The Ministry of Culture has prepared the request for the inclusion of the “xhubleta” in the list of world cultural items curated by UNESCO.
The news was announced by the Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti, in a meeting at the National Museum with the theme “Women in Cultural Heritage, material and immaterial, from the lullabies to the knowledge of the xhubleta.”
Margariti stressed that the xhubleta is at risk of being forgotten and because of this, work has been completed in record time to submit the file to UNESCO.
The xhubleta is an iconic piece of traditional Albanian dress. A large, bell-shaped skirt, it is traditionally worn by Albanian women in the north of the country as well as Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. It is constructed from between 13-17 strips of wool and five pieces of felt and is hung from the shoulders by two straps. The bell shape of the dress is typically accentuated at the back.
The garment is considered unique due to its striking shape, structure, and the way it is embellished with crochet. Married women typically wear a black one while unmarried wear white.
Anthropologist, author, and journalist Edith Durham made several references to the xhubleta in her books on visiting the north of Albania.
“Girls and women are differently dressed. The girls’ dress is of thick, stiff, white wool with horizontal black stripes. The skirt and bodice are joined, and the bodice is open at the sides. The outer garments of both men and women are commonly open under the armpits for ventilation,” she wrote.
