Unique beeswax and indigo brocade of Dao Tien people, Cao Bang

(TITC) – The technique of printing patterns on dresses with beeswax is a unique craft, imbued with the typical culture of the Dao Tien people in Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province. This is also one of the attractions for tourists to this pristine village.

For Dao Tien women, in addition to the time spent in the fields and at the market, they are always diligent in spinning, weaving, and creating costumes with many unique and sophisticated patterns.

From 6-7 years old, girls have been taught by their grandmothers and mothers how to make their own ethnic brocade costumes, from growing cotton, spinning, weaving, dyeing indigo to cutting, sewing, embroidering… A traditional Dao costume takes several months to weave and embroider.

Having been exposed since childhood, Dao Tien women have mastered the technique of printing patterns with beeswax on fabric to create costumes with the typical colors of the Dao Tien people.

The fabric is stretched on a small frame to be dipped in beeswax. The beeswax is placed in a plate and heated over a charcoal or wood stove over a low flame. The printing tool is a thin bamboo stick. Printing patterns on fabric requires meticulousness so that the printed lines do not bend or deviate.

After being printed with beeswax, the fabric is dyed with indigo through many complicated steps. Indigo is grown in the fields in February and March, and harvested in June and July of the lunar calendar. They cut the indigo plant, soak it in water, and through the filtration process, they will get indigo extract. Dissolve the indigo extract in water, then boil it with mugwort leaves, add a little ash water and alcohol, and mix together to create indigo water for dyeing.

The fabric is soaked in indigo water for about 20 minutes, then taken out and dried in the sun. The fabric is then dried and soaked again in indigo water. This is repeated many times until the desired indigo color is obtained.

A brocade with beautiful, durable colors usually takes 20-30 days to be dyed. The fabric is then boiled in water to remove the beeswax that forms the shape. The beeswax dots are not dyed with indigo, so the original white color remains.

Tourists can visit and learn about the process of making Dao Tien costumes at the Na Chan Community Learning Center, Hoa Tham Commune, Nguyen Binh District. Participating in beeswax printing is an interesting experience. In addition, you can buy lovely products such as bags, scarves, and shirts made of indigo fabric printed with beeswax handmade by the local people here.

Tourism Information Technology Center