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“Interweaving Traditions:
Chinese Minority Costume and Jewelry”
with
Alex Stewart
Director, Education and Outreach,
San
Diego Chinese Historical Museum
and Doctoral Candidate
The
colorful and intricate costumes of the Miao, Dong and other minority groups
of southwestern China set them apart from the Han majority and convey a
cultural essence that cannot be captured in words. In order to reveal the
full significance of these ornate outfits and the craftsmanship that produce
them, this presentation will discuss how these people settled in the rugged
terrain of Guizhou Province, became gradually integrated into the Chinese
empire, and managed to maintain many customs that dramatically contrast with
the Han majority. Exploring the tremendous diversity among Miao groups will
also provide an overview of some painstaking embroidery techniques that are
rapidly disappearing. Focusing on the cultural context of these textiles
will reveal how they capture the history of groups that traditionally lacked
written languages and preserve ancient ways of life that are rapidly
disappearing. The lecture is in
conjunction with the exhibition “Interwoven Traditions: Chinese Minority
Costume and Jewelry” at the museum.
Alex Stewart has worked at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum since
2005, as docent and then education coordinator. He holds an M.A. in
Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego, and a B.A. in
Anthropology with a minor in Chinese language and literature from The George
Washington University. He has studied at Nanjing University and traveled
extensively in China. Currently, he is preparing for his doctoral
dissertation field research on Chinese Islamic education in Linxia Hui
Autonomous Prefecture while also teaching for the Making of the Modern World
writing program at UCSD’s Eleanor Roosevelt College and running the museum’s
Education and Outreach Program. He often represents the museum on local
television news programs, has co-curated several exhibitions and given
lectures at their openings, and he has spoken to numerous local
organizations such as the San Diego Museum of Art Asian Arts Council, the
UCSD Alumni Association Diversity
Committee, and the San Diego Archeological Center.
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