Photos: Chinese girls sport their ancestors’ hair for Lunar New year

On February 14, girls and women of the Long Horn Miao ethnicity sported large headpieces made from the hair of their ancestors and wore intricately patterned dresses as they danced in the Guizhou province of southwest China during the annual flower festival or 'Tiaohuajie.’ The festival is held on the 10th day of the Lunar New Year. The headpieces are passed down through generations and worn on a number of occasions to honour their ancestors and preserve their traditions.

Updated on: Feb 20, 2019 2:44 PM IST

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Girls from the Long Horn Miao, a branch of the Miao ethnic minority group, prepare to take part in the annual flower festival or 'Tiaohuajie' in the village of Longjia in China's Guizhou province. - Against a stunning mountain backdrop, dozens of girls and women of the Long Horn Miao ethnicity performed for the annual celebration held in Guizhou province on the 10th day of the Lunar New Year -- the Year of the Pig. (Fred Dufour / AFP )

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A woman puts make-up on children before they attend the annual flower festival. The Miao ethnic minority is made up of some nine million people, mostly found in China’s south-west. Of those, around 5,000 “Long Horn Miao” live in just a dozen isolated villages in Guizhou. (Fred Dufour / AFP)

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A girl poses for a photo in her wig and traditional costume prior to taking part in the annual flower festival. These headpieces are passed down through generations and worn on a number of occasions to honour their ancestors and preserve their traditions. (Fred Dufour / AFP)

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A girl gets her wig set prior to the festival. The towering black headdresses of the dancers are made from wool, string and the hair of their ancestors, and wrapped around animal horns with white fabric. (Fred Dufour / AFP)

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Girls participate in the annual flower festival or 'Tiaohuajie' in the village of Longjia in China's Guizhou province. The festival was held on Thursday, February 14, the 10th day of the Lunar New Year. (Fred Dufour / AFP)

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“It’s really special to be at the centre of attention like this. I feel quite proud,” said Yang Yunzheng, 16. “We organise this festival once a year when we wear these headpieces. That doesn’t change with modernisation”. (Fred Dufour / AFP)

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Onlookers watch the performance with smartphones in their hands as the women swirl across a meadow, wearing dresses and jackets embroidered with pink roses and geometric patterns. (Fred Dufour / AFP)