Ethnic minorities are increasingly choosing not to wear their traditional costumes, especially for their daily activities.
The Muong Lo region, located in Nghia Lo town of northern Yen Baiprovince, is a concentration of the Thai people across Vietnam. Yet, itis uncommon to see a woman wearing the full garb of a traditional Thaicostume – a long skirt and a tight blouse.
Mostmodern Thai women pair the traditional long skirt with either a T-shirtor shirts resembling those worn by the majority Kinh group. Thai men aretypically outfitted in clothes worn by the Kinh.
Among the Mong people, images of Mong men wearing T-shirts and shirtsare becoming increasingly popular. Mong women are no longer wearingskirts they have woven and embroidered by themselves. Instead, theyuse ready-to-wear skirts that can be easily bought at local markets withdecorative patterns printed, not embroidered, on them.
Lo Thi Hoai, of the La Ha ethnic group in Thuan Chau district ofnorthern Son La province, said she rarely wears her traditional costumesat home. She only wears them at festivals and on special occasions.
"I have only one set of the traditional costume," saidVi Thu Huong, who is from the Thai group living in the same district."I wear popular clothes worn by the Kinh people every day and save thetraditional set for special events only."
Theproblem of ethnic people wearing traditional costumes less often is moreserious in the Central Highland region. Visiting a local village,tourists may wonder if they were in a residential area for the Kinhpeople since none of the residents wear their traditional costumes.
Elder Ama Hloan, of the E De group, said the locals wear traditional costumes only at festivals.
A recent study on the traditional weaving handicrafts of the Xo Danggroup conducted in the districts of Dak To, Ngoc Hoi and Dak Ha in theCentral Highland province of Kon Tum reveals that almost no traditionalcostumes were seen, said Bui Thi Thanh Van, director of the provincialCulture, Sports and Tourism Department.
Accordingto Nguyen Thi Nga, director of the Vietnam Ethnic Groups' CultureMuseum, 40 of the 54 ethnic groups across the country no longer weartheir traditional costumes daily.
"Instead, they are wearing ready-to-wear mass-produced clothes," she said.
1001 reasons
Hoai explained that her traditional costume is very beautiful, butit's uncomfortable when working or performing domestic chores.
"Our traditional costume is not warm enough in the winter and too hotto wear in the summer," said Phung Ky Me of the La Hu group in Lai Chauprovince.
Lo Thi Van of the Thai group explainedthat she rarely wears her traditional blouse because it bears too manybuttons, which take a long time to put on, and because it was too tightto wear while working.
A Than of the Brau group inthe Central Highland province of Kon Tum shared this opinion, claimingthe traditional costume for men is not convenient to wear while workingor travelling through the forest.
The traditionalgarb comprises a short-sleeved shirt and a loin cloth. By wearing thewhole outfit while working in the fields or trekking through the forest,one may get hurt by the trees, he remarked.
It's also more expensive to buy a traditional costume than a popular ready-to-wear one.
"To make the La Hu traditional costume, we have to raise the cottonplants ourselves, weave the cloth, dye it, embroider it, and then tailorit," said Me. "It takes around three months to complete a set, whichcosts around 5 million VND (240 USD)."
A long skirtfor the Mong group also takes three to four months to finish. In themeantime, ready-to-wear clothes made of light, convenient, washablematerials are easily available at reasonable prices.
"There are many (ethnic) groups living in my hometown," revealed HungThi Thoi of the Pa Then group in the northern province of Tuyen Quang.
"Everyone is wearing the majority Kinh group'sclothes. If I wear my traditional costumes, I will be the odd one out,and it will be difficult for me to make friends."
Challenging task
Vi Kien Thanh, an official from the culture ministry, held thatconcerned agencies should focus on two groups to preserve the wearing oftraditional costumes: women and students.
"Womenoften take care of the clothes worn by all their family members," hestated. "We can encourage students to wear traditional costumes asuniforms in local schools to enhance their pride in these costumes at ayoung age."
Weaving artisan Vang Thi Mai of theMong ethnic group in the northern province of Ha Giang proposed thatconcerned agencies should facilitate ethnic groups in preserving the useof their traditional costumes.
"For example, weshould get help with marketing and selling our weaving products," sheremarked. "If we benefit from producing traditional cloth, we will bemore enthusiastic."
Nguyen Tanh, director of SocTrang province's Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, suggestedregular costumed performances for ethnic minorities at local andnational levels.
Tran Huu Son, director of Lao Caiprovince's culture department, pointed out that the first thing to dowas to enhance the ethnic groups' awareness of the need to preservetheir own traditional identity.
"Preserving ethnicgroups' costumes and encouraging people to wear them is not a simpletask," noted Hoang Duc Hau, an official from the culture ministry. "Itrequires cares and contribution from the whole community," he said.
The Muong Lo region, located in Nghia Lo town of northern Yen Baiprovince, is a concentration of the Thai people across Vietnam. Yet, itis uncommon to see a woman wearing the full garb of a traditional Thaicostume – a long skirt and a tight blouse.
Mostmodern Thai women pair the traditional long skirt with either a T-shirtor shirts resembling those worn by the majority Kinh group. Thai men aretypically outfitted in clothes worn by the Kinh.
Among the Mong people, images of Mong men wearing T-shirts and shirtsare becoming increasingly popular. Mong women are no longer wearingskirts they have woven and embroidered by themselves. Instead, theyuse ready-to-wear skirts that can be easily bought at local markets withdecorative patterns printed, not embroidered, on them.
Lo Thi Hoai, of the La Ha ethnic group in Thuan Chau district ofnorthern Son La province, said she rarely wears her traditional costumesat home. She only wears them at festivals and on special occasions.
"I have only one set of the traditional costume," saidVi Thu Huong, who is from the Thai group living in the same district."I wear popular clothes worn by the Kinh people every day and save thetraditional set for special events only."
Theproblem of ethnic people wearing traditional costumes less often is moreserious in the Central Highland region. Visiting a local village,tourists may wonder if they were in a residential area for the Kinhpeople since none of the residents wear their traditional costumes.
Elder Ama Hloan, of the E De group, said the locals wear traditional costumes only at festivals.
A recent study on the traditional weaving handicrafts of the Xo Danggroup conducted in the districts of Dak To, Ngoc Hoi and Dak Ha in theCentral Highland province of Kon Tum reveals that almost no traditionalcostumes were seen, said Bui Thi Thanh Van, director of the provincialCulture, Sports and Tourism Department.
Accordingto Nguyen Thi Nga, director of the Vietnam Ethnic Groups' CultureMuseum, 40 of the 54 ethnic groups across the country no longer weartheir traditional costumes daily.
"Instead, they are wearing ready-to-wear mass-produced clothes," she said.
1001 reasons
Hoai explained that her traditional costume is very beautiful, butit's uncomfortable when working or performing domestic chores.
"Our traditional costume is not warm enough in the winter and too hotto wear in the summer," said Phung Ky Me of the La Hu group in Lai Chauprovince.
Lo Thi Van of the Thai group explainedthat she rarely wears her traditional blouse because it bears too manybuttons, which take a long time to put on, and because it was too tightto wear while working.
A Than of the Brau group inthe Central Highland province of Kon Tum shared this opinion, claimingthe traditional costume for men is not convenient to wear while workingor travelling through the forest.
The traditionalgarb comprises a short-sleeved shirt and a loin cloth. By wearing thewhole outfit while working in the fields or trekking through the forest,one may get hurt by the trees, he remarked.
It's also more expensive to buy a traditional costume than a popular ready-to-wear one.
"To make the La Hu traditional costume, we have to raise the cottonplants ourselves, weave the cloth, dye it, embroider it, and then tailorit," said Me. "It takes around three months to complete a set, whichcosts around 5 million VND (240 USD)."
A long skirtfor the Mong group also takes three to four months to finish. In themeantime, ready-to-wear clothes made of light, convenient, washablematerials are easily available at reasonable prices.
"There are many (ethnic) groups living in my hometown," revealed HungThi Thoi of the Pa Then group in the northern province of Tuyen Quang.
"Everyone is wearing the majority Kinh group'sclothes. If I wear my traditional costumes, I will be the odd one out,and it will be difficult for me to make friends."
Challenging task
Vi Kien Thanh, an official from the culture ministry, held thatconcerned agencies should focus on two groups to preserve the wearing oftraditional costumes: women and students.
"Womenoften take care of the clothes worn by all their family members," hestated. "We can encourage students to wear traditional costumes asuniforms in local schools to enhance their pride in these costumes at ayoung age."
Weaving artisan Vang Thi Mai of theMong ethnic group in the northern province of Ha Giang proposed thatconcerned agencies should facilitate ethnic groups in preserving the useof their traditional costumes.
"For example, weshould get help with marketing and selling our weaving products," sheremarked. "If we benefit from producing traditional cloth, we will bemore enthusiastic."
Nguyen Tanh, director of SocTrang province's Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, suggestedregular costumed performances for ethnic minorities at local andnational levels.
Tran Huu Son, director of Lao Caiprovince's culture department, pointed out that the first thing to dowas to enhance the ethnic groups' awareness of the need to preservetheir own traditional identity.
"Preserving ethnicgroups' costumes and encouraging people to wear them is not a simpletask," noted Hoang Duc Hau, an official from the culture ministry. "Itrequires cares and contribution from the whole community," he said.
