PICTURESQUE DRESS OF DANISH FISHERWOMEN

Southland Times, Issue 23634, 8 October 1938, Page 16

PICTURESQUE DRESS OF DANISH FISHERWOMEN

“What jolly looking women they are!” was the remark of a tourist to Denmark, as she took a snapshot of a Danish fisherwoman, /writes the Copenhagen correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor. The headdress is a last relic of national costume, for it is only among the fish and flower women that it has survived so long. Both the fish and flower women wear the same head-dress, therefore it is difficult to distinguish which are of Dutch descent and which are Danish! The Dutch dress came to Denmark in the reign of Christian II (1489-1541), who, for the sake of the pretty Dutch girl Dyveke, had a very high regard for the Dutch people, and presented the island of Amager to certain families. . The skirt of the Amager woman is usually black, bands of colour being used on the bodice. The white ker-

chief is really only a part of the head covering, and should be used with a black velvet or cloth cap over it. Today, instead of the high roll of hair held in place with a high comb, often ornamented with gold or silver, to give the desired square effect to the kerchief at the back, a pad is pinned to the hair from ear to ear to prevent the kerchief from pressing down on the ears.

How these fisherwomen work! Up at cockcrow or sunrise the whole year round, they meet the boats coming in with the night catch. They often walk for miles, carrying on their backs about one hundred pounds of fish in a special, large, square basket. They sell their wares from house to house, or sit in the fish-market from early morning till the Raadhus clock chimes twelve, when they must pack up and sell privately any . fish left over. Through hard work and thrift these fisherwomen are often quite wealthy, and possess beautiful homes which they are proud to show to the stranger. Their business is usually handed down from generation to generation, and their husbands and sons are often fishermen with motor-cutters or boats which collect the fish and bring them to market.