Hoa Binh Province - a place where unique cultural, historical and identity converge: Lesson 10 - Costumes of ethnic minority women in Hoa Binh

Many events have taken place in Hoa Binh province such as: street gong parade, Caraval festival, and festivals in different regions... ethnic costumes are honored and become impressive highlights.

The beauty and uniqueness of Muong costumes are concentrated in women's clothing. In the past, Muong women had two types of shirts: short shirts and long shirts. Short shirts are women's everyday shirts. The shirts are short, have a slit at the chest, and no buttons; the collar is round, the sleeves fit the arms and are long to the wrists. The shirts are usually sewn from ordinary fabric or silk, mostly white.

In modern life, Muong ethnic costumes are still preserved and promote their identity. Photo: BM

Ao dai is mainly worn to receive guests or on festivals and holidays. Ao dai is sewn to the knee. Nowadays, women often sew Ao dai with modern fabrics that are thin, smooth, soft, and have vivid colors. Muong women's skirts consist of 2 main parts: the upper part is the skirt waistband, from the waist up, the lower part is the skirt body, from the junction of the skirt waistband to the hem of the skirt at ankle level. The unique and elegant beauty of Muong skirts is concentrated in the skirt waistband, which is woven and embroidered with elaborate and meticulous color and graphic combinations. The traditional Muong skirt waistband consists of 3 brocade strips with different patterns from bottom to top: high, lower rang and upper rang. The high part is about 10cm wide, around the waist is decorated with red, yellow, and brown threads interspersed with harmonious and graceful stylized images of trees, flowers and leaves. The accompanying accessories of Muong women's costumes also include sandals, belts, bibs, headscarves, jewelry, etc.

Thai women's costumes include: short shirts, long dresses, skirts, headscarves, and jewelry. Thai women's short shirts come in many colors such as blue, red, white, purple, with a round neckline and a small border. The shirt is 25-30 cm long, with sleeves that hug the arms; when worn, tuck the hem of the shirt into the waistband of the skirt, then use a belt to tie it so that the shirt does not come loose. The long dresses are usually indigo or black, falling down to the knees, with a chest slit, but no buttons, no slits, and are only worn in the cold season. A white cloth belt about 20 cm wide is used to tie the two flaps of the shirt, one end of the belt hangs down on the left hip...

The Tay women's costumes include short buttoned shirts, short buttonless shirts, yếm, ao dai, skirts, headscarves, belts, and jewelry. The short shirts have unique features: the hem is waist-length, the collar is round, the chest is slit, from the collar down to the waistband are attached with 2 rows of silver buttons in the shape of a pair of butterflies or cicadas. The short shirts are often arranged with single or double buttons...

Thai women in traditional costumes participate in a religious ritual at a highland market in Mai Chau. Photo: BM

In Hoa Binh, the Dao people have two branches: Dao wearing money and Dao wearing tight pants. Therefore, the costumes of Dao women are quite diverse. The costumes of Dao wearing tight pants include ao dai, headscarf, pants (sewn with tight-fitting legs and tight pants made of black cloth), and leggings (white, rolled from bottom to top, from inside to outside, covering the hem of the tight pants, the edges overlap, held tightly with black fabric). The costumes of Dao women wearing money are also quite elaborate and unique. Associated with Dao women are net bags, necklaces, bracelets, earrings...

The costumes of Mong women in Hang Kia and Pa Co are not much different from those of Mong people in the northern provinces. Mong women's skirts are conical, thickly folded, small on top, wide at the bottom, not sewn into a piece but sewn into a piece of cloth in the shape of an open scarf. When wearing, wrap the skirt around the waist, tie it tightly with a cloth string. On the outside in the front, wear an apron about 30 cm wide, about 15 cm longer than the skirt. The apron has 2 strips 10 cm wide tied behind the waist, the ends of the 2 strips hanging down to the hem of the skirt. Indigo, blue, and red are also the main colors in Mong women's costumes...

Ethnic women's costumes are increasingly improved to suit their daily life and production. Currently, like the Muong people, wearing ethnic costumes has decreased compared to before, but on holidays, Tet, and festivals, wearing costumes is still considered important. In some places in the province, the Party Committee and the government have encouraged wearing ethnic costumes. This is extremely necessary and should be done in the integration process.

(To be continued)

VT (TH)

Source: https://baohoabinh.com.vn/16/199873/Tinh-Hoa-Binh-noi-hoi-tu-nhung-net-van-hoa,-lich-su-doc-dao,-ban-sac-Bai-10-Trang-tuc-phu-nu-cac-dan-toc-thieu-so-o-Hoa-Binh.htm