The Making of the Xhubleta
One of the reasons that makes the xhubleta so unique from all other traditional garments, in form and aesthetics, is precisely its making process. The making of the xhubleta is both a lengthy and complicated process. The creation of the xhubleta, like other garments, has been part of women’s work, while the making of work tools such as combs, distaffs, spike baskets, and looms was done by men, as well as the process of shearing livestock and obtaining felt cloth.
The making of the xhubleta consists of a series of processes, some of which are common to the production of other wool-based garments, while some are specific only to the xhubleta.
Below we will list all those processes, some of which are still in use today, but also processes that are no longer practiced in their artisanal form. We will focus in more detail on the most specific processes, which play the main role in creating the shape of the xhubleta.
Xhubleta is a handmade garment characterized by its shape resembling a wavy bell. This garment is composed of strips sewn in a horizontal line and joined by means of a ‘spike’, the latter being a type of thread made of sixteen separate woolen threads.
Xhubleta is considered the identity element of mountain women in Northern Albania. Due to its special morphology and semiotics, the construction craftsmanship of the xhublet enjoys great appreciation. It includes specific skills in preparing the shajak, cutting, sewing, and embroidering symbolic figures, as well as assembling all the elements that make up the jubilee. Nowadays, xhublet is mostly black with colourful embroidered motifs.
Xhubleta was once used in everyday life starting from the age of puberty and it testified the social (girl, married, widow) and economic (decorations) status of the woman. Its meaning dimension has been inherited until today, while it is reflected in the use of clothing in important life events such as marriages, holidays (especially Logu i Bjeshkeve , this being a social activity envisioned as a meeting platform and revitalized after the 1990s) and death rituals.
In the past, the knowledge and skills of xhublet making and wearing were passed down through demonstration within the family, as the girls aimed to prepare their dowry. Today, few women possess knowledge of the entire process and transmission within the family is rare. Also, the lack of organic wool suitable for shajak production has led to the use of new types of wool. However, this adaptation enabled the legacy of jubilant craftsmanship, enabling its continuity without changing the meaning for the community.
The social function of jubilee is mainly reflected in its ceremonial and festive use, as well as in the inheritance process. It is considered a very significant element for the bearers, as it is seen as part of their identity and an element that strengthens the sense of belonging to the community.
Xhublet also has a strong cultural meaning, being part of the spiritual world of the highlanders. It is often considered “mountain wear”, meaning that it is deeply connected to the identity of being a mountaineer. Also, legends about the skills passed down from the fairies to the mountain women are present to this day and are passed down within the community.
Xhublet embodies the connection between the past and family heritage. This is particularly evident in the elements of xhublet which are inherited from generation to generation among the same gender while being reused and revived in a new jubilation.
The exchange of work tools between women in the community, to produce missing parts of xhublet, since today a good part of these tools have been lost, brings cooperation, interaction and mutual respect between them.
Also, the women share the best practices of knowledge in terms of complementing the decorative elements and techniques of jubilation. Today, jublet plays an important role in the relationship between the local community and the diaspora group, as an element of identification connecting to the country of origin. An expression of this healthy relationship is the ” Logu i Bjeshkeve “, the meeting point of various social groups where the presence of jublet clothing promotes the connection with the cultural practices and values of the area.
