VOLYA's Mission Statement
The Folk Group VOLYA is an independent arts organization which collects, preserves, researches, and popularizes the rich folk cultures of Belarus and Ukraine. VOLYA was created in response to centuries of forced russification and the erasure of native cultures in the region by historic and contemporary Russian imperialism. In East Slavic languages, ‘volya’ means ‘freedom,’ and this is exactly what we are striving for.
At VOLYA, we see a world where communities share their values through artisanal textile production, interpreting and reinterpreting it as a marker of belonging. We envision our group as an inclusive intersectional social environment inspired by heritage textiles that sees native culture as a tool for anti-colonial resistance to wield. We honor the unknown craftswomen of the past who historically performed acts of care, clothing and protecting their loved ones and bringing aesthetics and design to their daily lives. By reconstructing costume collections based on archival photographs, we aim to amplify their voices, thus building community resilience.
Our collection is one of the largest private collections of authentic Belarusian folk costumes outside of Belarus and numbers 35 full costumes sets and 234 items, representing all regions of the country and spanning from the late 19th century to the 1940s. VOLYA's expanded Ukrainian collection, which numbers 21 costumes and 156 items, was created in the wake of Russia’s de facto occupation of Belarus and military aggression in Ukraine and represents following regions: Bukovyna, Nadvirne, Verhovyna, Pokuttia (Ivano-Frankivsk), Zhytomyr, Rivne, Volyn', Kyiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv.
Founded in 2009, the Folk Group VOLYA is run by Volya Dzemka, a Belarusian-American ethnographer, preservationist, and award-winning filmmaker based in Seattle, WA.
At VOLYA, we see a world where communities share their values through artisanal textile production, interpreting and reinterpreting it as a marker of belonging. We envision our group as an inclusive intersectional social environment inspired by heritage textiles that sees native culture as a tool for anti-colonial resistance to wield. We honor the unknown craftswomen of the past who historically performed acts of care, clothing and protecting their loved ones and bringing aesthetics and design to their daily lives. By reconstructing costume collections based on archival photographs, we aim to amplify their voices, thus building community resilience.
Our collection is one of the largest private collections of authentic Belarusian folk costumes outside of Belarus and numbers 35 full costumes sets and 234 items, representing all regions of the country and spanning from the late 19th century to the 1940s. VOLYA's expanded Ukrainian collection, which numbers 21 costumes and 156 items, was created in the wake of Russia’s de facto occupation of Belarus and military aggression in Ukraine and represents following regions: Bukovyna, Nadvirne, Verhovyna, Pokuttia (Ivano-Frankivsk), Zhytomyr, Rivne, Volyn', Kyiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv.
Founded in 2009, the Folk Group VOLYA is run by Volya Dzemka, a Belarusian-American ethnographer, preservationist, and award-winning filmmaker based in Seattle, WA.
COLLECTION: Authentic Ukrainian Costumes
Costumes Sets by Region
Ukrainian part of the Folk Group VOLYA Ethnic Costumes Collection from following regions of Ukraine: Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Bukovyna, Pokuttia, and Rivne were presented at the Museum of Flight in Seattle and Historical City Hall in Los Angeles during Metropolitan Fashion Week 2022 benefiting youaretheangel.org – a nonprofit, which provides food, water, and meds to the front zones and Ukrainian refuges.
Photography by Nadezhda Zavitaeva and Serge Goncharou
Photography by Nadezhda Zavitaeva and Serge Goncharou
Metropolitan Fashion Week: September 24 & October 1, 2022
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Our Ukrainian part of VOLYA's Ethnic Costumes Collection presented at Metropolitan Fashion Week www.runwayfx.com/events on September 24th in Seattle and October 1st in LA benefiting youaretheangel.org a nonprofit, which provides food, water, and meds to the front zones and Ukrainian refuges.
COLLECTION: Authentic Belarusian Costumes
Costumes Sets by Region
The 234 pieces of clothing and accessories have been categorized by region. Following historically ethnographic regions in Belarus are represented in the collection: Western Palesse (Кamianets, Pruzhany, Damachava, Brest, Kobryn, Zhabinka, Malaryta, Biaroza, Drahichyn, Bezdezh, Ivanava), Eastern Palesse ( Davyd-Haradok, Turku, Stolin, Lelchytsy, Alshany, Brahin), Paniamonne (Zelva, Navahrudak, Vileyka, Valozhyn), Padniaprou’e (Chachersk, Negliubka), and Central Belarus (Slutsk).
Western Palesse: Drahichyn
Authentic Belarusian Costume: Drahichyn District, Brest region. Western Palesse.
Late 19th - early 20th century.
▪ Headdress of paper flowers and antique silk ribbons; reconstructed by Volya Dzemka. ▪ Hand-embroidered set of shirt (kashulya) and apron; 1890s; made by Alena Talochka in the village of Antopal, Drahichyn district, Brest region. ▪ Handmade skirt of homespun wool (andarak); early 20th century; Brest region. ▪ Belt of homespun wool (krayka); 1930s; made by Kutsevich family in the village of Beleva, Kamianets district, Brest region.
Model: Raisa Asriyants Song: Wedding Tune, Album: Forest Tweets, Folk Group VOLYA
Late 19th - early 20th century.
▪ Headdress of paper flowers and antique silk ribbons; reconstructed by Volya Dzemka. ▪ Hand-embroidered set of shirt (kashulya) and apron; 1890s; made by Alena Talochka in the village of Antopal, Drahichyn district, Brest region. ▪ Handmade skirt of homespun wool (andarak); early 20th century; Brest region. ▪ Belt of homespun wool (krayka); 1930s; made by Kutsevich family in the village of Beleva, Kamianets district, Brest region.
Model: Raisa Asriyants Song: Wedding Tune, Album: Forest Tweets, Folk Group VOLYA
Album: Folk Costumes of Belarus, 2022
Album of traditional holiday/special occasions Belarusian costumes curated and restored by Seattle Folk Group VOLYA and Volya Dzemka. This collection of 35 complete sets (32 women’s, 3 men’s, 234 items total) from the late 19th century to mid-20th century, which has never been exhibited, has now been published in an eye-catching full-color album of 140 pages.
PRESS
Belsat
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Budzma
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Gordon.ua
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Voice of America
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Voice of America
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© 2023 Volya Dzemka and VOLYA Group
