Category Archives: Ethnographic

Kuspuk – The Arctic Muumuu

Posted on 2020-05-16 by Jonathan

When the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 the Western Arctic opened up for contact and trade. Christian missions were soon bringing salvation and modesty to the locals, who reportedly walked about dressed in either the skins of … Continue reading →

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How to fold a kimono

Posted on 2020-04-14 by Jonathan

When Robert Haven was at the museum last summer we had a donation of several kimonos come into the museum. Robert was good enough to share with us the traditional way Japanese kimono are folded for storage:

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Basotho Heritage Blankets

Posted on 2019-02-06 by Jonathan

Blankets featured in the film Black Panther were manufactured in Randfontein, a small mining town in South Africa by a company called Aranda Textile Mills. The company was started by Dr. Magni, an Italian who immigrated to South Africa with … Continue reading →

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Is There a Museum of Folk?

Posted on 2018-06-26 by Jonathan

I don’t know of a museum that specializes in European folk dress – those strange costumes worn for specific carnivals or traditional ceremonies. I am sure European regional museums collect local garments, but wouldn’t it be great to see these … Continue reading →

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Paper Fashions for the Afterlife

Posted on 2018-04-27 by Jonathan

Originally a Taoist ritual for ancestor worship, the burning of joss paper money (aka ghost money) honoured the dead on special holidays and occasions. The ritual varies amongst Taoist believers but has the same purpose of sending good things to … Continue reading →

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Colourizing the past

Posted on 2017-10-23 by Jonathan

This image was recently posted on a site that showed various ethnographic costumes colourized. Unfortunately, not all the colours were correct. However a woman, Sari de Groot, who viewed the images and knows quite a bit about this area’s folk … Continue reading →

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Oldest extant clothing…

Posted on 2017-08-16 by Jonathan
Posted in Ethnographic, history | 2 Comments

The Squaw Dress

Posted on 2017-04-05 by Jonathan

The term ‘Squaw dress’ is used to describe a two-piece dress with an aesthetic borrowed from the Southwest Apache, Navajo and Pueblo Native cultures that stretch between Tucson, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Similar styles known as Fiesta dresses borrowed … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – The Cowichan Sweater

Posted on 2017-02-19 by Jonathan

Bulky knit sweaters are unquestionably a Canadian fashion. Their creation has been the result of a fusion of European and Native techniques and designs that developed over the last century. There is some confusion over what to call these bulky yarn sweaters … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian dress, Ethnographic, sportswear | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Thobe (thawb) – Arabic for garment

Posted on 2016-08-26 by Jonathan

Kenn picked this handy guide up when he was in Bahrain three years ago:

Posted in Ethnographic | 2 Comments