The cover image of picture album of HPA 2009 is from Lithuanian photographer Rymantas Penkaushas, in his 57 years old. For years he has been devoted to study and restore the Lithuanian National Costume in 19th century. His outstanding work ＂Lithuanian National Costume＂ won Final Juries＇ Special Awards this time with rich colors, elegant styles and complete story.

＂Nothing taken away except photographs, nothing left except footprints＂ - These are the words Mr. Rymantas Penkaushas randomly found graven into a stone, which was in Haikou, Volcano Geopark, and he said:＂ I＇ve never taken that much into my heart and mind, as I did it from HPA 2009 and China.＂

 
[Culture Background]

Lithuanian Costume is Western style modern clothes. Lithuanian dress is stylish and decent and gives a description of Lithuanian society and culture. As the time elapsed dressing in Lithuania also evolved and became quite similar to other European countries. The Urban folk started wearing the modern outfits whereas the traditional clothing is worn only in festivals.

The traditional Lithuanian costume for women consists of a woven colorful skirt accompanied by an embroidered blouse, vast, head piece and ribbon. Jewelries are essential part of dressing and were made from amber. An adult married woman wears a wimple or checked handkerchief. Men also wear costumes made from homespun festive garments. The basic dress for men consist of long stripped or diagonally stripped trouser and the lower portion is woven in darker strips. The trousers are tapered and they wear loose waist-length vest or long jackets.

Ancient Lithuanian Costume had certain traits:
• All the costumes were made from homespun yarn and were bleached or dyed particularly with plant dyes.
• The weaving process was also different and they were mostly of traditional type.
• The motifs and colors used in the clothes were diversified and varied.
• The cut of the dress were unique and overcast, crochet and cord were popular.
• The fasteners in the garments used are metal, string, leather or wood.

At the end of 19th and 20th the traditional clothes started disappearing and people started wearing western casual outfits. The traditional Lithuanian costume is nowadays simply restricted to festivals and occasions and quite a handful of them are preserved in the National Museum of the country. Traditional Lithuanian costume symbolizes the countries past cultural heritage very well.