21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
The art of printing beeswax on cloth of the Hmong people in Mu Cang Chai

Patterns on brocade costumes of Hmong women in Mu Cang Chai are made through many stages: embroidery, weaving, fabric grafting, but the most unique is the art of drawing and printing patterns with beeswax on cloth, a traditional craft have existed from generations with the highlanders. A fabric with beeswax motifs requires 2 stages to complete: painting and dyeing indigo with simple tools such as a stove on a wood stove, paintbrush, printing mold, linen, beeswax, indigo water. … Along with the traditional beeswax pen, today's artisans also make pattern molds to print beeswax on the fabric, which is beautiful and saves a lot of time. According to the Mong people's concept, as a woman, everyone must know how to plant flax, weave cloth, print wax, and then make brocade. That tradition went into the song: "Growing up, I followed my mother to practice embroidery, followed my sister to dye indigo, print flowers on new dresses..." Therefore, painting textures on linen with beeswax for generations has been preserved and promoted by Hmong women

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Vietnam
Camera: NIKON D850
Copyright: © Helena Vân