Norsk Folkemuseum and Bunad- og folkedraktrådet (National Council for Folk Costumes) have produced an exhibition on Norwegian folk dress and bunads, to be displayed at Lok Virsa - Heritage Museum, in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The exhibition shows the development from folk dress to bunad. Folk dress was the particular clothes used by the rural farmer population in pre-industrial Norway. A bunad is a formal dress that to a varying extent revitalised local costume traditions.
Some of the Norwegian bunads represent continuation from folk dress traditions, and are reconstructed based on preserved old clothes. Other bunads are constructed based on insufficient or lacking evidence of local folk dress traditions. The exhibition presents examples of both varieties.
The exhibition is part of an ongoing Joint Institutional Cooperation Program between Lok Virsa and Norsk Folkemuseum, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The aim is institutional strengthening and competence building, as well as cultural exchange. As part of this project, Norsk Folkemuseum hosted the exhibition «Pakistani Weddings» in 2008.
Norsk Folkemuseum has a long tradition of documentation and research of Norwegian folk dress. The exhibition Folk Dress is part of the permanent exhibitions at the museum.
The exhibition opens at Lok Virsa on June 20th. Project leader at Norsk Folkemuseum has been Curator Thomas Walle.