Ritual haircut, Basha Miao Gun Village, Guizhou Province, China

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Men in Basha go to great pains to maintain their distinctive hairstyle. It is achieved by shaving off all hair but that on the top of the head with a sharp sickle and coiling it into a topknot ( hugun, in the Miao language). In the old days it was braided into a queue but nowadays it it twisted into a topknot. The hugun signals masculinity and strength and has been worn for centuries.

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Size: 5000px × 3333px
Location: Basha Miao Gun Village, Guizhou Province, China
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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