Auctiva Emporium: tradertraveller

The Gejia are usually classified as a branch of the Miao in Chinese official literature but they insist on a separate identity and are certainly a very distinctive group. The Gejia are particularly renowned for their very fine batik work but their embroidery too is exceptional,with strong designs superbly executed. An important part of Gejia folklore concerns their sacred drum. Each clan group has a drum made from camphor wood and at a Grand Ceremony held every 12 years this drum is brought out with great formality. Among other rituals, the elders recount tribal history, the lusheng pipes are played and the young sing and dance wearing their finery. And into the drum go important items in their tribal culture: silver in the shape of internal organs, ears of all the grains which form the basic diet, bundles of silk floss for their embroidery and finally treasured pieces of batik and embroidery. Women's work, textile work,is honoured. The fine old batik pinafore and the much older and very worn baby carrier panel I Am listing on ebay are worthy of going in the drum, 3excellent examples of Gejia textile art.