Slovak Children’s Books (and some dancing girls)

Today’s cultural feature of Slovakia is little, nothing earth shattering. Their children’s board books are often hinged together accordion style. The book looks normal when it is closed, but when you get to the back you keep turning the ‘page’ until the back of the front page. They make for good farm fences.

Also, as my girls were in a folk dancing concert, I can finish the description of the kroj (traditional Slovak dress) that I started with the older babicka here.

Every area is different, of course, and these girls are wearing more of a hodge podge collection but there are similar elements to most Western areas. The skirt consists of three layers: a short cotton skirt, a back colourful ‘apron’, and a black front apron. The colourful portion that you see in the back is not a full skirt but, like the black cover, an ‘apron’ tied on backwards. The skirts are very twirly, much to my younger daughter’s satisfaction.

A colourful vest tops a cotton blouse (which is only tied together at the very top). The sleeves are puffed up, held by a lace that is threaded through the sleeve and then tied up on the arm. The sleeves often have embroidery on them, and end in lace or drawn thread embroidery. Around the throat is another layer of lace.

I was exceedingly pleased with the music, all young people. Three violins, a bass, and an accordion accompanied the children, as well as two older girls to help them with singing.