Motanka dolls have been a part of Polish culture for centuries. According to tradition, they are only made by women who created them to support and protect the family, and these ancient dolls were considered to be protective talismans. Woven from threads and scraps of cloth and filled with straw, plants or grain, they were meant to protect against evil spirits, help pregnant women and mothers, protect travellers and safeguard the home. Motanki are still very popular in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. If you would like to learn about these dolls and make your own, we invite you to a workshop at the Hafnarfjörður Library, led by Kasia Chojnowska.

The motanka doll has been present in culture for centuries. The tradition of making motanka dolls was reserved exclusively for women, who created them to support and protect their families and to uphold their important values. Ancient Slavic motanka dolls were a form of talisman. Made from thread and scraps of material, and stuffed with straw, plants or grain, they were meant to protect household members from evil spirits, help pregnant women and mothers caring for children, safeguard travellers, and support housewives in running the household. Motanki are still very popular in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. If you would like to learn about their former functions, what they meant to people in those times, and to create your own Motanka doll, we invite you to a workshop at the Library in Hafnarfjörður.

The motanka doll has been present in Polish culture for centuries. The tradition of making dolls was reserved exclusively for women, who created them to support and protect the family and cherish the important values the dolls represented. Ancient Slavic motanka dolls were a form of talisman. Woven from threads and scraps of fabric, and filled with straw, plants or grain, they were supposed to protect the household against evil spirits, help pregnant women and mothers in caring for children, protect travellers, and support housewives in running the house. Motanki are still very popular in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. If you want to find out what function they served in the past, what they meant to the people of that time and create your own motanka doll, we invite you to a workshop at the Library in Hafnarfjörður with Kasia Chojnowska.