“Xó pẹ” of Ha Nhi women
Each ethnic group in Lao Cai has its own cultural characteristics, reflected in the customs, manners, festivals, costumes of each ethnic group. With the black Ha Nhi ethnic group in Bat Xat upland, in addition to their own distinctive pattern costume, there is also a unique feature that anyone who meets Ha Nhi women is aware and curious to know. It was the huge wig that bunned high on their heads ... |
|
Wool yarn is indigo dyed before being braided into“Xó pẹ”. |
Ms. Sao Tho So in Mo Phu Chai village, Y Ty commune said: “From an early age, my mother taught me how to bun my hair. Ha Nhi's girls all have wig to be charming, as people always say issaid “human figure” ... In Ha Nhi, the wig is called “Xó pẹ”.
According to the elderly people in Choan Then village, Y Ty commune, Ha Nhi's girls aged 13-14 years or older will be taught how to make wigs by their grandmother or mother. It takes about 2 to 4 months to finish this hair. Often wigs are made from cotton yarn, nowadays the Ha Nhi people make it from indigo dyed wool yarn or brown yam.
Depending on the age, there are different types of wigs and hair buns. When bunning wigs, Ha Nhi women usually wear scarves first, then tie the first part of the wig with real hair, then braid the real hair with the wool yarm and then tie it, pulling the braided part one around the head to hold them, then tie the scarf just being put on the head, and finally put the piece of scarf on top.
 |
| Ha Nhi women often bun wigs on their heads. |
Unmarried girl will have a hat decorated with various types of red and green threads; The wig at the end is tied in 3 bunches and there is a colorful bunch like flowers in the middle. Therefore, the wig becomes a beauty symbol for Ha Nhi's daughter, they compare women are as beautiful as flowers. When wearing a wig, the girls wear it on skew-whiff so that fringed wool is on the left, creating charm for the person who wears it.
For married women, they also have the same wig as young girls but do not have a hat, instead of a square scarf, the top has a piece of cloth decorated on both sides and attached thread fringes in bottom. For women 35 - 40 years of age and older, wigs are a bit different, as they wear fringes usually straight in the middle of the head. The biggest difference of the wig among married women is the piece of turban attached with fringes on the top with the meaning to keep the soul, mandatory for women when they attend important ceremonies in the community.
Most Ha Nhi women prepare at least one set of “Xó pẹ” for themselves. One of the criteria for Ha Nhi boys to choose wives is the ingenuity of the girls who learn to make wigs and how to bun their hairs to make it the most beautiful one. Wigs become an indispensable accessory in life, for Ha Nhi women to beautify and use in traditional Tet holidays, festivals, weddings, shopping ...
