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Eleven-year-old Esma Gljiva from Sarajevo started her project
more than a month ago after seeing poor quality figures in a
souvenir shop. Souvenir figures are typically not proper moving
dolls and their clothes are just glued on.
"These were some plastic dolls dressed in folklore costumes,
they were not even the real dolls, ... they were not properly
dressed at all," Esma told Reuters showing new dolls from her
collection.
"I tried to do it in a better way, and I think that I
succeeded," she said.
Esma has yet to see the Barbie movie, but her friends and family
say she embodies the spirit of female independence and
entrepreneurship that dominates the film.
Raised in a family of devoted amateur folklore dancers, Esma has
learned a lot about Bosnia's multi-religious traditions and is
herself a member of a local folklore group.
She is very precise when making dolls dressed in traditional
Muslim, Christian Orthodox and Catholic costumes, and takes care
over hairstyles and miniature jewellery.
She says she would name her dolls the "Bosnian Barbie dolls"
and she is planning costumes for a Bosnian folklore Ken.
Esma receives orders for her dolls daily, and she has sent them
to Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Turkmenistan, Norway, Britain
and other countries.
"We are so proud that she embraced this project with such
devotion, and spent her summer holiday days doing this," said
Esma's mother Adana Gljiva. "She also earned her pocket money."
(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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