My great grandmother came to California in the 1970’s and passed away before my grandparents moved to Texas. In 1964, my grandmother made the journey to America and was reunited with her husband, and then my father came in 1968 when he was 23 years old. My grandfather had to leave Slovakia in 1948 because of the communist coup and he escaped to Canada through Austria. My grandmother raised two sons by herself with the help of her parents. During the years of communism my grandmother wore her kroj as well and participated in the Ride of Kings festival. She traveled to Prague in 1938 to participate in the last Sokol Slet (a slet is a gathering) before the Nazi invasion and communism. (Gallery of images of Hlucký kroje from their city website.) My grandmother also wore kroj growing up in Hluk and even wore one specifically as part of a wedding. Every two years Hluk has a Ride of the King’s festival which several villages in the area also put on a kroj spectacular such as Vlčnov, Kunovice and Hluk. I was not able to know her because she had passed away before I was born but I am told she was a kind, caring women who put up with my grandmother’s sometimes naughty antics. Marie Šimčíková (born Píšťková) wearing her kroj. The same kroj worn at Westfest and the 1984 State Fair of Texas Czech Day. For over 30 years, over 40 participants wear authentic kroj or Americanized kroj which they have made themselves or purchased to represent their ancestral village of origin.įamily lore states that when I was a toddler my grandmother dressed me and went to show me off when my family was working outside, supposedly I immediately loved it and showed off my new outfit and was not scared of going in front of crowds. My grandmother was one of the first participants in the parade of authentic kroj from Bohemia and Moravia which showcases kroj from the regions of the Czech Republic and Slovakia each year. I first began wearing kroj when I was not quite two years old when my grandmother dressed me in my first one for our Czech festival, WestFest. Wearing a kroj in Texas is a tradition in my family for more than four generations beginning in the Czech Republic, specifically the Slovácko region of Moravia, and brought to Texas. You can learn more about Jana after the post…. Today we’re very pleased to have a guest post written by Jana Riley of Texas.
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