However, the Cham sew the cloth into a tube and add a waistband that is usually made of plain cotton cloth (often red or white).

 

The weft Ikat patterned silk cloth of the Chau Doc Cham is clearly adopted from the Khmer, although the motifs appear to be different. The warp Ikat patterned cloth; however, is an interesting hybrid. The warp Ikat technique itself is obviously linked to the warp Ikat tradition also found in Phan Rang, although here the cloth is used for male attire, whereas in Phan Rang it is for female dress. The checked pattern, likewise, is clearly derived from Malay male fashion.

But, unlike the simple warp Ikat dashes of the Phan Rang cloth, that of Chau Doc sometimes features much more elaborate patterns, including wavy lines, large and small diamonds, and a motif said to represent some kind of flower. It is possible that such elaboration reflects the influence of Khmer weft Ikat patterning which covers large open spaces rather than being confined to narrow bands.

Warp Ikat patterned textiles are also found among several groups in the Central Highlands of Vietnam (this material is covered in greater detail in Howard and Howard 2002b).

 

There are essentially three warp Ikat traditions in the Central Highlands:

 

1. that of the Koho of Lam Dong Province and neighboring Mnong Bih of Dak Lak Province and possibly the Chru of Lam Dong Province;
2. that of the Brao of Kon Tum Province; and
3. that of the Bahnar and Regnao who live primarily in Kon Tum Province.

All three of these traditions appear to have developed as a result of contact with the lowland Cham, but with Cham in different regions. There are ancient traditions of trade between the Cham and such highlands peoples. Included in the items traded by the Cham are textiles.

The term Koho (or K'ho) is used to refer to about a dozen related small groups living primarily in Lam Dong Province. We have come across warp Ikat patterning only among three subgroups of Koho:

1. the Koho Lach, who live in the eastern part of the province near Dalal;
2. the Koho Sre, who live in the central part of the province on the Di Linh Plateau; and
3. the Koho Nop, who live in the western part of the province to the southwest of Bao Lac.

It is certainly possible, however, that in the past other sub-groups of Koho also wove warp Ikat patterned cloth. The type of warp Ikat patterning found among the Koho consists of simple dashes within stripes on women's wraparound skirts. These are similar to the patterning is found on textiles of the Ph an Rang Cham and they reflect the history of close relations between the Cham of Phan Rang and the Koho of the adjacent highlands.

It is interesting that Malayo-Polynesian speaking peoples of the Central Highlands generally do not use the warp Ikat technique. The only exception that I know of is the Bih sub-group of Rade who live in Krong A Na District the southern part of Dak Lak province. Warp Ikat patterning among the Bih is found only on one type of wrap-around skirt, the type known as a yeng sut, which is worn for dances. This type of skirt employs numerous decorative techniques with warp Ikat patterning being limited to a thin black and white warp Ikat patterned stripe running down the center. It is possible that these warp Ikat stripes represent the only surviving examples of a once more wide-spread tradition of warp Ikat weaving among highland Malayo-Polynesian speakers. It is more likely, however, that it reflects influence from the lowland Cham of Phan Rang via Dak Lak province.

I have also encountered a wrap-around skirt with relatively simple warp Ikat patterning from the Malayo-Polynesian speaking Chru of Don Duong District, Lam Dong Province.