"Signals" in Mong ethnic costumes

Hmong girls' costumes are often very distinctive. They often wear traditional costumes at festivals such as Tet, weddings and in art performances.

In Nghe An, the Mong people mainly live in the high mountains of the districts of Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Que Phong. A few live near Muong Xen town (Ky Son), Xa Luong and Luu Kien communes (Tuong Duong). Wherever they live, the Mong community always maintains its traditional lifestyle. Mong women are very fond of their community's traditional costumes.

Hmong women's costumes include skirts, shirts, leggings, hats and umbrellas. The flared skirts look very elaborate. One can find frills and moon and star motifs like those in Thai costumes. Slit shirts usually have fewer motifs. Traditional dresses of Hmong women are usually woven from linen. The colors and motifs are derived from trees, leaves and wild fruits. Nowadays, the design of Hmong women's costumes has changed a lot. Bright costumes are loved by Hmong girls. The hat imitates the crown of the queen and more or less resembles the hats of women in the royal court in the past.

Mong women wear many silver bracelets on their wrists and necks. Silver coins and strings are often decorated on their slit shirts. During festivals, Mong girls often carry colorful umbrellas.

Each type of Mong women's costume has its own meaning. According to a Mong elder in Nam Can commune (Ky Son), the headdress with the appearance of the ancient royal court is a message of the community's dream of a rich, even royal life in the future.

Mr. Lau Xai Phia, 75 years old in Nam Khien village, Nam Can commune, said: The traditional costumes of the Mong people have existed for hundreds of years. The Mong people originally lived in their own territories. Each region had its own “king”. They were truly powerful lords. According to legends, Mong kings often had many wives. Their “wife selections” often attracted young women in the region. Many young women came to watch the selections because they wanted to become “queens”, who only wanted to show off their beauty. However, everyone wanted to be the most beautiful in the eyes of their “king”. The young women embroidered “crowns” according to their own image and brought them to the festival.

Whether chosen as queen or not, the young women were proud of the costumes they made with their own hands. Since then, a tradition has been formed. Even today, in the Hmong lands there are no more powerful kings, the young women still like to wear crowns.

During festivals, Mong girls often carry umbrellas. It is not only to protect from the sun, rain or to create a "background" for more colorful costumes. The umbrella is a special thing in Mong women's costumes. The umbrella is often carried in the wedding procession of the Mong people in Nghe An. The wedding procession carries the umbrella to the bride's house, then carries it back. People believe that the umbrella will carry the soul of the bride and groom. There is also a legend related to this concept. In the past, during their migrations, Mong people always had to run away from ghosts. People believed that ghosts would not find them if they hid under the taro tree. From then on, people wove cloth to make umbrellas imitating taro leaves and ghosts would not find them. From then on, the umbrella is often carried by Mong people to ward off evil spirits.