White silver bracelets decorate the costumes of ethnic minorities in the highlands.

In the traditional costumes of the ethnic groups in the highlands, the white silver bracelet is an indispensable jewelry. Silver bracelets not only simply show the elegance of the wearer, the ability of the craftsman to practice the craft, but also carry many ideas about unique and distinctive traditional beliefs and cultures.

Cao Bang has many ethnic groups living together in the area: Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, Lo Lo... Each ethnic group has different customs and practices, accordingly, the costumes also have their own unique features. Along with traditional costumes, women also have many types of jewelry such as: necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings... But the most noticeable is the necklace, the bracelets are usually made of silver, mostly handmade by the ethnic people here using traditional manual methods and have been used for a long time. However, each ethnic group has a different way of wearing bracelets, some ethnic groups only wear one bracelet to create harmony with the costume, some ethnic groups wear more bracelets to create highlights and express their unique beliefs.

For the Dao Tien people, in addition to the silver buttons on their chests and the silver-flowered betel nut bag, they also wear many necklaces, sometimes 5-7 necklaces of increasing size, not closed, with nearly ten long silver chains hanging down almost to the chest at both ends to add a special touch to their traditional costumes. Ms. Chu Thi Nen, Hoai Khao hamlet, Quang Thanh commune (Nguyen Binh) said: The white silver necklaces of our people are not only used for beauty but also represent the close relationship between family and community members and are respected, preserved and passed down through many generations.

According to the Dao Tien people's belief, when a girl goes to her husband's house, in addition to homemade clothes, a set of white silver bracelets is an indispensable dowry, along with other valuable gifts. These jewelry will be kept as family and clan treasures and will be passed down to future generations. In addition, silver also protects against poisonous winds, ward off evil spirits, and brings health and good things. Therefore, a silver necklace is also chosen as a meaningful gift for adults to give to children, with the wish that their children will always be healthy and have good luck in life.

The silver bracelet is the highlight when Dao Tien women wear traditional costumes.

Unlike the Dao Tien, Tay women's costumes are simple, elegant, expressing a sincere, calm and profound personality. To create a sparkling shine on the traditional indigo shirt, Tay women often wear only a silver necklace. Tay necklaces are usually smooth circles, without carvings and are cast entirely of solid silver. Each necklace usually weighs from 200 - 500g. In particular, Tay women's necklaces are made wider than those of some other ethnic groups. Tay children also often wear necklaces when wearing traditional costumes, however, children's necklaces are much smaller than adults'. Tay people believe that letting children wear necklaces is to lock the child's soul, prevent the soul from wandering and help children not get sick or cry. In addition, the silver necklace is also a dowry from grandparents and parents to their children and grandchildren when they get married, wishing them good health, happiness, luck and divine protection in life.

The Red Dao people have their own unique costumes in terms of layout and decoration, showing creativity and sophistication in every stitch. Among them, it is necessary to mention the precious white silver bracelets attached to the traditional costumes, creating a unique and unmistakable look. Red Dao women often wear 1-2 large silver bracelets, handmade by the ethnic people here. To make a solid silver bracelet, the craftsman must spend 2-3 days melting silver, creating molds, shaping and decorating to create a quality product.

Unlike other ethnic groups, the Red Dao believe that when a woman gets married, she will take care of her husband's ancestors, so her mother-in-law entrusts her with the responsibility through the silver bracelet she wears. The bracelets are both a dowry and a measure of the emotional value of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Silver is not only an ornament that accentuates traditional costumes, having a lot of silver also represents wealth, abundance, health, family prosperity, happiness, and brings luck and fortune to the wearer.

Nowadays, with the strong cultural exchange, the life of ethnic minorities in the highlands has changed a lot, each person can buy for themselves precious and expensive jewelry, but silver necklaces are still indispensable to embellish the traditional costumes of ethnic groups to be more brilliant and unique. That not only shows the artistic and religious values ​​but also contributes significantly to the preservation and promotion of the cultural identity of ethnic groups.

Thanh Tu

Source: https://baocaobang.vn/vong-bac-trang-to-diem-trang-phuc-cac-dan-toc-vung-cao-3174158.html