Unique costumes of the Hà Nhì people

The mountainous provinces of northwestern Vietnam are home to the Hà Nhì (approximate pronunciation: ha-ni) people, who migrated here centuries ago from the highlands of Tibet. The Hà Nhì, like 52 other ethnic groups (not counting the ethnic Vietnamese - Kinh), have preserved their cultural distinctiveness, including their unique folk costumes.

According to tradition, representatives of the Hà Nhì people grow their own cotton bushes and engage in weaving and sewing clothes themselves. This is where the distinctive features of their costume come from. It consists of a blouse, pants and a headdress. As is often the case among the mountain peoples of Vietnam, the Hà Nhì are also divided into local groups according to the dominant color of their attire. Thus, it is apparent at a glance how externally different the Black Hà Nhì and the Flower Hà Nhì are.

Flower Hà Nhì

The Hà Nhì Hoa (Flower Hà Nhì) costumes of Điện Biên province are extremely colorful and look like flowers - hence the name of their ethnic group. The life of the Hà Nhì Flower Hoa is closely connected with nature, so they want to transfer the magnificent beauty of nature to their daily clothing. Their favorite color is red or a combination of red and white. They embroider patterns with gold and blue threads on fabrics in these colors. Not surprisingly, Hà Nhì Hoa outfits resemble forest flowers. Women of this ethnic group usually wear beautiful hats with pom-poms. It usually takes five to six months to make a complete costume. Embroidering rich ornaments is very labor-intensive and requires considerable talent. Women's costumes are also decorated with metal plates, round and triangular, which gives them a special look.

Black Hà Nhì

Unlike their "floral" brethren, Black Hà Nhì prefer dark-colored attire with either green or white patterns. This gives the effect of simplicity and sophisticated elegance at the same time. This does not apply to children, whose clothes, especially headwear, are very colorful. Hà Nhì Đen women are strongly distinguished from others by their unusual hairstyle and headgear. They wear wigs made of wool, horsehair or plant fibers dyed black. This artificial hair not only enhances the women's beauty, but also protects them from the sun, rain and cold, and is a sign of their age and marital status.

In Black Hà Nhì homes, there are always several wigs hanging on the wall. For a girl who has reached the age of adulthood, jewelry and a wig become essential accessories to her outfit. An unmarried woman is distinguished from a married woman by the way she wears her wig and scarf. In the former case, natural hair braided with artificial hair and the scarf are arranged asymmetrically on the head. A married woman, on the other hand, braids her hair (both her own and artificial) and wraps it around her head, and then ties an indigo-colored scarf (shawl) on top of her head. This has special cultural significance. Namely, the Hà Nhì believe that the top of a man's head is where his soul resides. Married women should therefore cover their heads with shawls to protect the soul.

Men's costumes

The Hà Nhì people's men's costumes are incomparably simpler than women's. Men usually wear black pants with short legs and a fabric belt, and a kaftan with slits at the sides.

The traditional Hà Nhì costumes and the patterns embroidered on them indicate harmony between people and nature. They reflect national customs and mores. They bear witness to national identity and centuries-old culture. And for us, they can be an inspiration in creating original and unique creations.