a fabric sack or towel. Just before the next use, dip fabric in cold water, dry overnight, and iron on cotton setting with a soft fabric underneath for embroidered sections. Steam irons have made it much quicker and easier.

Most bunader are acquired from Norway, either through local relatives or through the Bunad og Folkedrakt Nettverk. It is important to realize that a bunad can be assembled over time. The skirt and bodice may be worn with a plain shirt and simple sølje until further investments of time and/or money are made. In this way, each part is as it should be and the end result is, too. Some festival costumes or portions of costumes can be made from patterns and fabrics available in the United States, while for others purchase in "kit" form or custom made from Norway is necessary.

There are two usual reasons for making a bunad your self. One is a feeling that it is "yours," only if you make it. If you have the necessary skills, this can work quite well for many costumes, especially if one made in Norway is available to use as an example. The other reason is that it saves money. But you may have a hard time actually getting around to it because you want to do it RIGHT and you aren't really sure what RIGHT is. Because an experienced embroiderer or sewer is faster, you may make about $.50 an hour doing it yourself. Generally paying to have a bunad embroidered or sewn here does not result in savings.

To accumulate money towards purchasing your bunad, remember that the holidays, and birthdays, are coming. Many of us have all the "stuff" we need, so you could let your relatives and friends know that contributions to your Bunad Fund are always welcome. Perhaps you can undertake a special earning project or decrease spending in some other area.
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I am always pleased to talk to individuals or groups about Norwegian folk costumes in general or specific! I'll also go nearly anywhere to talk about bunader or to do a bunad slide show and lecture if transportation, food and lodging can be provided.

Jody Grage Haug, Bunad Nettverk
2428 NW 56th Street
Seattle, WA 98107-4113 USA