06 Oct Journal 10. Back to the roots

After three years away from China, her “country of heart”, our co-founder Pauline shares her experience of returning to the mountains of Guizhou, to the heart of the Dong people’s wisdom, where it all began for DEYI 德逸.

I left Guizhou for the last time in January 2020, to present our ethical fashion collection at Madrid Fashion Week. At that time, my heart was full of hope – it was the birth of our project. I had no idea that we were about to experience one of the greatest pandemics in history. We were going to be obliged to be isolated, separated from each other, far from Nature… far from the very essence of DEYI 德逸. 

Our ambition has always been to bring different communities together around values we hold dear: respect for Nature, cultural diversity and the celebration of indigenous heritage & wisdom. For three years, I thus continued to make the voices of Dong women resonate in Europe within the exhibitions and artistic projects I developed with precious collaborators. It was not without its difficulties, but I never doubted for a second that I would continue this mission. It’s a true life mission, a call from the heart. 

I moved to Beijing at the end of June 2023, a few days before my birthday. My return to the land that inspires me so much was undoubtedly the greatest gift life could offer to me. Of course, what I was the most excited for was being able to go back to Guizhou in Rongjiang county, to the remote Dong villages where our weavers live… Which I did a few days later, with a heart full of gratitude. I cannot find the words to express the magic of the moment I returned to our workshop. It was a solemn, suspended experience.

Mountain views from our workshop. Photography by Noémie Kadaner

FEELING HOME

The generosity of the Dong women never ceases to move me during my journey through the remote Dong villages. We are welcomed into the families as if we were part of them, always welcomed with joy and lightness, at the core of authenticity. Soothed by the songs and laughter of the Dong women, breathing in the fragrance of the indigo baths, I feel more at home than ever. Feeling home on the other side of the world… I often wonder about this feeling. Why do I feel so connected to a culture so different from my own? Why do I feel at home in an environment so far from where I grew up? I think there is a kind of universality in the way of life of the Dong indigenous women that touches me deeply. They live by the rhythm of the seasons, in simplicity, helping each other. They invite us to reconnect with the Essential, with what really matters.

View of the Dong village of Zengying. Photography by Noémie Kadaner

SO BEAUTIFUL, YET SO FRAGILE

During this journey, I became even more aware of the fragility of the Dong people’s ancestral way of life. Their textile craftsmanship of unequaled beauty, their healing songs, their sacred rituals… A whole culture is threatened to disappear in the era of technology and modernity. Many of the villages we explored are deserted by young people. They are leaving for the big cities to make a living, as they can no longer earn a living from traditional handicrafts as their ancestors did. At the same time, major touristic projects are being developed in Guizhou to share the culture of the Miao, Yao & Dong minorities with a large community. Although this is a noble mission, many villages that open up to tourism lose their authenticity and soul. Some villages are transformed into decor for tourists and influencers, who dress in so-called traditional costumes made in fast-fashion factories.

Fortunately, some villages remain protected, such as the sublime Dong village of Zengying, where many of the weavers from our textile cooperative live. They work from home, so they can look after their children and/or grandchildren in the heart of Nature, just like their ancestors. Today, more than a dozen Dong families rely on us to make a decent living from their craft. These families have no other income than the sale of their exceptional handmade fabrics. If you wish to support our cooperative of women, please write to us (contact@deyi-living.com). In addition to selling our clothes and textile decorations made from Dong fabrics, we also sell rolls of fabric directly.

From left to right : Yang Yi (textile cooperative coordinator), Zhang Xing & Pauline (Deyi co-founders) & Grandma Wu (Dong artisan). Photography by Noémie Kadaner

NEW BEGINNING

I come back from this journey feeling fully aligned, infinitely grateful, and more aware than ever of the need to pursue our ethical project. My memories with the Dong women, in the heart of the rice fields, are countless and ineffable, as well as so rich in teachings. The desire to share this sanctuary of beauty and spirituality is immense. Today, we are still reflecting on how to do this in the most ethical, authentic and responsible way possible. We want to weave together initiatory journeys and artistic residencies, far from the tourist circuits, at the very core of the Dong women’s wisdom.

This summer, I had the pleasure of inviting my sisters, Amélie & Marie, and Noémie, my sister at heart, photographer and filmmaker, to our workshops. Together, with our Dong sisters, we prayed, sang, danced, laughed, tasted delicious food, dyed fabrics… celebrating the magic of the present moment, carried by the energy of Nature and the ancestors. Each of us left with the soul filled with love, waiting to return to these sacred mountains.

Pauline, Zhang Xing & Yang Yi at the workshop. Photography by Noémie Kadaner

Thanks to our dear friend and collaborator, Noémie Kadaner, for these precious photos.

Article written by Pauline Ferrières