Die Hiet (Hats)
Friehyaahr-endlich! Mit em Schnee un Kelt as mer daer Winder ghat henn, binnich froh fer mei schwere Winder Hiet weck duh. (Loss uns hoffe as mer Friehyaahr Wedder henn!) Nau ‘sis Zeit fer mei leichde Summerzeit Hiet rausgriege. Loss mich denkewu hawwich sie weck geduh? Ah, ya, sie sin in de Aeddick imme Kaschde! So wann ich der Kaschde runnergebrocht hab, hawwich’s uffgemacht un hab darrich es geguckt. Ei, ei, ei! Doh waar mei Oschder Hut as ich ghat hab zidder as ich en yung Maedel waar!
(Spring- finally! With the snow and cold that we had this winter, I am happy to put away my heavy winter hats. (Let’s hope we have spring weather!) Now it’s time to take out my lighter summertime hats. Let me think- where did I put them? Oh, yes, they are in the attic in a box! So, when I brought down the box, I opened it and looked through it. Oh, my goodness! There was my Easter hat that I had since I was a young girl!)
Nau des waar en weisser Sunnhut mit en weiss Band fer en Hutband. Es hot aa Lace druff. Ya, es guckt so schee! Uff’s Band hot’s zwee kinschdliche pingschte Blumme un en Gammband fer unnich mei Baart duh so es net vun meim Kopp abfalle kann. Wann ich daer Hut gsehne hab, hot’s viele Aadenkes zerick gebrocht. Yaahre zerick henn yuscht baut all die Weibsleit en Hut zu de Karich gewore un des iss wu ich aa daer Hut gewore hab.)
(Now this was a white sunhat with a white ribbon as a hatband. It has lace on it also. Yes, it looks so nice! On the ribbon it has artificial pink flowers and a rubberband to put under my chin so it can not fall off my head. When I saw this hat, it brought back many memories. Years ago just about all the women wore a hat to church and that is where I wore this hat too.)
Frieh in de 1900s waare der Weibsleit ihre Hiet ganz hochbeenich. Die Hiet waare vun viele Materials gemacht un deel henn Veggel Feddere druff ghat. Des waar net gut weil deel Veggel waare dod gemacht yuscht baut zu Extinction fer ihre scheeni Feddere! Deel Researchers glaawe iwwer 100,00 Egret Veggel waare in eem Yaahr dod gemacht – un yuuscht fer ihre Feddere! Kannscht du sell glaawe? Sell waar greislich! Glaab’s kann net sei!
(In the early 1900s women’s hats were very fashionable. The hats were made from many materials and some had bird feathers on them. This was not good because some birds were killed just about to extinction for their beautiful feathers! Some researchers believe over 100,000 egret birds were killed in a single year — and just for their feathers! Can you believe that? That was terrible! I can’t believe this to be!)
So endlich im Yaahr 1918 waar en mechdiches Federal Gsetz gemacht fer die Veggel in de Vereiniche Schtaade erredde. Es waar der Migratory Veggel Treaty Act gheese un ‘sis heit noch so. Dann im Yaahr 2004 waar des Gsetz weider gemacht fer all die Native Veggel Species in de Vereiniche Schtaade einemme, net yuscht die Migratory Veggel.
(So finally in 1918 a powerful federal law was passed to save the birds in the United States. It was called the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and it’s still in effect today. Then in 2004 the law was expanded to include all native bird species in the United States, not just the migratory birds.)
Die Hiet, yuscht wie viele annere Dinger, henn darich de Yaahre gewexelt abbadich fer die Weibsleit. Awwer iss des wie es fer de Mannsleit ihre Hiet iss? Ich muss ennanneri Zeit vun sell schreiwe!
(Hats, just like many other things, changed through the years especially for women. But is this how it is for men’s hats? I must write about this another time!)
Bis schpeeder… (Until later)… Yuscht es Bauereimaedel aus Kutzeschteddel, die Mary Laub
(Just the farm girl from Kutztown, )
Mary Laub is the author of the Uff der Bauerei (On the Farm) bilingual series. She taught in the Kutztown Area School District and in the Kutztown University Elementary Education Department for over 40 years. She has taught Pennsylvania German (Dutch) in the Early Learning Community, Inc. pre-school.