Dribin Shapavals

Shapavalstva  is  a  traditional method for producing sheep wool felt goods, such as boots, hats, mittens, jackets and overcoats. The bearers of this tradition are some thirty felt-makers in the Dribin District, Mogilev Region of Belarus. Footwear made in this way from natural sheep wool is waterproof, does not lose its shape, warms the joints and helps to fight off rheumatism.

The wool is also rich in lanoline, which heals wounds and fractures. It is obtained without harming the animals, and does not undergo chemical treatment. The craft is communicated in a unique trade jargon called Katrushnitski Lemezen’, found exclusively within this felt-making community. Its lexis contains about a thousand words and includes not only definitions of instruments and professional actions but everyday vocabulary, symbols of natural phenomena, expressions of feelings, and definitions of space and time. The skills and secrets of  shapavalstva are passed on within families from generation to generation. Local craftspeople involve their families and grandchildren in making felt goods, which they sell at marketplaces. The tradition of shapavalstva is also supported by the local museum, which has compiled a historical database of the craft and hosts the Shapaval Association, a children's studio and a felt-making workshop.