A Nyaheun village headman wears traditional Nyaheun clothing in the village of Xe Namnoi in Attapu Province

Photographer

Sage, William

Date

• 1970

Summary

• This Nyaheun man is the headman (phoban) of the Nyaheun village of Xe Namnoi (XB7459) in Attapu Province. He poses standing on the porch of his house before the doorway wearing a traditional loincloth ( known as "katiao" in the Nyaheun language), which is a black, back weave with red and white designs woven into the cloth. Some white beads are also woven in as part of the design, and there is red cotton fringe on the edges of the loincloth. The fringe and more elaborate woven designs usually mean a person of higher status, such as a village headman or sub-district chief (tasseng). The katiao was once worn by most Nyaheun men on the Boloven Plateau, but by 1970 very few men still did. The strand of large ceramic beads and brass decorations draped across his chest is typically worn by only men of higher status. The beads are white and blue. The cloth draped across his chest and the wrap over his shoulder are not traditional. On the left is a basket used for carrying tools or items from the field. Next to it is a earthenware jar which probably contains fish sauce.