(I) Characteristics of Wa Clothing
The Wa people's clothing is not identical to that of the local Han people because of the different areas in which they live. The Wa who live with or are y influenced by the Han Chinese do not have much difference between their costumes and those of the local Han Chinese, while the Wa who live with or are greatly influenced by the Dai Chinese wear costumes that are close to those of the Dai Chinese. The costumes of the Wa in the Ximeng area have retained more of the original Wa costume features, with men wrapping their heads in black or red cloth, wearing collarless short clothes, short and wide pants, silver bracelets for the ears, black and red thread spikes, and young men wearing bamboo and rattan rings around their necks. Women wearing red, basket or black collarless blouse and skirt in various colors and stripes, head silver (or scorn) hoops, earrings silver earrings or large round earrings, neck decorated with one to several collars and several necklaces, wrists wearing one to several silver bracelets, fingers wearing silver rings, some in the calf and waist tie rattan ring. Both men and women are barefooted. When it is cold, both men and women wear linen sheets or cotton blankets, and when they sleep, they sleep around a fire. When it is hot, both men and women dress very simply.
In the past, Wa men were fond of tattoos, most of which were tattooed on the chest with the head of a bull, on the wrists with birds, and on the legs with mountains and forests, reflecting the Wa's worship of nature. When going out, Wa men often carry a flower hanging bag and a long knife or gun for self-defense as well as for hunting and production tools. Cotton and linen used in Wa clothing can be self-spun and self-weaved.
(2) Cultural Implications of Wa Clothing
1. ****The Same Characteristics of Wa Clothing
The Wa ancestors Pu people were hard-working and diligent in cultivation. They "plowed the mountains and gathered in the harvest, and knew how to weave". The old clothes and costumes of the Wa***s are men wrapped in green and red cloth on their heads, wearing short clothes and short, fat pants, still black. They wear silver and bamboo collars on their necks, silver (copper) bracelets on their hands, silver rings on their ears, sea shells on their waists, and neck collars or strings of beads on their necks. The Wa also have the custom of tattooing on their chests, shoulders, arms, backs and other parts of their bodies, often with the sun, the moon, lizards, cow heads and other designs. These costumes have a long history and have never deteriorated. The reason for this is that, in addition to the preservation of their ancestral "A Wa Li" national history, they have preserved the traditional national spirit through God, religion, and other ways of preserving the nation's ****same consciousness. For example, the sun, the moon, and the lizard are all totems worshipped in their myths and religions, and they are the material embodiment of the life of the great Mayig God. And the worship of Mt. Lem (Gongming Mountain) is a religious ritual unique to the Waaban people. It is said that the reason why the people of this branch worship Mt. Laim is that they believe that the A Wa mountains, with Mt. Laim as the highest peak, is the last land on which the Wa people rely for survival, which is a reflection of their experience of several failures in history; and secondly, it is a reflection of their strong desire to rebuild their homeland, and they need Mt. Laim to guard and care for them.
2. The Wa language "Aman" is a general term for all kinds of officials. In addition to the general public's costumes, the Wa also specialize in the costumes of the Oman.
The name "Aman" is used by some clans as "Liman" and some as "Ximan", and the name varies slightly according to the dialects of the different clans. The Wa traditionally have three kinds of Oman: one is the Goya Yong, that is, the head of the village, the second is the Geli Russian, tribal chiefs; the third is the king, that is, the king of the state, the strange thing is that we have not seen the historical records of the Wa have a country. But they say they have had a country Geng Wa, and the king is called Wang.
The head of the Wa people, whether it is the head of the village Goya Yong, or the tribal chief of the Geli Russian, the Ximen called Wulang, they are *** with the retention of their ancestors Pu "honored wrapped in a red cloth head" custom. In addition, Geli Russia (Wulang) this level of the head of the clothes are also decorated with the sun, the moon, the stars, double dragons and bull's head. The figure of two dragons with the red sun is embroidered on the underwear. And it can only be worn by the headman himself and cannot be lent to others.
The Wa believe that the sun is the source of life and the adsorber of rainwater, and that the sun contains the aura of the great deity, Mayig. That is why it is able to produce life, and that is why it is inter- called the Reed God; the moon is the heaper of stars and the earth, and that is why it is called the Lu'an God. The word "Ruan" means "heap". The moon also has the aura of Mayig. So it is also one of the major gods worshipped by the Wa. The stars symbolize reproduction and abundance. They are the children of the moon and the Ta, and the Wa hope that their children and grandchildren will be as numerous as the stars. The cow's head symbolizes modesty and kindness. The cow is the companion and friend of the Wa's grandmother, Angui, and the cow is the most delightful sacrifice of the great god, Meigue, so the Wa people often decorate their clothing with the cow's head motif.
The significance of the double dragons on the undergarments varies from place to place, with some saying that the dragons are the mothers of the human race (Wa), so there is a motto of "Heavenly Father and Mother of Dragons" that has been passed down among the Wa. Another legend says that the dragon princess An Rong is the god in charge of rain. She and the tree god Sang Luo are a loving couple with deep affection. Therefore, the Dragon Princess sends valuable rainwater to the earth, mountains, forests and human beings every year. Wa is a nation that knows how to be grateful. It is natural for them to thank such a great benefactor. The annual Water Festival． It is to repay the kindness of the Dragon Princess An Rong. This is one explanation for the fact that the headman adorns his underwear with double dragons． Why are they only embroidered on the undergarments? They replied, "That's how our Ajo did it!"
Also, the headmen of Vaanum have to decorate their clothes with two gates. This is said to be because their ancestors were the ones responsible for guarding the gates of the Sigang. And they also claim that they are the root of all Wa people． That is why they are called "Wa Num", which means the total root of the Wa people. Legend has it that since humans came out from Sigang, they have been guarding the A Wa Mountains for generations. Now the people around Yue Song and Iwaki are the descendants of Wa Num.