Bunad

A bunad is a traditional Norwegian costume, typically of rural origin. Bunads are local to Norway's traditional districts, and the result both of traditional evolution and organized efforts to discover and modernize traditional designs.

There are bunads both for men and women, though women's bunads are more diverse and popular. The women's dresses are elaborately embroidered in beautiful colors in wool thread on dark wool garments. The patterns have great significance and it takes a good hand and eye to make. There are also shawls, scarves, and different head gear as well as silver or gold jewelry, often hand-made.

The Hallingdal bunad, black wool with reds/yellows/golds/purples/greens, requires about 300 hours of embroidery for each one, and it weighs about 13 lbs. when finished.

In Norway it is common to wear bunad as a costume at various celebrations, such as the May 17 National Day celebration. Its use has reached far outside folk dancing and folk music. Even at official formal arrangements you will see people in bunads, especially women. It is difficult to say how many different types of bunads in Norway, there may be around 200.

The various bunads have their own distinct origin. Some of them are based on old local customs, other models are reconstructions made in the 20th century, relying on local and historical material. The interest for bunads started with the folk dance movement at the beginning of the 20th century

In folk costume research one differentiates between bunad and folk costume. "Folk costume" being the local dress in previous times with all its variations and use. Bunads are used for festive occations and today they date back to the folk costume tradition of the 19th century.

In some parts of the country folk costume tradition was alive well into the 19th century. Bunads with such long traditions are to be found in the Bergen area on the west coast, in Setesdal in the south, in some districts of Telemark, Numedal, Hallingdal, Gudbrandsdalen and at Røros in eastern Norway.

There is a continuing debate as to the "correctness" of the bunads, between those that want bunads to be made strictly according to traditional designs (sometimes referred to as the "bunad police") and those who advocate a less restrictive line, allowing for the creation of new bunads or the further evolution of traditional designs.

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