Another of the people that I contacted after Jeanee's original post was Chris Kausman of Rarearth in Chiang Mai. His initial response to me was along the lines of not being able to see a Li connection in the textile as it had no Li totems. Jeanee shared images with me of three more very similar textiles (perhaps with more blue threads) and I showed these to Chris and Eric. Chris has got back to me as follows:
Quote:
HALLO AGAIN PAMELA,------- HAVING SEEN THE THESE LAST PICTURES OF MORE OF THESE BLANKET/BEDCOVERS; (FOR INDEED THATS WHAT THEY ARE); A CONNECTION WAS MADE SOMEWHERE IN THE NETHER REGIONS OF MY AGING MEMORY BANKS!-------THE ORIGIN OF THESE PIECES IS FROM 'YI' PEOPLE IN YUNNAN PROVINCE (THE EXACT LOCATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING, AS I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM FRIENDS THERE---YOU WILL KNOW WHEN I DO!)
THE FIBRE OF THE BACKING CLOTH IS WHAT THE CHINESE WOULD CALL "MAA--PU"; A GENERAL TERM FOR ANYTHING LIKE HEMP, RAMIE ETC, HOWEVER, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THIS PARTICULAR MATERIAL IS "FIRE--WEED" THE 'TRANSLATED' NAME FOR A PLANT GROWING IN THIS 'YI' AREA.
I HOPE THIS WILL BE HELPFUL, AND PLEASE DONT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE "MYSTERIES"! -- AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO UNRAVEL THEM!
AS I SOON AS I HAVE THE NAME OF THE COUNTY OF ORIGIN OF THE BLANKETS, I WILL LET YOU KNOW.
BEST WISHES----------CHRIS
I have found this information about 'fire weed' on page 179 of 'The Costumes and Adornments of Chinese Yi Nationality Picture Album'
Quote:
""Fire weed" is a perennial wild herbaceous plant extensively growing all over the Yi districts. Its leave (sic) is about 20 cm long, with strong and tough fibre. In ancient times, it was used as the kindling of fire, thus the name "fire weed". People in Yi districts used to spin and weave with "fire weed" fibre, and the cloth was the main material for dresses. Since "fire weed" cloth is durable and warm and humidity proof, it is still popular with the people."
There are items of clothing show but no blankets/coverlets. There is a loom for weaving "fire weed cloth" which shows a narrow width but no measurements or anything to gauge size. See image below. Some of the photos of Yi items using fire weed show a texture similar to that in the blankets Jeanee is asking about.
Aaargh! On page 115 there is a roll of the woven cloth and more info:
Quote:
"According to "Nanzhao Chronicles: "The 'fire weed' leave is about 10 or 13.5 cm long with floss on the back which is made into yarn and woven into cloth about 23.5 cm wide. it is thought to be able to get fire from making it as flint, therefore, 'fire weed' is named." The "fire weed cloth" can be made into clothes, knapsacks, bags, etc".
What a frustrating 'etc'!!! There is a 'Young men's sleeveless jacket in Lunan' shown which is natural coloured with groups of fine, darker, stripes in it.
Regrettably neither of the books I have specifically on the Yi show any bedding. This reminds me of Patricia Cheesman in her book 'Lao Tai Textiles: The textiles of Xam Nuea and Muang Phuan' discussing how domestic textiles used within the confines of the home do not take on changes when the group is defeated in war. The conquered adopt the clothing style of their conquerers but do not change textiles from inside the home because they are not seen. Bedding is very much a case in point. Unless blankets are taken out to be aired they do not get seen and, plain as these are, would not attract note, camera lenses or collectors.
Jeanee - if it is any help, when I found my first Li item, a skirt, I thought that I heard 'Yi' as I didn't know about the Li at that time. It could be a case of mis-hearing in reverse to hear Li for Yi!
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Pamela
http://www.tribaltextiles.infoon-line tribal textiles resource