Are JW's allowed to wear national dress?

by not bitter 27 Replies latest jw friends

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  not bitter

  Whilst my parents were at the meeting yesterday I let myself in to their house to look through photos. I was looking for old family photos for a family gathering we are planning as a surprise for my folks. Anyway, there were tons of pics of them at Bethel visits throughout the world. All smiley faces as you'd expect. But what surprised me was there were quite a few group photos of brothers and sisters in their national dress. Obviously international conventions. I think thats what they call them.

  Now isn't that being nationalistic? In school I was never allowed to wear the Welsh national dress on St Davids day because it was nationalistic.

  Have I misunderstood? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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  cantleave

  It was encouraged and one of the highlights during "International Conventions".
• 

  not bitter

  but thats hypocritical.

  I remember being the only child in school not in national dress on St Davids day. Every year!
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  undercover

  So do brothers from Scotland get to wear kilts to the conventions? Complete with sporran, clan crest pin, and dirk?
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  wha happened?

  what is national dress?
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  tornapart

  I can remember an international convention in 1969 when I was a child and was enthralled at all the national costumes.. from all over Europe, India, Africa, Japan.. and yes even Wales!! ;)
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  Amelia Ashton
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  Amelia Ashton

  I remember Twickenham assembly and the wonderful national costumes worn by the African bros and sisters. It was one of the highlights.

  The same costumes were worn as normal attire to meetings and out on field service in Spain by the African witnesses, but to go on the platform the brother had to wear a conventional western style suit.

  I never understood that.
• 

  yknot

  We all still wear denim skirts in service and to the meetings.....

  hell and highwater will come before many of us Sisters give them up , especially our denim prairie skirts

  We consider it to be 'cultural'....
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  blondie

  If you look at some pics in the WTS publications depicting the "new system" and they have people in national dress...

  Maybe it is not the dress that is the problem but wearing it on a national holiday or religious observance.

  I remember being the only child in school not in national dress on St Davids day. Every year!

  http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/275/

  

  I remember white sisters who went to African assemblies, purchased the ethnic dress there and then wore it at the meetings. African sisters in the congregation could wear theirs all the time, the white sisters were told not to wear theirs. I wonder if they could have worn a dirndl?