Barbie is the most popular doll in the world, with over a billion sold worldwide. In 2022 Estonian freestyle skier Kelly Sildaru was the model for Estonia’s first actual Barbie doll as part of the Dream Gap campaign to use positive role models to encourage self-confidence in young girls. That is quite an accomplishment! But there are also Festivals of the World Barbies: Carnival Barbie, Chinese New Year Barbie, Cinco de Mayo Barbie, Oktoberfest Barbie and Diwali Barbie. How about a Laulupeo (Song Festival) Barbie?
But besides Barbies there are other types of dolls, not necessarily created as playthings, which can be valued not only for their looks, but for their cultural importance. The “Kungla” gaidid in Lakewood, NJ, led by gdj. Heili Carpino, completed an extensive craft project which gdr. Linda Leibak (†) had begun almost fifty years ago as leader of the “Lindatütarde” troop in north Jersey. Gdr. Leibak prepared miniature women’s rahvariided for some of the many distinct Estonian parishes, sewing tiny blouses with pleated, puffy sleeves embellished with embroidered patterns, bodices, vests, aprons, and head coverings, using buttons to represent sõled. Each gaid was asked to prepare the skirt and näpunööri belt and Mrs. Loite painted beautiful smiling faces on wooden doll heads.
