Features of the Ostyak national costume

A large number of indigenous peoples live on Russian territory. They have a special culture, unique customs and costumes. These include the Ostyaks, a Finno-Ugric tribe living in the territory of modern Siberia.

Features of Ostyak national costumes

Ostyak clothing is highly original. Folk costumes were designed to retain heat in the harsh climate of the Far North. Therefore, when sewing most of the products, the skins and fur of wild animals were used.

Reference! For sewing, special needles made from thin animal bones were used.

For the winter period, the Ostyaks sewed items similar to a bag - malitsa: such a fur coat was sewn with sleeves, mittens and a hood, put on over the head, and a wide belt was attached to the waist. Under the hood, the girls wore several scarves that folded into each other. This method helped to retain heat better. For greater insulation, women wore stockings made from animal skins under a long skirt.Shoes were boots suitable for women and men.

Historical fact! During the period of the development of Siberia by the Russian people, boots were replaced by products more familiar to modern people.

In warm weather, women wore dresses, sundresses and robes of bright colors made of cotton fabric. A scarf decorated with a long row of fringe was tied around the head. A mandatory addition at the waist was a wide belt with a bright ornament.

Men wore a shirt and pants tied with a leather belt. A special feature of the man’s attire was his outerwear – luzan. It is a cape with a hood, sleeveless and with unlined sides. Luzan was decorated with additional pockets, laces, compartments and fastenings. Footwear was also universal: high-top boots were made for men and women.

The Ostyaks loved to brightly decorate their products. The girls sewed beads and glass beads onto sundresses and robes. Outerwear was decorated with copper buttons and fur inserts. Many additionally sewed inserts of bright fabric and colored appliqués. The belt was always decorated with a massive copper buckle.

Clothing for children was not much different from an adult wardrobe. The outfits were almost identical. In the summer, young Ostyak women were allowed to walk without a headscarf. Older girls decorated not only their dresses and sundresses, but also their heads: multi-colored threads were woven into their braids, and the fastenings were decorated with additional fringe or beaded figures.

Reference! Luzan is still used in the wardrobe of the Mansi and Khanty peoples.

Materials for making costumes

A distinctive feature of the Ostyak costumes was the textures used. When sewing clothes, the Ostyaks used folk materials. Most of these materials were animal skins obtained by hunters.

Shirts were made from flax or wild nettle fibers. Such products were suitable for women, men and children. When sewing women's sundresses or robes, canvas, silk or chintz fabric of bright colors was used. The headscarf was an obligatory part of a woman's outfit. When sewing it, canvas or chintz material was also used.

In warm weather, men wore pants made from animal skin (for example, deer). During the period of development of Siberian lands, many Ostyaks switched to loose-fitting cotton trousers and a bright caftan.

To sew summer shoes - negai - they used tanned skin of young deer. Many additionally decorated it with leather laces.

For the winter version, the skins and fur of wild animals (deer, bear, wolf) were used. Hunters wore many fur coats and parkas with the fur close to the body: it was believed that this way the heat was better retained.

The skin of killed animals was also used to sew shoes. In most cases, the skin of young deer was used for insulated long stockings and boots. Such shoes were called “chizhi”.

Reference! The indigenous Ostyak population never threw away old clothes. The products were hung on trees deep in the taiga.

Differences between men's and women's Ostyak folk costumes

Basically, the wardrobe of men and women was practically no different. However, there are some differences.

The girls decorated their summer outfits with additional accessories. Various brooches and bugle bead appliqués were sewn onto the hem and top of a sundress or dress. The short sleeves of the shirt were decorated with fringe. Shirts were often made from scraps of brightly colored fabrics, while the men's version was often plain.

Men used buttons and massive buckles as decorations. They could decorate any item of costume: shirt, pants or outerwear.

Men were not inferior to women in decorating shoes. Various ornaments made of beads or scraps of other material were sewn onto boots and stockings.

The main difference was the outerwear:

• Men used luzan more often, as it was more comfortable to hunt in it. Such pockets were equipped with additional pockets on the inside. They were intended for prey and hunting trophies;
• Girls preferred long fur coats that were worn over their heads. These fur coats and parkas had no additional pockets or fastenings.

Ostyaks are an amazing ancient people living in the Far North. They differed from other peoples in their special culture, way of life, values ​​and national costume. Many traditions are still preserved by the descendants of ancient ancestors.