Happy Woman Day!

Today, March 8th, is International Women's Day.  It's not really celebrated in New Zealand, and I had never heard of it before.  In Vietnam, however, it seems to be a proper commercial holiday just like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.  There signs proclaiming 'Happy Woman Day!' in all the shop windows.

(For Valentines Day this year I got a box set of nature DVDs.  I wonder what Women's Day will bring me?)

Fittingly, then, we went to the Southern Women's Museum on Saturday. What a cool museum!  One of the best we've seen in Vietnam so far.

Take home message - Vietnamese women are mothers and fighters

You are greeted at the entrance by 30 foot high statue of an old woman.  It's not a subject that is widely represented in public artworks - so I thought she was extra special.

I really like the way her legs are
clearly outlined beneath her trousers. 
She is very strong.

Old mother has no teeth but she is not stooped

The first floor of the museum is all about costumes and womens work in making textiles.  I love textile arts, and so this whole floor was wonderful to me. There were all sorts of different looms on display...

Reed mat loom

Reed mat on the loom

Fine silk loom

Silk loom detail

Skeins of silk being stretched before being used on the next...

Loom for making traditional rough silk woven textiles

And the finished product...