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Traditions
Music, dance, handcrafts, holiday celebrations, and wedding practices
each have a role in preserving heritage and distinctions between various
groups.
Handcrafts
Spinning, knitting, and weaving were everyday "spare time" tasks
for women of many nationalities. While Germans, Germans from Russia, Scandinavians
and many other cultures each shear sheep, card wool and spin the wool
into yarn, the products that are created are as unique as they are beautiful.
The Germans from Russia weave fine wool scarves known as "tuechles"
and vivid shawls called "Blachtes". Scandinavians from Iceland,
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland hand knit socks, underwear, and sweaters.
In addition to beautiful utilitarian items, folk arts traditions also
filled homes with colorful handmade art, which often also served a utilitarian
purpose. Ethnic groups are known for their specialties including:
Norwegian
Rosemaling - freehand painting on wood
Wheat weaving - decorations symbolic of thanks for a successful harvest
Hardanger lace - counted thread embroidery
Polish
Wycinanki - papercutting featuring symmetrical images of birds, animals,
and people in everyday scenes.
Ukrainian
Pysanky - Ukrainian wax-resist dyed Easter eggs using symbolic images
including wheat, fish, triangles and other symbols.
Sioux
Beadwork - with geometric designs representing the circle of life, the
four winds, the seasons and the teepee.
Chippewa
Basketry - woven primarily of willow on a frame of ash and beadwork featuring
floral designs
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