Ahughes Thesis Submission to Grad School
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THESIS PERSISTENCE OF ETHNIC DRESS TRADITIONS IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: AN INTERPRETIVE STUDY OF GERMANY’S BLACK FOREST TRACHTEN Submitted by Amy Sue Hughes Department of Design and Merchandising In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the Degree of Master of Science Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Fall 2014 Master’s Committee: Advisor: Jennifer P. Ogle Co Advisor: Susan J. Torntore Diane C. Sparks Irmgard E. Hunt Copyright by Amy Hughes 2014 All rights reserved ABSTRACT PERSISTENCE OF ETHNIC DRESS TRADITIONS IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: AN INTERPRETIVE STUDY OF GERMANY’S BLACK FOREST TRACHTEN The ethnic dress of Germany’s Black Forest, called Tracht, dates back to the 16th century and has historically been worn by rural inhabitants for social and religious occasions. Although most people living within the Black Forest do not presently wear Trachten (plural for Tracht), some persistence in this tradition exists. Thus, the purpose of this interpretive inquiry was to explore the factors that have supported the persistence of Trachten tradition, specifically related to the wearing and crafting of Trachten by women, in a contemporary society. The work was informed by theory proposing that ethnic dress is not static, but rather, changes across space and time in ways that enable its persistence. A qualitative, ethnographic approach was adopted. During her immersion in the field, the researcher conducted extensive observations to “develop an insider’s view” (Genzuk, 2003, p. 2) of the Trachten tradition. Formal interviews were conducted with 10 individuals: eight adult female Trachten wearers, six of whom also were Trachten handcrafters, and two local Trachten experts. Numerous informal interviews with Trachten wearers and experts rounded out the data set. Data were analyzed using constant comparison processes. Analyses revealed that the maintenance of the Trachten tradition was linked to varied factors that revolved around the overarching themes of both persistence and change for wearers and handcrafters. More specifically, findings revealed that the persistence of the Trachten tradition could be linked to three factors: (a) formalized practice, (b) meaningful identities, and (c) desires to preserve and promote local culture. Additionally, the persistence of the Trachten ii tradition was further supported by change in the tradition, which was characterized by two factors: (a) Trachten as a “lived practice” and (b) the negotiation of Trachten authenticity. Thus, although, in some ways, Tracthen wearing and crafting were bound by traditions of the past, they also constituted a lived practice that reflected the incorporation of changes related to technological, social, and cultural patterns of contemporary life. Moreover, participants located relevant meanings (e.g., cultural identity, heritage, Heimat, authenticity) in their Trachten and related practices, thereby illuminating the role of such meanings in promoting the persistence of cultural traditions within a context of change. It is through these incorporations of the contemporary with the traditional that Trachten have remained relevant. As such, findings provided support for the proposition that ethnic dress may change in ways that actually enable its persistence. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis would not have been possible without the help of so many people in so many ways. It is the product of my fortuitous encounters over the last eight years. I feel so lucky to have been given the chance to meet such wonderful people at Colorado State University, and it is through their help and encouragement that I have been able to complete the amazing journey of earning my master’s degree. Firstly, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my thesis advisors, Dr. Jennifer Ogle and Dr. Susan Torntore. Without their guidance and help, this thesis would not have been possible. Thank you for believing in my ideas and me as a graduate student. When I first entered this program, I was prepared to follow a path that seemed logical based on my professional experiences. Due to this encouragement, I was able to to research a topic that I was truly passionate about, making this journey all the more worth while. You taught me to think, write, and research at a level I did not believe possible for myself. Next, I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Irmgard Hunt and Dr. Diane Sparks. I have truly appreciated your expertise and passion for your respective areas and it has been a pleasure working with you. I would also like to thank my children, Justin, Madysen, Hannah, Ethan and Annika. You were always my inspiration to finish. A special thank you to my parents for your continued support, encouragement, and helping with the children. I could not have survived this without you! Lastly, I want to thank my husband and best friend, JT Hughes. I can honestly say that this thesis could not have happened, had it not been for you. You supported and encouraged me to finish my degrees. More importantly, and somewhat serendipitously, you opened my eyes to a iv new world, your world, Germany. Who knew that planning a fieldtrip to the Haslach Trachten museum four years ago would have led to such adventures! When this project started, I naively asked if you would help me with the translations, and to this day, I am still baffled that you agreed. You unselfishly spent countless hours translating text and data back and forth (which now I have learned is not an easy task). And had it not been for you approaching people while we were in the field, I’m afraid I would have come home without any interview data at all! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me on this journey. This experience has truly changed my life and I’m glad you were a part of it. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND APPROACH ........................................................................................................................ 3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................................... 4 LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4 DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................. 8 DRESS AND ETHNIC DRESS ................................................................................................................................................. 9 TEXTILE HANDCRAFTS AND THE HANDCRAFTER ..................................................................................................... 13 IDENTITY AND FORMS OF IDENTITY .............................................................................................................................. 15 BACKGROUND ON THE BLACK FOREST OF GERMANY ............................................................................................ 19 Geography and Population ............................................................................................................................................. 20 History ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Economy ................................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Culture ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 BLACK FOREST TRACHTEN .............................................................................................................................................. 27 Trachten, Overview and Purpose ................................................................................................................................. 27 History of Black Forest Trachten ................................................................................................................................. 30 Tracht Variations of the Black Forest ........................................................................................................................ 45 The Handcrafting of Trachten ....................................................................................................................................... 69 GUIDING THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ......................................................................................................................... 77 Dress and Ethnicity ............................................................................................................................................................ 78 Culture and the Authority of Tradition ....................................................................................................................... 79 vi SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................................................................