Browsing by Author "Rossow, Rauna"

The aim of this study is to examine two mordvinian headdresses and a piece of embroidery located in the Museum of Cultures. The goal is to analyze how these products were made and examine them as a conveyor of meaning in their original and in their museological context. Pango-headdresses were made for the use of brides and young wives, and the use of these has been highly restricted. These artefacts are part of the Finno-Ugrian collections, and they were brought to Finland by A. O. Heikel in 1884. Heikel was interested in the Finno-Ugric ethnography; folk costumes and decorative motifs. Later in Finland Ildikó Lehtinen has done research among the mordvinians and other Finno-Ugric tribes. These earlier studies show the importance of headdress and embroidery as a sign of the social status. Luutonens (1998) product essence analysis provides a useful tool to examine the pango-headdress. The method is divided in three stages. In the first stage; the first impression stage, the product is examined intuitively. All prior knowledge and preconceptions should be put aside. The second stage is the factual stage. This stage involves a factual study of the products physical properties and its conveyed meanings. Finally, the description stage draws together the knowledge of the two earlier stages. The embroideries of the pango-headdress require advanced skills of handcrafting. The size and shape of the embroidery are not in balance with headdresses shape, so the excess of the embroided fabric is folded to the reverse side, or small pieces of fabric were added for it. The pango-headdress has been meaningful for its carrier in many ways. It has been an indicator of the marital status, family, locality and the handcrafting skills of the young bride. Some of the decorative embroideries also protected from supernatural powers. The pango-headdress was a part of the rite of passage. When a mordvinian girl married, headdress signaled that she gave away her life as a girl. The pango-headdress marked her new status as a married wife.