Amarapura Silk and cotton weaving
Longyi is lower garment for Myanmar lady and Paso is for man. Generally lower garment for both man and lady can call Longyi.
It is popular traditional dress widely wear in Myanmar. 85% of Myanmar still lovely wears traditional. Traditional dress for Myanmar man is longyi and shirt, for formal ceremony such as novitiation ceremony, wedding reception ….use to wear jacket and turban. Longyi for men is cylindrical tube shape cloth about 2.2 meters wide and two and half meter long. Without belt, wear it and make knot in front on the waist. Man longyi pattern is quite simple small square shape pattern or diamond pattern decorated with stars. Man does not use to wear shinning color.
Myanmar lady traditional dress is longyi for lower garment and blouse with long sleeve is for top wear with shawl. Nowadays, most ladies prefer blouse with short sleeve. Longyi for ladies is also cylindrical tube shape cloth about 1.8 meters wide and almost 2 meters long (depend of high of person). There is small black strip at the top of ladies’ longyi. Ladies do not make knot.
There are colorful and different patterns for Myanmar ladies longyi. Wave like pattern is quite common for ceremonies. Longyi both for man and woman produce by handmade weaving and for climate in Myanmar prefer cotton wear. For special occasion, both man and woman use traditional silk longyi. Amarapura Loon Yar Kyaw Cheik pattern, Kachin Manaw pattern, Rakhine pattern are three famous patterns in Myanmar.
If we go back to history of wearing longyi in Myanmar, can see beautiful
19th century wood curving that narrate about Jataka in Shwezigon pagoda compound reflects about the tradition of wearing longyi in the past time.
Again 19th century monsai work at Shweyanpay temple near Inlay Lake also shows the history of wearing longyi in Myanmar.
Amarapura is small town near Mandalay is very famous for weaving industry which is one of their main professions. Most families have weaving machines. Handmade weaving for wave pattern – loon yar kyaw cheik – beautiful and intricate pattern done by using over hundred looms is the unique product of Amarapura.
It is precious worn in very special ceremonial occasion. Two ladies work together weaving process for 6 inches of product a day. It takes a month to complete 1.8 meter wide Myanmar wave pattern silk longyi.
Machinery Looms help to make more production especially for high quality of cotton ware in beautiful cuts and styles.
It is recommendable for short visit at a family to see how to make traditional wave pattern longyi. If you like cotton wear, there is possibility to find good quality cotton and silk product in Amarapura.
