site.btaTaraclia Presents Bulgarian Carpets at Festival in Gagauzia

The Taraclia Region presented Bulgarian home-made carpets at the 10th regional carpet festival in Gaidar village, Gagauzia.

Two carpets from 1962 and 1976 were presented by Taraclia’s cultural centre representatives, headed by the Deputy Head of the Administration of Education, Culture and Tourism of the region, Lyudmila Shebolenko. One of the carpets was woven by Alexandra Nedeva, born in 1926. The carpet was made 61 years ago in the village of Vladicheni, Bolgrad District, for a dowry to a bride. Its main thread consists of 100% cotton and the weaving threads are 100% sheep's wool. The carpet, which is 3.60 metres long and 2.05 metres wide, currently belongs to the Kairaklia’s cultural centre.

Taraclia’s Cultural Heritage Museum of also took part in the event. Its staff demonstrated home-made carpet rugs and an old Bulgarian game called Arshicheta, Museum Director Tatiana Nekit said on her Facebook page.

Fourteen villages took part in the festival. Craftsmen from Gagauzia and all over Moldova presented their works. Among the exhibits were handmade carpets, some of which -  almost two hundred years old. Guests from Moldova, Romania, Ukraine and Turkiye visited fairs, carpet-making classes, tasted Gagauz wine and traditional cuisine.

The festival’s goal is to revive national carpet weaving traditions, promote and develop national culture, attract tourists and educate the younger generation. The festival is aimed at preserving and developing the cultural values of the Gagauz people, introducing festival guests to the culture and traditions of carpet weaving of the peoples living in Gagauzia, as well as supporting craftsmen who are reviving the traditions of hand weaving.