An Akha's Dress

Akha women look beautiful when dressing fully. For a man dress, not to be beautiful the same women cloth but has a keen and wondrous. Akha use a cotton for weaving and dye a navy blue color, it took a long time to have a color that they would like because they dye again and again. In the past the Akha people plant cotton for themselves. Now they buy a cotton form the local people to press be a big piece abound 20 centimeters and put in the jointed stem of a bamboo, when a women would like to spin a cotton, she will tie a cotton box on her wrist and put a cotton on the hook , spin so fast and get a massive cotton and strong. Akha women teach they Childs to spin a cotton since 6-7 years old because only mother take respond in this it not enough for weaving the cloth to all the member in the family. All the Akha women will spin the cotton when they did not go to work or have a free time. In the evening Akha women will compete who can spin a lot of the cotton in everyday.
      Akha women in Thailand has a 3 style for dressing , the first is call “UloAkha” wear a sharp hat , the second call “LomueAka” wear a flat hat and the third call “PhameeAkha” wear a flat hat also but the cut different , the silver and have many detail.

To dress in UloAkha A woman A sharp hat separate two part like the base is a buckle on the head to put together with decorations, a silver coat button and a small beads, on the top has a bamboo structure under a cotton cloth, adorn by a silver, a small beads, tear grass, a tassel from the feathers of a chicken dye and the things that who can find. The number and the inventory to dress on the hat depending on condition, ages, and the number of a child. For a shirt made from the cotton, A jacket dress by many cloth color, a jacket long to the wrist, on the back has many stripes, for a skirt use the same clothes, has a crimp in the back, long to the knees, adorn by the silver and has a red tassel on the front of skirt, a stocking adorn by many cloth’s color and a tear grass.

A man clothes A Akha man usually wear a jacket and adorn by many color’s clothes and sew nearly a women clothes but to short than. For a pants look like a short pant (ขาก๊วย) made from a cotton also. For a hat made from a massive clothes and roll up the end of hat two side together and sew, use a cotton wrap the roll again and adorn by a red tassel

To dress in “LomueAka” A women This hat will has a silver square sheet to rise from the back, in the front adorn with a small beads and alternate with a silver coat button, to surround her face by a silver ball, has a coin and a small beads hang to the shoulder. In the back, adorn by colorful clothes and alternate with a beautiful stripes and decorate by a shell, a tear grass, a small beads and a tassel on the calf and a bag do the same way. A wrap’s clothes adorn by a shell, a silver coat button and a tear grass. For a single woman a hat will large more than a woman who get marry. For a skirt, Akha wear the same.        A man cloth A clothe for Akha man and a childhas a sew stripes around the cloth’s side or around buttonholes cut.

To dress in“PhameeAkha”
Women
For this hat look like armor’s hat and adorn with a silver coat button, a coins, a small beads and do not have a hiatus, beside of the hat has a strings small beads till wrist. On the back shirt, usually sew a blue stripes cloth cover and have many details such as a sleeve, wrist’s wrap and a bag. This Akha group different with two groups before like this group has a one shirt inside made from cotton and dye, adorn with a silver coat button, a coins and a silver sheet.
       A man clothes
For a shirt in this group long than other group. Sew with stripes clothes cover, has a buttonhole in front of or the left side. Adorn the buttonholed cut by a silver coins or a silver small bell necklace. A pants the same other group.

http://akha.hilltribe.org