Headdress of Longhorn Miao

As for the reason of using an ox horn-like headdress, there are different explanations. Some say they coil the memory of their nearest and dearest into the hair. Also, when their daughters are getting married, they send the long hair to the new couple as a gift. Others say it is a heritage of martial spirit. The headdress’ shape is similar to ancient weapons which they developed into headdresses.

According to Mou Huixu, a Longhorn Miao minority historian, the ox is the symbol of this minority and the ancient people wore ox-horns when hunting in the forest to protect them from the beasts’ attack.

Bracelets of the Wa minority

Bracelet of the Wa minority

No matter if they are rich or poor, every female of the Wa minority wears a couple of wide bracelets all year round.

The origin of the bracelets is an interesting story. A long time ago, bears roamed the area where the Wa minority lived. Once the bears caught humans, they never let them go. One day, a beautiful Wa girl happened to meet a bear in the forest. The smart girl immediately took out a bamboo tube which was used for fetching water. When the bear caught the girl, it thought it caught her hands. However, the girl hid her hands in the bamboo tube and withdrew her hands as soon as the bear grabbed the tube, escaping successfully. From then on, all Wa girls wear bamboo tubes on their wrists for protection, which gradually evolved into wide bracelets. Nowadays, although the bracelets are no longer used as protection against bears, they have become important accessories for all Wa minority women.

By Yan Fei