China in My Eyes

50 years of continued friendship

Miao People

Miao girl 2011

Miao girl in traditional dress, 2011

In 2018, Colin went to several Miao villages in Guizhou province, including Upper Langde 朗德上寨 and Shidong 施洞.

 

Colin Mackerras Miao toddler 2018

Colin Mackerras Miao elderly woman 2018

Colin Mackerras Miao elderly woman 2018

colin-mackerras-miao-tea-house-2018

Two Miao women with Colin Mackerras, 2018, one in traditional clothing, the other in modern clothes.

Colin Mackerras Miao paper shop 2018

Colin Mackerras Miao paper manufacturing shop 2018

May Day Festival, 2018, Shidong Township, Southeast Guizhou

The May Day ritual of the Miao people is simply fantastic. It consists of an enormous procession, mainly of women, to a big circular dance stage. There,  the women do a slow rhythmic dance accompanied only by a big drum. Formerly it was a courtship ritual but now it is mainly social, a chance to dress up and get together.

May Day Miao Festival in Shidong Township, Southeast Guizhou, 2018

May Day Miao Festival in Shidong Township, Southeast Guizhou, 2018

Miao May Day Dance, 2018

Miao May Day Dance, 2018

Miao May Day Dance, 2018

Miao May Day Dance, 2018

Colin Mackerras and Miao woman in costume for the May Day dance, 2018

Colin Mackerras and Miao woman in costume for the May Day dance, 2018

May Day performance by the Miao people, 2018

May Day performance by the Miao people, 2018

May Day Miao Festival in Shidong Township, Southeast Guizhou, 2018

May Day Miao Festival in Shidong Township, Southeast Guizhou, 2018

Miao village,  Upper Langde 郎德上寨

Upper Langde 郎德上寨

Upper Langde 郎德上寨

Colin Mackerras and Miao people at home 2018

Colin Mackerras and Miao woman with baby 2018

A Miao woman in traditional clothing carries her baby on her back in the Miao village of Upper Langde in Guizhou.

Colin Mackerras and Miao men 2018

Old men play the Miao reed pipe at a performance in the Miao village of Upper Langde in Guizhou

Miao village performance in Upper Langde in Guizhou

Miao village performance in Upper Langde in Guizhou

Upper Langde 郎德上寨 dance performance

Upper Langde 郎德上寨 dance performance

upper-langde-traditional-dress

A modern freeway bridge in Southern Guizhou

A modern freeway bridge in Southern Guizhou

Colin during a cruise along the beautiful Li River near Guilin in Guangxi

Colin during a cruise along the beautiful Li River near Guilin in Guangxi

Please follow the links below to see images of Colin’s travels in areas in Guizhou.

Miao people

Dong people

Zhuang people