Traditional cultural features of Red Dao costumes

In Son La province, the Dao ethnic group, the Red Dao group, mainly resides in the two districts of Bac Yen and Phu Yen. In the process of production and life building, the Dao ethnic group has formed a rich and unique cultural treasure, expressed in many areas of social life, especially the craft of weaving and creating patterns on traditional costumes. This is a typical cultural beauty that the Red Dao people have maintained and preserved through many generations until today.

Phieng Con commune, Bac Yen district has 4 villages, with nearly 90% of the population being Red Dao. During the off-season, Dao women often weave. The loom of the Dao ethnic group is made of wood and is quite sturdy. The loom is assembled with 2 pillars in the front, the bottom is connected by 2 horizontal beams and 2 vertical beams, along with the loom there is also a fiber divider, fiber card and shuttle, the raw material for weaving is usually cotton. While the Thai and Muong ethnic groups often weave large pieces of fabric to make shirts and skirts, the Dao ethnic group only weaves small fabrics of 20-30 cm. Woven fabrics are used to sew bags, bibs, head scarves and some parts of traditional costumes.

Red Dao people, Phieng Con commune, Bac Yen district, embroidering patterns on their costumes.

Ms. Quàng Thị Sao, En village, Phieng Côn commune, shared: Women here often weave fabric after finishing the harvest season. If they work hard, they can weave about 5-7 meters of fabric a year. The weaving profession has been preserved by Dao ethnic women, passed down through many generations until today.

The traditional costume of the Red Dao women has two basic colors: black and red. The most prominent of which is the head scarf with many elaborately embroidered brocade motifs, such as squares, rectangles, pine trees, and diamond shapes... In addition, to increase the aesthetics, people also attach silver-white metal pieces, round and small like coins, to both ends of the scarf, which sparkle and shine even more when exposed to the sun. The Dao ethnic group often wears scarves on every occasion of socializing, playing, and celebrating. The scarf adds charm and prominence to women.

The impression of the Red Dao women's costume is the elaborately made yếm with unique motifs and patterns embroidered with green and red thread. According to Ms. Dang Thi Khuyen, in En village, Phieng Con commune, the Dao women's shirt has a rather wide collar, so they have to wear a yếm in front. Women can freely create the patterns they like and it usually takes 2-3 days to make a yếm. Dao women are proficient in embroidery from the age of 14 or 15. This has contributed to preserving the traditional cultural values of the Red Dao people to this day.

Red Dao women weave cloth using traditional methods.

The craft of weaving and creating patterns on traditional costumes is closely associated with the life of the Dao ethnic group, considered the soul that contributes to creating a unique identity. In recent years, local authorities and organizations have regularly mobilized and promoted the Dao ethnic group to preserve and promote their cultural identity; taught weaving and embroidery techniques to the next generations; and regularly wore their ethnic traditional costumes during festivals, ceremonies and Tet. Currently, many brocade products of the Red Dao people such as bags, bibs, and scarves have become souvenirs loved by many tourists, contributing to preserving the traditional cultural identity of the ethnic group and increasing people's income.

Hoang Giang

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