FOLK CRAFTS IN 

LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA

By: Marcela Smolárová

WEAVING FLEX CARPETS
ZITA ĎURICOVÁ, Liptovská Teplička 133, Born: February 12, 1942

Her mother’s father made the loom on which she still waves. They are over 100 years old. She learned to wave from her mother. Usually she can wave about 12 inches an hour, or less depending how difficult is the pattern. She does it for love of weaving, not for the money. 

You can say from health reasons. Usually she gives away all her work to family members, or some of it she sells to friends just to pay for the materials. You can say that she shortens her long resting periods by weaving.

SHOEMAKER
ŠTEFAN SÝKORA, Liptovská Teplička 155, Born: May 18, 1932

Štefan learned his trade from master Štefan Kováča from Liptovská Teplička. After his apprenticeship he worked for some time as shoemaker. Since the shoes were really inexpensive during the previous regime, not too many people bothered to get their shoes fixed, they jus bought another pair. He decided to work for forest service and he forgot about his shoemaking trade. Now the situation is different. He is a pensioner now. 

The prices of shoes in Slovakia are about the same as in the rest of the world. People are starting to bring they worn out shoes for repair to the shoemakers so Štefan has opened a shoe repair shop in his house. He also started to manufacture slippers, and special boots called “kapce,” made of thick sheep’s wool cloth. In the past there were seven shoemakers in Liptovská Teplička, now he is the only one in the whole village.

EMBROIDERY AND CRAFTS
VALÉRIA MICHALČEKOVÁ, Liptovská Teplička 296, Born: April 26, 1947  

Everything she makes, she learned herself as a young girl. She makes wedding bonnets, parta’s for bride maids, wreath, crown, šlajer (scarf-towel) for brides. The bride used to go and still does dressed up like this to the altar and stays dressed like this until changing of the bonnet after midnight, when she changes her clothing and they put a married woman’s bonnet on her head. Valéria also waves; she makes folk shirts and also embroiders. She also waves tablecloths and scarves on the loom.

Shirt on the picture is hand made and embroiled. The scarf is also hand made. Girls used and still hand made and embroider these scarves for their boyfriends when they went to army service. The boyfriend also got a decorative feather for his hat.  

Ceremonial Kerchiefs (ZAMETKY) Velvet tasseled kerchiefs used to be and still are worn in Liptovská Teplička during Sunday and solemnly Holy Devine Services to the church. The color of the ceremonial kerchief coincides with the color of the priest’s vestment depending on the feast. They are also hand embroiled. On the loom she waves different patterns that are later on made into shirts or table cloths. The length of her woven patterns is many times over 70 yards long and they cut up to different sizes depending on needs.

COLLECTION OF BELLS
JOZEF PITOŇÁK, Liptovská Teplička 93, Born: April 10, 1946.  

Jozef worked for five years as shepherd’s helper and then as shepherd another twenty. From his vast collection of sheep’s bells part is displayed in his kitchen. He collected bells during his work as shepherd. He also has a collection of fujaras, valaškas, belts and whips.  

His two sons work as carters, they bring the wood down from surrounding forests and different household and farming work as ploughing fields, delivering manure, bringing in hay and grain.

GO TO PAGE TWO

GO TO LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA SPRING 2003

GO TO PENSION DOLINKA

GO TO LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA 1997

GO TO LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA 1999

Take a VIRTUAL TOUR of
Vladimir Linder's Photo Exhibit
SOUL SEARCHING IN LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA  
SLOVAK HERITAGE LIVE II

SEE LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA WINTER 2001

SEE LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA FALL 2002