The head scarf of Muong women, in Muong language is called "bít tlôốc" (tlôốc - Muong language means head, which means the cloth covering on the head of Muong women). Nowadays, many Muong people do not understand that in addition to the function of protecting the hair from dust, the "bít tlôốc" also has messages and meanings that the ancients left for future generations.
Turban of Muong women over 100 years ago. Photo: TL
Turban of Muong women today.
The costumes of married Muong women are different from those of unmarried women. The skirt, the com shirt, the danh (the belt that ties the skirt at the back), the bib and accessories such as necklaces, xa tich... are the same; the only difference is that married women must wrap a white scarf on their heads. The wearing of a scarf when married is a common and consistent practice among Muong people whether they live in Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa or Son La..., there is only a slight difference in the color of the scarf in the areas where Muong people live near the Thai people in Son La, Thanh Hoa, but it is still a scarf wrapped around the head.
When a woman has a husband, it is mandatory for her to wear a headscarf and a bun for her hair. Only when her family is in mourning or when she is divorced from her husband, can she temporarily remove the headscarf. After the mourning period, she must re-tie it. This unwritten rule is strictly followed in traditional Muong society. Normally, if a woman takes off her head scarf and stops tying it, she will be considered to have violated her morals, disrespecting her husband and her husband's family, or it will be considered bad luck because removing the head scarf means there is a mourning in the family, while there is no death in the family.
The head scarves of ancient Muong women were made of white rectangular cloth, about 60 cm long and 20 cm wide. The length and width varied slightly from person to person, but still covered the head. The scarves covered the women's hair, which was tied in a bun.
Nowadays, the head scarf of Muong women has been modified, has an isosceles trapezoid shape, when rolled up, it creates a triangular peak on the forehead of women. The scarf is not as big and wide as before and is decorated with eye-catching white glitter beads. The scarf is mainly used for beauty, not to cover the whole hair like the old people used to. On the other hand, Muong women no longer wear buns, only the elderly still wear buns. Most women now let their hair down, some even curl it loosely, so when wearing traditional costumes, they no longer use head scarves.
In the Muong folk legend about the story of the bitt looc, there is a story about Ut Do who loved a poor boy. One time, when the two met by the stream, the boy told Ut Do that, following the Lang family's orders, he had to go into the forest to kill a ferocious tiger that had killed many people. He said that he did not know if he would return from this trip, and then he gave Ut Do a piece of white cloth as a souvenir.
The young man went into the forest to find the beast, the tiger was killed, but the young man also died and never returned. Missing his lover, with a loyal heart, Ut Do took that piece of cloth and put it on her head for the rest of her life and she never married anyone else, still faithfully worshiping her husband... That was the bit tlooc. From then on, out of sympathy and admiration for Ut Do's love for her lover, the Muong people had a rule that any married woman must cover her head with bit tlooc.
The story shows that the head scarf of Muong women is a symbol of love between couples, the faithful and devoted love between husband and wife of Muong women. The white color of the scarf represents the purity and innocence of the wife and lover towards her husband.
In the wedding of the Muong people, on the way to the groom's house, the bride or the bride's family carries a scarf or a square of cloth to make a bit looc. At the groom's house, the groom's relatives hold a ceremony to worship the ancestors, the bride's family submits the white square of cloth to the groom's family's ancestral altar, the young couple introduces themselves and bows to their ancestors. The ceremony ends, the mother-in-law holds the square of cloth and officially wraps it over the daughter's head, officially from now on, the daughter becomes the daughter-in-law of her family. The ceremony is very sacred, the head scarf as well as the couple's feelings have been sanctified. Letting the ancestors recognize the daughter-in-law is the implication that after the daughter-in-law dies, she will be buried in the family's grave.
Thus, the Muong women’s tlooc scarf is a sign to let everyone know that she is married, and men should not tease, flirt, or affect their happy life. Women who do not wear tlooc are unmarried, and men can learn about and pursue her. This is a subtle, beautiful, and civilized sign.
The use of the turban is a very subtle and profound cultural message of the Muong people who want to build a peaceful community, not chaotic, with order and hierarchy through a clear distinction between married and unmarried women. This creates a distance in communication and behavior between men and women as well as contributes to protecting marriage and family and the private, intimate feelings of couples by sanctifying the turban in the wedding ceremony, as well as the vow of a woman to be forever faithful and love her husband, which is the root of building a happy, peaceful family. Each peaceful family will create a peaceful community. This is truly a message, a thousand-year-old cultural signal that the Muong people pass on to their descendants.
Bui Huy Vong
(Huong Nhuong Commune, Lac Son District)
Source: http://www.baohoabinh.com.vn/16/198853/Khan-bit-tlooc-tr111ng-trang-phuc-phu-nu-Muong.htm
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