Belarus Straw Weaving Festival in Belarus craft centres
Belarus's straw-weaving tradition, recognized by UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2022, covers everyday baskets and hats alongside the geometric pavuk spider ornament traditionally hung above the table at Christmas. Tied to the rye harvest calendar, the craft is taught and exhibited at regional craft centers rather than a single fixed venue, with weave patterns varying enough by region to trace a piece's origin.
Straw has a working role in Belarusian ritual life that goes well beyond simple basketry, and the tradition recognized by UNESCO in December 2022 as Straw Weaving of Belarus, Art, Craft, Skills covers that fuller range: harvest wreaths tied for the Dazhynki grain-harvest celebrations, woven hats and baskets for everyday use, and the geometric hanging ornament known as a pavuk, or spider, traditionally suspended above the table at Christmas as a symbol of prosperity and the coming year's harvest.