iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

The Dong people, also known as Kam people or Dongzu, are an ethnic minority group in China, mainly residing in Guizhou province, as well as in neighboring Hunan and Guangxi provinces. They are famous for their "bright cloth," also called liangbu.

The Dong people are known for their "bright cloth," which is made through a unique process of dip-dyeing, drying, and hammering. This cloth has a shiny, almost metallic, appearance and is waterproof. The final step in making their clothing is to starch the cloth with glue made from cattle skin so that the fabric is made durable and the color is made fade-resistant. The brightness of the cloth will vary, depending upon the duration of crafting and beating. The more it shines, the more precious the cloth is deemed to be.

Women typically roll their hair into a bun or coil and use silver hairpins. They may wear pleated skirts or trousers, often with leg wrappings. The process of creating the cloth is painstaking and exacting. The raw cotton is harvested from Dong farmland, cleaned, and woven into cloth. The Dong women mix indigo plants with lime water to make dyestuff. The cloth is dyed, then washed. After the cloth dries, it is again dyed and washed. This process may be repeated three or four times before the color is deemed to be perfect. Then persimmon peels and chestnut shells are pounded into liquid and Ardisia crenata is added to the juice. Again, the cloth is dyed, and a deep blue with radiant rosy accents is achieved. After again drying, the cloth will be folded, coated with egg white, and intermittently beaten with a mallet over the course of two weeks until the cloth shines.

Dong women tailor the cloth in particular ways. Crafting a Dong girl's skirt, with its accordion pleats, is especially time-consuming. From the weaving of the cloth to completing the dress requires almost six months and dozens of procedures.

Today, due to the complicated and arduous process, Dong girls are not so inclined to make their own clothes. Many girls have completely dropped the practice and wear casual clothes purchased downtown.

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H2C @bluejeans28.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

What unique and vibrant clothing. Both girls are so beautiful in their traditional clothing.

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Mr. Hoo-Ha (SIBIES) @mrhooha3sibies.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Have you heard their Grand Choir? It is heavenly. 💙✨

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manuela_makeup @sephhora.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

these photos are superb!😍🙂

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solarpons83.bsky.social @solarpons83.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

VC ur amazing 🤩 thank you 🙏 for sharing your vast knowledge of indigenous peoples!!!! It’s truly an education!!!!

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Ivona Kalcina @ivonakalcina.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

How wonderful 🌸💕🔸🔸💫✨

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mumunge @mumunge.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

You can see the care and attention that went into its creation. The fine embroidery is truly exquisite. The pleated skirt looks as if it's sprinkled with stardust. Their smiling faces, holding red umbrellas and musical instruments, are so captivating—they look like a picture come to life.

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Dwight @dwightreads.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Beautiful photos!!

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Eric Lindahl 📷 🦅🐺🦋🐋🦉🐝 🦦 🦢 @eric-lindahl.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Stunning Kieron!!! 😍 😍 😍

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MariBean @maribean.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

So much time and effort - but the cloth is so beautiful in the end! I hope some of the young women learn the process, it would be a shame to lose it. Lovely people, too - the outfits are stunning, even beyond the liangbu.

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bumblebee088 @bumblebee088.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

This is beautiful and thank you for the informative description.

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Eric Ⓥ🌱 @bipedal-issues.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Some things, when you hear something of the process... You just can't imagine the chain of thought that would have led to the ultimate discovery Had never heard of this before, thank you

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Christine 🇨🇦 @cmehere.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

So much to be fascinated by within this 🌎. Beautiful photos and information. Thank you 😊

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💛💜JB💛💜 @msjulesb.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Wow this is wonderful… the process for making the cloth is fascinating… thank you for sharing ✨💜🫶

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Shantha Mohan, Ph.D., DTM @shlead.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

They look like twins! Lovely photos, Kieron!

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tamisar @tamisar.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

K, these are all beautiful portraits!👏It never ceases to amaze me: the endless variety of cultural styles, ways of dress, life; as well as the extraordinary lengths to wh/they go to create their attire, often using natural sources (though 1 made me cringe🫢-hypocrisy on my pt as I’m no vegan).

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Annette J Daugaard @ajdaugaard.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

💝💝💝💞

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