A Cross-cultural Comparison Between Mongolian And North American Indian Costume Culture

Costume,as an important part of nonverbal communication,is the unique achievement of human beings and the perfect combination of material civilization and spiritual civilization.National costume is the window to the understanding of national culture.Through national costume,living customs,aesthetic taste,religious ideas and various cultural mentalities of a nation can be learned,which are in fact the components of cultural connotation of national costume.Mongolian costume is the product of nomadic civilization,but as a branch of early Mongols,North American Indian costume originates from agricultural civilization.Therefore,the purpose of this paper is to explore cultural differences between Mongolian and North American Indian costume,and on this basis to deeply analyze cultural characteristics of these two costumes and their underlying cultural psychology for the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.In order to fully understand Mongolian and North American Indian costume culture,the paper studies their practical applications and intrinsic values in their respective folk activities of Aobao Ceremony and Powwow Ceremony which are listed as intangible cultural heritage.Then,the method of comparative study is adopted to analyze the similarities of Mongolian and North American Indian costume culture,namely the enhancement of national cohesion,the advocacy of animism and the emphasis of the sense of ritual.What’s more,the paper emphatically discusses the differences between Mongolian and North American Indian costume culture from the aspect of color language,pattern application and collective unconsciousness.The former is in preference for white color,the patterns used for collective harmony and wolf nature while the latter is in favor of black color,the pattern used for individual expression and feather preference.As a symbol of national culture,Mongolian and North American Indian costume show their inner vitality,creativity and cohesion well.Deeply understanding and exploring the cultural connotation and differences of Mongolian and North American Indian costume is of instructive significance for the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind,especially in ecological construction and cultural exchange.