Thai Tribal Craft
Thai Tribal Crafts, based in Chiang Mai, markets handcrafts made by the "hill" tribes which migrated from China several generations ago to live in the mountains of northern Thailand, Burma, and Laos. They work with Karen, Lahu, Lisu, Akha, and Hmong tribes - each with its own unique culture and language.
Traditionally these tribal people have supported their families through slash and burn agriculture, requiring them to move their village every few years in search of new fields when old ones lost their fertility. It is no longer possible for them to continue this semi-nomadic lifestyle, as there are no new places to move on to, and the Thai Government now prohibits the felling of trees and clearing of hillside land. The tribal people are thus finding they have less and land on which to support their families. The production of handicrafts is an obvious answer to their problem, and one which also helps to restore and revive traditions which otherwise might have been lost.
The Lisu tribal community has about 28,000 members living in Thailand. They make vibrant coloured patchwork cloth items, and their Lisu outfits are trimmed with row upon row of multicoloured stripes, applique patchwork, tassels, and beadwork. The wealthier wear massive amounts of hand crafted silver ornaments for festive occasions.
One of the Lisu producer groups supplying TTC lives in a village called Ban Ton Lung, north of Chiang Mai. Phavinee Lao Yang leads this group of about 110 artisans, mostly women, who produce the traditional patterned cloth used in the makeup and jewellery purses below. After the cloth is produced in the village, it is taken to Chiang Mai where women working for TTC assemble the cloths and materials into the finished products. There are 15 skilled seamstresses in this Chiang Mai group, and the process of production with skilled and trained women at each step ensures Thai Tribal's products are always of the highest quality.