苗族服饰纹样,至今保留了大量的历史信息和图腾意象,其中“蝴蝶纹”是施洞地区最具有代表性意义的苗族图腾符号。以“蝴蝶”为母题的纹样造型丰富多变,被大量的运用在服饰中,是对“母亲”始祖和生殖崇拜的象征物,这与当地流传的“蝴蝶传说”以及《苗族古歌》中的“妹榜妹留”“蝴蝶妈妈”形象相互呼应。服饰“蝴蝶”图腾纹样和《苗族古歌》中的“蝴蝶”形象,组成了对女性始祖崇拜的信仰体系。“蝴蝶”符号在施洞苗族地区尤其是女性群体中具有重要的教育人类学意义,它促使女性完成了从个体到社会化“母亲”角色的转变,同时也加强了族群认同的意识,并且使刺绣和制衣工艺开始向专门化和职业化的方向发展。
The patterns on the Miao costumes retain a lot of historical information and totem symbols, of which the butterfly pattern is the most representative totem symbol on the Miao clothing in the area of Shi- dong town. There are plenty of clothing decorated with these diverse butterfly patterns. The totem symbol of these butterfly patterns stands for the power of maternal strain and reproductive worship. It derives from its local "butterfly legend" and "Mais Bangx Mais Lief" and "Butterfly Mother" of The Miao's Ancient Songs. The pattern of Butterflies plays an important role for women in the process of education in Shidong, because it takes part in the women transformation from girl to mother. Meanwhile, it enables the embroidery and clothing techniques to become more and more professional, and promotes the inhabitants' consciousness of ethnic identity.