The Red Dao people mainly live in the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam. They are one of the ethnic groups with distinctive traditional costumes, including children’s headdresses that clearly express ethnic cultural identity. The gender of Red Dao children can also be distinguished through the decoration of their headdresses; therefore, the headdresses of girls and boys differ in design. The headdress of a Red Dao girl holds special significance: besides being an important element of girls’ traditional attire, it also reflects the care and attention that the Red Dao community gives to future generations.

Headdress of a Red Dao Girl Collected in 1999 at Ta Phin commune, Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province Code: 99.4.2

The girl’s headdress is made from indigo-dyed cotton fabric, cut and sewn into panels embroidered with various motifs such as flowers (tầm xồng) and the thunder deity (bọ ông). White Job’s tears seeds are attached to form floral patterns, while silver beads are arranged into mountain-shaped motifs. The top of the headdress is decorated with objects believed to ward off evil spirits, including coins, small silver bells, sachets of cardamom seeds, thatch leaves, and red yarn tassels. The headdress is typically round, fitting closely to the head, and secured with a beaded chin strap.

At birth, baby girls are often given beautifully decorated and colorful headdresses by elder women, expressing wishes for the child’s good health and growth. According to traditional beliefs, children’s headdresses not only protect the head from cold and physical impacts but also serve to ward off evil spirits.

Today, this type of headdress is still commonly worn by Red Dao girls. The headdress is currently preserved in the storage collection of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. It was used by girls aged around four to five years old and was collected by the museum in 1999 in Ta Phin commune, Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province.

Author: Vo Thi Mai Phuong

Photo: BTDTHVN