Exhibition of Ukrainian national costume was opened in the Riigikogu

Lauri Hussar said that Estonia and Ukraine were united by a sad cultural-historical fact that the communist regime had tried to rob our people of their national costumes and destroy our national self-consciousness. “This piece of history shows how cruel and criminal human behaviour can be. Today we are in a situation where Russia has aggressively attacked free Ukraine. It is the duty of Estonia to assist Ukraine in every way until Ukraine has won this war. We want both Estonians and Ukrainians to reach a time when we can happily wear our traditional clothes without fear of someone trying to rob them,” Lauri Hussar stated.

Hussar said that we must stand for the preservation of our national heritage, national colours, national clothes and national identity. “We are together in this fight, but also in the shared joy at the opening this colourful exhibition,” Hussar said.

Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the people and the state of Estonia for their support. “We are a long way from Ukraine here today, but through this exhibition it is possible to experience our cultural heritage,” Stefanchuk said in his welcoming speech.

The exhibition “The Ukrainian Colours” presents authentic traditional garments from ten ethnographic regions of Ukraine. The folk costumes are from the beginning and middle of the last century.

In all regions of Ukraine, the embroidered shirt – vyshyvanka – has become an indispensable attribute of folk costume. This shirt is still a part of everyday dress in Ukraine and is often also worn by representatives of other ethnic groups.

The exhibition also includes porcelain dolls and traditional handmade motanka dolls in folk costumes from different regions of Ukraine, made by Ukrainian masters from the 20th century, as well as various embroideries and elements of folk costumes.

In total, the exhibition “The Ukrainian Colours” features exhibits from 13 oblasts of Ukraine. The objects come from the Ukrainian Museum of Estonia in Kohtla-Järve. The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Congress of Ukrainians of Estonia.

The exhibition will stay open until 22 November. The exhibition can be visited on working days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors need to present an identity document to gain entry to Toompea Castle.

Photo gallery of the opening of the exhibition (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu).

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
+372 631 6456, +372 5666 9508
maiki.vaikla@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Exhibition of Ukrainian national costume was opened in the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia