Luo Weikuan – Craftman of Broad-rimmed Bamboo Hat in Mojiang County, Puer
Profile
Luo Weikuan(罗维宽)was born in 1936, he is Hani ethnic minority and lived in Lianzhu Town, Mojiang County, Puer City(普洱市墨江县联珠镇)
Personal Experiences
At the age of 8, he began to learn knitting craft from Wu Jiahong (吴家宏)in Wumiao Street, mainly tung oil bamboo hat(桐油篾帽) and bird cage. The bamboo hat is the mascot of the Biyue branch(碧约支系) of the Hani ethnic minority and the engagement gift of young men and women. From 1958 to 1960, Luo Weikuan took a full-time job in the Commune Hat Factory to weave Hats, from 1961 to 1963, he knitted bamboo hats in the brigade’s Mie factory.(大队篾场)
Achievements
He has been knitting bamboo hat for more than 50 years. His skill of knitting bamboo hat and bird cage are the best of Biyue Branch. His work bamboo hat was sent to Beijing for exhibition as early as 1959. He is the first batch of inheritor of provincial intangible cultural heritage.
Present Situation
Nowadays, with the improvement of people’s living standards, more and more people grow flowers and raise birds. Bird cages are also selling better and better, while the hat is seldom done because of few people need it. This skill of making broad-rimmed bamboo hats slowly disappearing.
Chinese Version: http://www.ynich.cn/view-ml-13111-2645.html Translated by Lynette Fu/付云锐
