Workshop — Indigo Cat

The Workshop - A unique experience

You’ll be amazed at how much fun batik can be—even if it’s your first time!

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn a traditional technique using wax to draw patterns on fabric.

Then, watch your design come to life as we dip it into beautiful, natural indigo dye. It’s creative, relaxing, and perfect for both kids and adults.

Come explore this ancient art form and take home your own unique indigo creation.

Fee: 500'000 vnd (~20 USD) per person

The price includes a skilled teacher, a 40 x 40 cm piece of cotton fabric, wax and the full indigo dyeing process.

After the wax is boiled out, you’ll have a beautiful handmade souvenir from your stay in Sapa.

Our classes take place every day, either in the morning or in the afternoon. They last around 2 to 2.5 hours.

For any reservations, feel free to visit us directly at our shop, or use our contact form.

Symbolism in Hmong Folk Art

Learning an ancestral technique is, of course, an enriching experience — but Indigo Cat wanted to go further: to give you the keys to understanding the symbols.

In Hmong art, symbols are everywhere. Long before most people could read or write, shapes, patterns, and colors told stories — if you knew how to read them. Every detail carried meaning. With the “right dictionary,” a piece of fabric could become a message. These designs often reflect the natural world, spiritual beliefs, or collective cultural memory.

👉 Click on a symbol to reveal its meaning.

Snail Spiral

Symbolizes: Family, growth, generations, ancestral lineage

Meaning: The spiral shape of the snail represents the ongoing cycle of life. The center of the coil stands for the ancestors, while each outer ring symbolizes new generations expanding outward — all connected.

Centipede

Symbolizes: Healing, protection, resilience

Meaning: Centipedes are respected in Hmong tradition for their medicinal qualities and are believed to carry healing power. Their presence in textiles may represent well-being, protection from illness, or strength in recovery.

Rooster Leg

Symbolizes: Protection, vigilance, awakening

Meaning: The rooster is seen as a bold protector of the household — alert, loud, and ready to fight. In Hmong tradition, it also represents the bird who calls the sun to rise, linking it to renewal and life cycles. Its symbol usually focuses on the rooster’s leg, emphasizing its strength and readiness.

Crab

Symbolizes: Protection, balance, control of natural forces

Meaning: The crab plays a vital role in the balance of nature. It is believed to cover the opening to the sky, the place where floodwaters flow. As such, the crab symbolizes containment, stability, and the prevention of chaos — guarding the threshold between the earth and the heavens.

Bird Wings

Symbolizes: Omen, spiritual warning, disturbance

Meaning: In Hmong tradition, if a bird flies into a house and roosts, it is seen as a bad omen — a sign that something troubling may happen, or that spirits are trying to send a warning. The symbol often focuses on the bird’s wings, representing this message from the spirit world.

Elephant Hoof

Symbolizes: Strength, respect, spiritual guidance

Meaning: Elephants are honored for their strength and dignity. In some Hmong beliefs, they help guide the spirits of the dead to the afterlife. A specific black hoof mark represents this spiritual role, and may also indicate which family member has passed — such as a mother, father, sister, or brother.

Spider

Symbolizes: Healing, respect for nature, quiet protection

Meaning: In Hmong homes, spiders are not removed or killed. Their webs are valued for their healing properties, especially for stopping small wounds from bleeding. The spider symbolizes gentle protection, natural wisdom, and the hidden helpers in daily life.

Triangle

Symbolizes: Protection, strength, boundaries, the natural world

Meaning: Triangles are one of the most widely used shapes in Hmong textile art. They can represent many things — such as teeth, fish scales, mountains, fences, or spiritual barriers. Often, they are used to protect good spirits and keep evil spirits away, serving as both a symbol of defense and a connection to the natural world.

Diamond in a Square

Symbolizes: The home altar, mountains, divine presence

Meaning: This shape is often seen as a sacred symbol. It represents the family altar — the spiritual center of the home — and can also symbolize mountains, or even the footprint of a powerful protective spirit. Its layered meaning connects the physical world (home and land) with the spiritual realm.