96
numerous meandering vers
There were two main groups of land dwellers in the New Territories, the largest being the Cantonese or Punti local people whose dialect is spoken and understood by the majority of the population. The other group were the Hakka 'guest people' or 'strangers' who are said to have originated from northern China, and settled in Guangdong and Hong Kong in the 18th and 19th centuries. Then there were the fishing people, the Hoklos originating from Fujian province, and the Tankas or sui seung yan, who, in the past, had lived their whole lives afloat on the small sampans and junks moored along the coast of Guangdong and Hong Kong. All these groups used baby carriers, but the styles differed particularly between the land and boat dwellers.
Traditionally the carrier was made from a decorated square of cloth, with long strips of fabric extending from the corners of the square to form straps. The child was placed against the woman's back as she leaned over, with the feet encircling her waist, and the carrier laid on top. Two straps were brought over her shoulders and two more went under the child's legs and under the woman's arms, to tie in a knot at her chest. As the family grew, it became the turn of older girls to carry the younger siblings (Fig 1).
It had been the custom for the grandmother to make a carrier to greet the new offspring. This carrier, and subsequent ones were lovingly made by hand in spare moments when the woman was not tending to the farming, or cooking the evening meal while sailing off to distant fishing grounds. If the woman did not have sewing skills she would order the carriers from a neighbourhood seamstress. Despite the little education most women had received, the designs and colours were lively and varied, and each carrier was unique.
Different Styles of Carriers
Baby Carriers used in the 19th and early 20th century were quite large, measuring as much as 60cm overall. The centre panel, approximately 35cm square, was embroidered or left plain. Two wide straps made of calendared cotton or hemp, dyed black or indigo blue, extended about 110cm at each edge along top and bottom of the carrier.
96
numerous meandering vers
There were two main groups of land dwellers in the New Territories, the largest being the Cantonese or Punti local people whose dialect is spoken and understood by the majority of the population The other group were the Hakka guest people' oi 'strangers' who are said to have originated from northern China, and settled in Guangdong and Hong Kong in the 18th and 19th centuries Then there were the fishing people, the Hoklos originating from Fujian province, and the Tankas or sui seung yan, who, in the past, had lived their whole lives afloat the small sampans and junks moored along the coast of Guangdong and Hong Kong All these groups used baby carriers, but the styles differed particularly between the land and boat dwellers
Traditionally the carrier was made from a decorated square of cloth, with long strips of fabric extending from the corners of the square to form straps The child was placed against the woman s back as she leaned over, with the feet encircling her waist, and the camer laid on top Two straps were brought over her shoulders and two more went under the child's legs and under the woman s arins, to tie in a knot at her chest. As the family grew, it became the turn of older girls to cany the younger siblings (Fig 1)
It had been the custom for the grandmother to make a carrier to greet the new offspring. This carrier, and subsequent ones were lovingly made by hand in spare moments when the woman was not tending to the farming, or cooking the evening meal while sailing off to distant fishing grounds. If the woman did not have sewing skills she would order the carriers from a neighbourhood seamstress. Despite the little education most women had received, the designs and colours were lively and varied, and each carrier was unique
Different Styles of Carriers
Baby Carriers used in the 19th and early 20th century were quite large, measuring as much as 60cm overall The centre panel approximately 35cm square, was embroidered or left plain Two wide straps made of calendared cotton or hemp, dyed black of indigo blue, extended about 110cm at each edge along top and bottom of the carrier
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