Dribinshchyna– region rich in handicrafts, which is famous for many crafts. Among the visiting cards of the region– swindle and bastardization. They managed to be revived and preserved thanks to the indifference of local craftsmen.. For years, people have been collecting memories from old-timers and adopting skills, to pass this invaluable experience to the next generations. Today Dribin felt boots and bast shoes are included in the list of intangible historical and cultural values of the country and are known far beyond the Mogilev region.. BelTA correspondents visited the agro-town of Korovchino and got acquainted with old shoe trends.
On the threshold of the regional House of Crafts, we were met by the junior researcher of the institution Valentina Moiseeva, which stood at the origins of the revival of many types of creativity in this area– sandals, a straw, vine, vytinanka, weaving… I learned everything during my work– and a towel will decorate with embroidery, and the rug will bind, and a patterned belt weaves. “It was necessary not only to adopt the unique experience of local old-timers, but also pass it on. So, employees of the district House of Crafts took over the function of preserving the national heritage, – she explains. – Studied with local grandmothers Nadezhda Kirillova, Efrosinya Sbrodova, Nina Kononkova. They took the vine and went to visit them”.
Nadezhda Prokofievna was already bedridden at that time.. For the first time, when they came to her for a master class in bast weaving, worried: “Oops, kids, I don't remember anything anymore– that was a long time ago…”. And then she took the bast in her hands, held– and muscle memory worked: rough and unyielding material began to turn into a small bast shoe. Local masters went to her for more than two weeks, trying not to tire the elderly person too much. The method of weaving bast shoes photographed, recorded on video, to be able to review at any time. Now they have captured every movement of the villager, keeping in mind the old tradition. With time, not effortlessly, the entire district House of Crafts learned to weave bast shoes. And now the teachers pass their knowledge to the kids– pupils of the children's exemplary circle“Lapotochek”.
junior schoolchildren, of course, bast does not knit on its own– there is no such power in children's hands. The basics of the old craft are shown to them on straw or kraft paper. Marvelous, but the interest in this type of folk art among the younger generation is not declining– only children come, bring their peers, then generations change. The masters say, that when Korovchin boys and girls in national shirts sit at big events and give a master class on weaving bast shoes, it always draws attention. Will have a look, how a bast turns into an old shoe, suitable for adults too, and children.
Dribin sandals are very recognizable and even have their own name– “sighted”, since between the dense base of the sole and the chickens(special bast loops, through which the obora is passed), there are empty slots– “eyes”. Turns out, there is more than one way to create bast shoes: in addition to straight weaving, like in Korovchino, there is another oblique, which could be found in the Smolensk region. Russian models trudged with closed toe and heel, and local– with open, so they knitted much faster. In order for the bast shoes to be thicker and worn longer, it was possible to make the so-called lining on the sole. And another interesting point: leave long chickens– there will be high sandals, small– low. Bast shoes were not decorated with something special, the only thing, could weave more neatly and skillfully. Such even little shoes were called festive and were worn only on special occasions..
You can weave one pair of bast shoes in one day, but demolish– for 2-3 дня, especially if it's a long journey– eg, to the city for the fair. Therefore, our ancestors treated even such simple shoes with care and most often walked barefoot.– spared not their feet, namely bast shoes. Went to visit or to auctions– bast shoes were carried on the shoulder and put on already upon arrival. separate story– country dances, on which you could go in bast shoes, and come home only in one dress. Still, this shoe could not withstand such a large load.. Walked in bast shoes and in winter, and to be warmer, laid straw under the foot or laid sheepskin.
“At one time, we also wore bast shoes of our own weaving– worn under national costumes at festivals and public events. I'll tell you right away, that these are not the most comfortable shoes: onuchi stray, frills slip, and if you tighten them tighter, and completely squeeze the leg, – recognized by Valentina Moiseeva. – By the way, adults used to weave bast shoes– mostly men. It's time for this lesson– winter, when there is no intensive agricultural work. They will get a bundle of bast from under the roof, where they dried in the summer, put in large cast iron– and steam in the oven, because the softer the vine, the easier it is to work with. women weaving, sewed and embroidered, and the men weaved bast shoes, although in the post-war years the villagers had to take up this craft. People wore sandals back in the 1950s, it was later that the boots appeared”.
Our ancestors traditionally harvested lyko in June, when does sap flow start. Mature trees are not suitable for this– need young shoots. Wand fitness, from which the bark will then be removed, determined by eye. Ideally, it should have been the size of“capok” – cane, on which old people lean when walking. The thin bark was cut with a knife along the base, filmed, rolled up and dried. When it was necessary to weave bast shoes, the prepared material was steamed in boiling water, then removed the bark and lined– cut into ribbons. If you need more bast shoes– strips cut wider, on a child's foot– use. It turns out, that the size of the bast shoes depends precisely on the width of the source material.
“The locals remembered, that they went to a rural school in such shoes, instead of interchangeable shoes, they also brought bast shoes: thrown behind– and go on the road, – says Valentina Moiseeva. – Until they come to study in the autumn slush, sandals are already wet, they are taken off and hung up to dry on a coarse, but the clean put on. That's how they lived. Remembering your past, local grandmothers said: God forbid the bast shoes return! Guys, who study at the House of Crafts, trying on bast shoes, are also surprised and perplexed: it's quite inconvenient, how they used to go?”
According to junior researcher, the theme of bast shoes is widely reflected in folklore. What is a sincere and cheerful ditty worth?: “Mother, my sandals, bast sandals, don't be afraid, you walk, paw new gossip!”. Or well-known phraseological units“Lyka does not bind”, “put on bast shoes”, “to slurp cabbage soup”. Some beliefs are connected with this rural footwear.: eg, old worn bast shoes hung over a crib. It was considered, that such a charm will protect the child from the evil eye. Hang your bast on the wattle fence– wait in the house of luck. And people sincerely believed in it. Bast shoes also participated in carol fortune-telling. Throw a bast shoe over the fence– where the mouse will point, from the other side and matchmakers to wait.
“We keep the craftsmanship of weaving in order to, for people to remember their roots, culture and traditions, – the craftswoman emphasized. – This is our story, you need to know, to understand the value and comfort of modern life, where everything is done for man. When children see the same bast shoes and recognize, how difficult it is to make and wear, start to appreciate it more, what they have today. After all, before the whole life of an ordinary person was hard work.. My father, who, as a child, still walked in bast shoes, as an adult, always said: you are happy people, because you live in such a good time, when you have everything”.
Sixth grader Bogdan Dyubkin has been making bast shoes for more than one year. He repeatedly tried on old shoes. The schoolboy knows, that you just can’t wear bast shoes: you must first wrap the onuchi around the leg, and then tie bast shoes. “You can still walk in sandals, but you can't play football, – he shares. – Break apart don't break, but they can't run away– too uncomfortable for active play. Bast shoes from bast have not yet been made, practice on paper– it's much easier and faster. When you weave bast shoes, you have to be very careful: do everything right and neat. First of all, this hobby interests me– want to know, How did our ancestors live?. I didn't even think about it before, that in the old days everything was so complicated”.
Head of the children's exemplary circle“Lapotochek” Zhanna Zhorova teaches children the ancient art as in the House of Crafts, as well as in additional classes at a local school. She took up the art of weaving9 years ago. He tries to pass on all his knowledge to children., although they become less assiduous and inquisitive over time. However, the master knows, how to captivate students, and gives them much more knowledge: talks about folk rites and beliefs, traditions and way of life of our ancestors.
“When the kids come to our circle, I immediately ask about the availability of the simplest skills: know how to knit knots? Tie your own laces? No! And we start showing them the elementary, – explains the craftswoman. – And how is it different? If you don't learn how to tie knots, then nothing will work with bast shoes. And another moment: the child must be captivated and not allowed to, for him to give up his chosen occupation, when something fails. Bast shoes we weave from cattail, straws, vine bark, kraft paper, newspaper– all improvised materials”.
“Today we, workers of the House of Crafts, we are the bearers of this skill, and it must be passed on, – concluded Zhanna Zhorova. – After all, weaving bast shoes– Belarusian history, our cultural heritage. Certainly, this shoe was not weaved from a good life, but from human poverty. Bast shoes can now be seen not only in museums, stylized theatrical productions or historical films, but also in the countryside– they are often ordered from us for decorating farmsteads. This craft lives on, albeit in a new modern format”.
Julia EVMENKOVA,
photo by Oleg FOYNITSKY,
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