The Object of Love: Exploring Traditional Baby Carriers Used by the Miao People of the Huawu Village

Abstract

The Huawu Miao Village is located in a closed canyon in the north-west region of Guizhou Province, China. The location is remote and difficult to access. Therefore, the settlement developed a closed, farming-oriented, and self-sustaining living environment. The Huawu Miao men and women often use baby carriers to carry their children on their backs while farming or doing household chores. The baby carrier culture remains universally popular in the village. These carriers reflect the traditional techniques and cultural implications of the local people. In this study, a field survey was adopted as a research approach to gain an understanding of the techniques, pattern designs and meanings of baby carriers used by the Huawu Miao people. The patterns observed in baby carriers are closely related to the historical relocation of the Miao people, local living environments and the Miao creation myth.

Keywords

• miao textile
• baby carrier
• quilting
• bird pattern