Summary

Pair of women's traditional black leather Ukrainian folk costume boots, brought to Australia by Parania Abrat when she migrated to Australia in 1949, following her husband, Anton, who arrived as a refugee in late 1948. Ukrainian costume boots tend to be red or black, depending on the regional dances being performed.

Anton and Parania occasionally wore traditional costume at Ukrainian events during their early years in Australia. Their son Wasyl recalls in particular the Ukrainian Christmas choirs at the Good Neighbour Christmas celebrations in Warragul during the mid 1950s. Later, Anton and Parania became Jehovah's Witnesses and withdrew from such celebrations.

Physical Description

Pair of black leather women's boots, plain with stitching down the back calf and around the ankle areas. Raised heel. Worn under sole has steel capping at toe, and numerous small tacks around entire edging. At top of each boot is a series of six metal eyelets through which is threaded a black lace with a leather tassel at the end.

Significance

These boots provide a material symbol of importance of maintaining cultural traditions and of preserving cultural connections with homeland, particularly homeland quite brutally lost through war and displacement.

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