Miao women sport their ancestors’ hair for Chinese New Year in Guizhou Province

Girls with large headpieces made from the hair of their ancestors and wearing intricately patterned dresses danced in isolated villages in Southwest China to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Against a stunning mountain backdrop, dozens of girls and women of the Long Horn Miao ethnicity performed for the annual flower festival or tiaohuajie, held in Guizhou Province on Thursday.

Onlookers watched – smartphones in hand – as the women swirled across a meadow, wearing dresses and jackets embroidered with pink roses and geometric patterns.

But it was the towering black headdresses of the dancers that really stood out – made from wool, string and the hair of their ancestors, and wrapped around animal horns with white fabric.

“It’s really special to be at the center of attention like this. I feel quite proud,” said Yang Yunzheng, 16.

The Miao ethnic minority is made up of some 9 million people, mostly found in Southwest China. Of those, around 5,000 “Long Horn Miao” live in just a dozen isolated villages in Guizhou.

Their headpieces are passed down through generations and worn on a number of occasions to honor their ancestors and preserve their traditions.

The festival is held on the 10th day of the Chinese New Year.