Tomorrow Estonians around the world will gather to celebrate Jaanipäev. It is the second most important day on the Estonian folk calendar after Christmas. On this day people will get together and sing, dance and light bonfires like our ancestors have done for centuries. A new initiative that was created last year and backed by Pärimusdisain and the Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union, encourages people to wear their traditional woven belts during the Jaanipäev celebrations. The originator of the Estonian Belt Day initiative highlighted that traditional woven belts can be worn together with folk dress or paired with modern day clothing from jeans to blazers.
Folk culture promoter Kristel Vihman stated that the initiative was born of the desire to get people to wear authentic Estonian folk accessories more often. Every region in Estonia has its own distinct belt patterns and they each tell a story with its own symbols, language and code as well. Belts are a respected item worn with pride.
