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History about the Hmong People & Pa Dau
The Hmong people are from Laos. It is a small country in Southeast Asia. Pa Dau or "flower cloth" continues
to be produced by Hmong artists in this country. The designs and patterns used are symbolic in Hmong culture and
often are derived from forms in nature. Pa Dau is used to decorate traditional Hmong clothing and are valued as
works of textile art.
Flowery cloth, or pan dau (say "pan-dow") is the traditional needlework of the Hmong people. The art
dates back some 2,000 years.
Pa Dau is a complex form of textile art. It incorporates applique, reverse applique, cross-stitching, batik and
embroidery. The designs stitched into the fabric are equally complex, displaying traditional folklore, ancient
myths and religious beliefs. Three or four layers of cloth may be used in each design. The artist uses very thin
needles about one inch in length. Designs include geometric patterns and symbolic representations. Although Pa
Dau is predominately and culturely a woman's craft, it is not unheard of for men to also acquire the skills. Some
learn it as a hobby, some learn it to help the women. It encompasses embroidery and applique, often featuring geometric
designs and sometimes depicting animals or other creatures. It is called flowery cloth because its finely detailed,
brightly colored designs look like flowers. Some flowery cloths have geometric designs. Some use a motif, such
as a heart or a snail, to build a pattern. Each design stands for something in nature.
Young girls spend many years learning the sewing techniques and traditional
designs necessary for the creation of the Hmong costume. At courting time, the beauty and intricacy of a girl's
needlework invite admiration and assure her of a favored suitor. The finest needwork is devoted to marriage and
death. At marriage, the bride's parents must provide her a costume. At death, the Hmong are buried in full costume
to ensure that they will be recognized in the afterlife. The New Year festival is also a very special event. The
harvest is in and a new year is ahead. It is believed that wearing old clothing at the festival may have bad luck
during the year. Therefore, a new round of sewing is needed. Pa Dau plays a vital role in every aspect of Hmong
culture; Life, Death, Celebration, Renewal and the Value of one's worth.
The Hmong people had no written language system until the 19th century,
therefore, there are few documents of Hmong history before that period. The Romanized Practical Alphabet (RPA)
was devised for the Hmong by American Protestant missionary linguists in the 1950's. This is why Pa Dau is such
an important history telling tool about the heritage of the Hmong people. The designs you see today on ethnic costumes
and on commercial products are centuries old.
 Pa
Dau is a dying art because younger generations are more into education and learning other trades to improve their
lives.
While Pa Dau is still a big part of Hmong culture and costumes during special events and New Year Celebrations,
finding them made for commercial markets are becoming scarce.
So don't let these treasures go into extinction without owning a small piece of it!!
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