Visiting the mountainous region of Quan Ba, tourists will encounter the genuine Red Dao people in the bustling, colorful markets, on the terraced rice fields, or under the ancient yin-yang tiled roofs of their houses. They seem content with their simple lives, diligently working and "living slowly" amidst the peaceful mountains and forests. While the Red Dao live in many areas, their community life remains largely confined to a specific geographical area.
They maintain communication in the Dao language and are always conscious of passing it on to future generations. When arranging marriages for their children, the Dao people also want to choose in-laws from within the community to preserve their language and customs. The familiar work of the Red Dao people mainly involves farming to grow rice and corn, raising livestock, making silver jewelry, weaving, embroidery, growing medicinal plants and cotton, making agricultural tools, and making incense... The Red Dao people, along with other ethnic groups in the surrounding area, often participate in the Trang Kim and Quan Ba markets to exchange goods, buy and sell, and share cultural experiences.
On market days, the Red Dao people carry agricultural products on their backs, sometimes even leading livestock by the hand. They are particularly striking in their colorful brocade costumes. The swaying skirts of the women as they walk are very captivating.
The Red Dao people have always maintained their strong traditional identity through their traditional clothing. Mothers and grandmothers pass on weaving and embroidery techniques to their daughters and granddaughters from a young age, so every Red Dao woman can sew beautiful outfits for herself and her family.
Dao men's clothing is quite simple, dark in color; in cold weather, they often wear berets and colorful scarves around their necks. Meanwhile, the clothing of Red Dao women is very elaborate. They focus on intricate embellishments and decorations on the edges of their shirts, trouser hems, sleeves, chests, and belts. The embroidery mainly features patterns of plants and flowers. Women often wear black clothing underneath, layered with elaborate decorations including long strips of fabric draped around the skirt, embroidered with vibrant patterns. Besides the embroidered patterns on the chest, they also attach colorful beaded strings to their waists.
The Red Dao people favor silver jewelry, so on important occasions, they often wear a lot of silver around their necks and hips. Regarding headwear, Red Dao women here typically wear a round black headpiece paired with a brocade scarf with two ends pointing straight up. Behind their backs, they drape a fringed scarf in pink or a mix of other colors, adding a touch of elegance to their overall look.
Heritage Magazine
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