Project Purpose
This project aims to build knowledge among young people to bring back to life the folk costumes of the Korça, Devoll, Zadrima, and Mirdita regions, felt tunics from different historical periods, the identification and documentation of Tropoja’s costume elements, artisan products from Kukës, and the revival of the çiftelia me zog, a musical instrument from Puka at risk of being forgotten.
Project Objectives
- Revive young people’s passion, in both urban and rural areas, for reproducing the traditional dress of Korça and Devoll, protecting and preserving local traditions and the tools needed for activities organised by schools or municipalities.
- Document the elements and accessories of Tropoja’s folk costumes, based on original garments held by families — training young people and women to accurately describe and reproduce them, preserving these heritage values and passing them on to future generations.
- Document the craftsmanship of the çiftelia me zog. This instrument, tied to the history of Albanian cultural heritage and folk life, is at risk of disappearing; the project will help preserve the knowledge of making it, including through a documentary.
- Train young women in Vau i Dejës to weave traditional fabric and sew the folk dress of Zadrima and Mirdita, and promote these crafts.
- Identify, collect, and reproduce disappearing crafts such as the “cergja” rug, closely tied to the cultural heritage of the Kukës region, and promote them to build local interest and community benefit.
- Reproduce felt tunics from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, documenting and promoting the techniques used while preserving authenticity — incorporating traditional elements into modern dress, promoted through a documentary video and a virtual exhibition for cultural tourism.
- Document the traditional quilts (“jorgan”) made by women and mothers in a photographic catalogue.
The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture.