The Maonan Flower Bamboo Hat

The Maonan Flower Bamboo Hat

　　The Maonan Flower Bamboo Hat from Huanjiang County in Guangxi is an exquisite handmade craft used by Maonan women as rain gear. The Maonan people call the flower bamboo hat “Ding Ka Hua,” which means “weaving patterns on the inner base of the hat.” This flower bamboo hat is woven from the bamboo strips of the locally abundant golden bamboo and dark bamboo. It features delicate craftsmanship, beautiful patterns, an elegant shape, and is sturdy and durable.

A long time ago, there was a young Han man who was a skilled weaver. Wherever he went, he would use the local bamboo to make bamboo ware for sale to make a living. One day, he arrived in the Maonan mountain area covered with golden and dark bamboo. Seeing so much fine bamboo, he was overjoyed. He cut some bamboo and wove a flower bamboo hat overnight. The next day, he happily wore it while going up the mountain to continue cutting bamboo. At that time, there was also a Maonan girl on the mountain cutting bamboo; she too was a skilled weaver. Suddenly, it started to rain. Without hesitation, the young man handed the flower bamboo hat to the girl to wear for shelter. The girl felt shy about wearing it alone, so they both wore it together. When the rain stopped, the girl suddenly noticed the beautiful patterns woven on the inner base of the hat and exclaimed joyfully, “How beautiful the Ding Ka Hua is!” Later, the two got married. With the help of the Han young man, the Maonan woman improved her weaving of the “Ding Ka Hua,” making it even more exquisite. Since then, the Ding Ka Hua has spread throughout the Maonan mountain villages. The Maonan women regard the flower bamboo hat as a symbol of beauty and happiness.