A shoulder pole, also called a carrying pole,[1] a milkmaid's yoke in the West, an auamo ki'i in Hawaii,[2] and a biǎndan (Chinese: 扁担), is a yoke of wood or bamboo, used by people to carry a load. This piece of equipment is used in one of two basic ways:
It is still widely used in East Asian countries, and was once also used in the West, in particular by milkmaids. It has been used in the United States, Australia,[3] and Europe.
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The basic design is a wood or bamboo yoke, usually tapered.[4] From each end of the yoke, a load of equal mass is suspended. The load may be a basket of goods, pail of milk, water or other liquid, suspended on rope. The load may be hung directly from the yoke, without any rope.
The individual carries the device by balancing the yoke upon one or both shoulders. The Western milkmaid's yoke is fitted over both shoulders. However, the East Asian type is carried on one shoulder. This allows the wearer to orient the yoke along the path of travel, in order to more easily navigate crowded areas.[4]
Typically, the yoke is made of wood, and is carved to fit around the shoulders. Pails for carrying milk are suspended from metal chains.
Although obsolete in the West, this device is still widely used in East Asia, and is considered an icon of the region.
The yoke of this type is sometimes made of wood, but is usually made of bamboo. A large diameter piece of bamboo is used. It is split to produce a fairly flat piece, which is then tapered at each end. A notch is cut at the ends, similar in shape to an arrow head. This prevents the ropes from slipping off. The bamboo yoke is normally between 1 and 1.5 meters in length, and carried with the curved (outside surface) of the bamboo against the shoulder. Three ropes, about 0.5 metres each are attach the basket to the ends of the yoke.[5] Throughout China, the baskets usually include a cover. However, these are rarely used. They are normally kept inverted on the top of the baskets. The goods are placed within the inverted cover.
This device is not only used to transport goods, but is very commonly used as a point of sale. A vendor fills the baskets with goods, normally fruits and vegetables, a small stool, plastic bags, and a scale, and selects a roadside location in a place with plenty of foot traffic. There, they sell their goods. Often, they move from one place to another depending on sales.
The shoulder pole has distinct advantages over the vending cart, the other main manual conveyance of goods in East Asia. The shoulder pole can be transported within a motorized vehicle. It is common in China for a group of vendors to enter an urban area each morning in a truck from their village. From a central area, the vendors disburse, selling their goods. Later in the day, they return to the truck then to their village. Independent vendors are also often allowed to transport their shoulder poles on intercity buses, and can be seen entering cities to sell their goods.
This type requires two or more individuals supporting each end of the yoke, with the load suspended in the middle.
It is also used as a musical instrument for traditional folk dance by the Zhuang people.
A modern type is used to transport canoes. The gunwales of the inverted canoe rest upon the ends of the yoke. which is normally positioned slightly ahead of the centre of gravity of the vessel. This allows the bow to tip slightly upward when being transported, allowing the carrier to see where they are going.
