The beautiful clothes of Seto women have always been an object of admiration. Clothes, jewellery, and headcovers have not just been practical items or decorations, they have also provided community members with information about the wearer. Clothes have shown whether a woman is in the age of marriage, is a young wife, an old woman, or an old maid. The different headcovers of Seto women have had a ritualistic purpose to draw lines between different classes and age groups. The most prominent and daily-worn Seto headcover has been the linik of a married woman. Through complex rituals a girl became a woman, which still in the beginning of the 20th century also meant the duty to cover one’s head every day. In Seto culture reasons for covering the head have been searched for in religion. It was believed that the Mother of God had worn the same headcovers and clothes as Seto women.

“Folk costume” is a conception that was introduced to Setos only in the 1920s. Thanks to the craftsmanship and rich fantasy of Seto women the variability of linik and shirt patterns has been preserved to this day, so that each Seto has unique clothes, not “folk costumes” looking like identical uniforms. Seto dressing traditions have changed already during the short period we have data about. Similarly, there have been slow changes to headcovers. At one point expansions with binding ribbons were sewn to the old type linik and nowadays some Seto choirs wear linik-like caps instead.

Of course, Seto culture hasn’t been alone in demanding women to cover their heads. It has been a custom of many Christians, but also Jews and Muslims. It would be easy to point at a foreign religion and say that women covering their heads is a custom that should not be continued. In Seto culture covering heads is nowadays thought of as an old and pretty custom. So why do the headcovers of Muslim women seem so frightening and dangerous? Why do we want to “save” Muslim women, but not Orthodox women with headscarves or Seto women wearing a pretty linik?

What do young artists of Muslim background think about women with covered heads?

In this exhibition Sarah Maple (b. 1985) and Meriem Bennani (b. 1988) try to give an answer.

Exhibition curators: Andreas Kalkun (Estonian Folklore Archives) and Rebeka Põldsam (Center of Contemporary Arts Estonia)

Exhibition designer: Agnes Ratas

Editor: Inge Annom

Project Manager: Liis Kogerman

Appreciations:

Seto Farm Museum

Estonian Folklore Archives

Center of Contemporary Arts Estonia

Estonian National Museum

Cultural Endowment of Estonia