LIFE IN MIAO.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 77, 28 February 1938, Page 12

LIFE IN MIAO.

HEADDRESS FOR MOTHERS. Since 11)20, Mrs Nicliollas, wife of Rev. A. G. Nicliollas, of the Chinese Inland Mission, has lived in a littleknown part of Western China, peopled by a distinctive tribe—-the Miao—who have their own language, customs, and dress, and are not Chinese. “Our home is at the top of a hill 1500 feet high, and is reached after a three-days’ journey north of Tunnan Eu,” said Mrs Nicliollas in an interview in Sydney. “Until this year we have been the only white people in our district, which extends by five days’ journey on horseback, north, south, east, and west. However, we now have a young coujile, who are looking after our work while we are away, and we hope they will stay when we return.

“The Miao people are entirely different from the Chinese—-hill folk, very poor, and make their living by farming,” added Mrs Nicliollas. “In appearance they do not resemble the Chinese, although their skins are about the same colour, but they have not almond eyes. The women, who are of more thick-set build than Chinese women, wear pleated skirts made from about 22 feet of material, and plain bodices. Their festive attire they make from ordinary wool plucked from the backs of sheep, spun on a hand spindle, and dyed with berries navy blue, yellow and red.

“Tlieir headdresses are interesting. The women wear tlieir liair twisted in two tight plaits, like horns, at the hack of the head. Motherhood is also indicated by a Special headdress. A mother wears her liair in a single tight horn-like plait in the front of her head.”

The Miao people were originally animists—believing in spirits, which they supposed were lodged in stones and trees—added Mrs Nicliollas. But since the day when Mr Nicliollas started his missionary work among them in 11)06, 2UUO people in his district have become church members, and there are 5000 adherents, besides the children. Mrs Nicliollas and her husband also do all the medical and dental work and their own dispensing, in the district. _ “There are other missionaries working among other, tribes in different districts,” continued Mrs Nicliollas. “Fifteen primary schools have been established by the missions, and one higher primary school. At first the Miao tribe had had no written language but Mr Nicliollas brought them a script, and they now have the New Testment in it.”

“We manage very well for food,” said Mrs Nicliollas. “We grind our own flour, and there are plenty of chickens, and eggs, and we buy supplies in the village markets. The Miao are also hunters, so that sometimes when they kill deer we have venison. Our clothes come by post, and we get Australian letters once a month.

‘ The Miao women have always been consulted regarding their marriage and by the law of the tribe a giri must not marry before she is 18 yeas old. nor a boy before he is 20.” Mrs Nichollas said. ‘‘The work of the ‘‘The Miao are not a combative race had on forced these rules. ’ and are very averse to battle,” added Mrs Nichollas.