(VOVWORLD) - In the northern province of Lao Cai, the Thu Lao ethnic group has about 1,000 people living mainly in Si Ma Cai and Muong Khuong district. In their daily life and at festivals and ceremonies, they wear traditional clothes which are tailored and embroidered manually. Their clothes have plain colors and designs, and are carefully stitched by hand.
 A Thu Lao woman holds a roll of white cotton fabric. (Photo: Giang Seo Pua/ VOV4) |
The Thu Lao weave cotton fabric to make their own costumes. The main color is black and few decorative patterns are used. The embroidery motifs are associated with nature and their daily life and work.
“Thu Lao women wear a skirt and shirt, which have embroidery patterns. Men usually wear simple black clothes. We wear traditional costumes on holidays and for the New Year ceremony,” said Lu Xuan Thuong, head of San Cha hamlet.
The woman’s shirt has a round neck, opens on the right side, and has cloth buttons. Like many other ethnic groups, they love to wear a lot of jewelry. Thu Lao people believe silver brings good luck, so they prefer to wear silver accessories. The women make clothes for the entire family.
"Thu Lao women still make clothes for their family. During holidays and ceremonies they all wear traditional clothes,” Thao Thi Sao, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Thao Chu Phin commune, said.
 Thu Lao women teach each other to make clothes. (Photo: Thanh Hai/nongnghiep.vn) |
The women teach their daughters to craft traditional clothes without any modification.
“When I wear traditional clothes, I feel proud. I’m learning to make clothes from my grandma and mother. Then I can teach younger people to uphold our traditional craft,” Vang Thi Vien of San Cha hamlet said.
San Cha people, young and old, have at least two sets of traditional clothes.
“When my mother weaves fabric, I get hands-on experience. The Thu Lao use a lot of fabric to make clothes for casual wear and special events, baby carriers, and other items. When a person dies, we make a set of clothes for their burial. Every family has spare fabric to make clothes,” said Seo Thi Le.
The embroidered patterns on the costumes of the Thu Lao are distinct from those of other groups, reflecting their own aesthetics, beliefs, dreams, and aspirations.