For children aged 7-9

Period of implementation: March-April 2007

Duration: 2 hours

Location: Folklife and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia-Thrace

Purpose: acquainting the children with aspects and values of our traditional culture and making them more aware of their cultural heritage

Objectives: The presentation of the traditional costume phenomenon, through the acquaintance of children with a basic garment, the apron (couture, morphology, function: adornment,   protection of the sensitive reproductive organs e.t.c.) 

The programme is linked to the exhibition 'Macedonia-Thrace: Traditional Costumes, 1860-1960'.

A few words about the programme: A costume or dress refers to a set of garments, jewellery and accessories, covering the human body. Traditional costumes clothed and ornamented the body, protected it from visible and invisible hazards and constituted a sort of code, identifying the sex, age, occupation, ethnicity, native region, social position, family status and emotional situation. At the number of parameters mentioned above for the comprehension of the traditional costume phenomenon, we add the raw materials, the couture and adornment techniques, the depended relations between villages and cities, cities and abroad (Central and Western Europe).

After a brief conducted tour at the exhibition 'Macedonia-Thrace: Traditional Costumes, 1860-1960', the children are dressed with three characteristic traditional costumes of Macedonia and Thrace (perfect costumes copies). Afterwards, through the magic world of fairy tales, the children get to know the 'transformation' of wool, from raw material to thread, to woven (basic stages of weaving) and finally to garment (apron). Via competition of riddles related to cloth, tools and raw materials of weaving, through painting of an apron (choice among 25 models), via singing and dancing traditional songs with percussion instruments referring to garments and more specifically to female apron, the children become acquainted with this article of clothing and its function. Consequently, through the apron, they stay in touch with traditional costumes as well.

The publication of the educational material supporting the programme is being scheduled. 

Implementation: Nelli Melidou-Kefala, Viki Xatziparadisi, Sapfo Mortaki

Planning: Nelli Melidou-Kefala