What The Halm? Giant Straw Sculptures Invade Belarusian Fields

Autumn is a season of harvesting, and festivals to celebrate it are currently taking place all over the world. In Belarus we have our own called Dažinki that gives us a wildly inventive and fun way to reuse straw left over from the harvest.

Giant men, women, tractors and unknown creatures!

Nowhere else in the world you will find such diverse application of straw. When skillfully handled, it can be turned into a wonderful piece of art.

This is what local farmers from different corners of the country do in the run-up to Dažinki festival.

They took to the fields to create unique sculptures using straw rolls and bales.



Check out the best displays from this year and be sure to put a trip to Belarus on your fall to-do list for next year.



Straw was once widely used in Belarus to produce hats and sandals, dolls, accessories, pictures made of straw and many more.

No wonder it is still treated with respect and plays such an important role in creating a uniquely Dažinki atmosphere.



Since 1996 there was one huge national festival that moved to a different location every year.

In 2014 the big celebration was replaced with smaller regional ones. At the moment the festival is held locally by regions.