The following is an article we read recently in the online Vientiane Times. What the president of the Huaphan handicraft group, Mrs Bouaphanh Chanhthachith is talking about is very true. We've spent a lot of time up in Huaphan Province the last three years, primarily in Sam Neua, Muang Vaen, Sam Tai and Sop Bao, and with the remoteness of this province it's very hard for weavers to market their textiles. There can be a handicrafts group like Bouaphanh talks about, but the reality is most weavers don't belong. There are informal cooperatives and more formal galleries (Nuaykeo) in Sam Neua and Sam Tai, but they still probably represent only a minority of all the weavers in this province.
It takes a lot of effort (and depending on mode of transportation, money) to either get to Sam Neua from Vientiane or get to Vientiane from Sam Neua. And for the foreseeable future, with the lack of a "real" airport, most tourists will not include Sam Neua in their itinerary, though if they are textile aficionados they should because really Huaphan Province represents the heart and soul of weaving in Laos, and some of the best weaving as is referenced in the article, comes out of Huanphan Province.
We carry a lot of gorgeous Huaphan textiles, from various galleries, towns and weavers, and we are just waiting for people to discover our Naga and Bird Silk Scarves (As seen in the photo above) we had custom designed and woven for us this last year. The weaving techniques, the motifs, the quality of the silk all represent the best weaving, and these are woven in a gem of a weaving village, Muang Vaen. Here's the article:
Huaphan Handicraft Group Needs Support
A handicraft group in Huaphan province
has started to see the benefits textile weaving has made to the province's
income, but workers need more funding to improve their handicraft activities. The
President of the Huaphan handicraft group, Mrs Bouaphanh Chanhthachith, said
recently handicraft activities, particularly textiles, have generated a lot of
interest from many people in Laos and overseas.
The handicraft group was established in
2007 and is a member of the Lao Handicraft Association and is a non-profit
organisation founded in 1998 under the supervision of the Lao National Chamber
of Commerce and Industry.
Mrs Bouaphanh said the group was not
strong enough to attract handicraft makers to work together in a larger group
which consists of four sections: textiles, bamboo and rattan, wood carving, and
pottery. “These sections are not
promoted much because people in the four groups have limited funds for
developing their activities. People in the four groups have a low income. We've
been faced with many difficulties in developing handicrafts in Huaphan province
in the past and at present,” she said.
“If we had more money, the work would
boom and more people in the province would have jobs. This would mean the
province would have more income from the sale of handicrafts.”
Of these four categories, weaving was
particularly successful and had boosted the reputation of Huaphan province. “We've
won various prizes from several national handicraft contests. This year is a
special year for us. Huaphan province won the Top Award at The Asean Fashion
Show in Bangkok, Thailand. This award generated a positive image for our
country, textile weavers in Huaphan province and handicraft groups in Laos in
general,” she said.
Mrs Bouaphanh said she wanted the
provincial authorities to provide better support for the handicraft group. She
said in the past, the authorities had made an effort to help but that more
assistance was needed.
The tax on handicraft activities is
quite high, and borrowing money from the bank is difficult because of the high
interest rates, she said.
“I think the interest rate should be lower,
as well as the taxes we have to pay,” she said.
“We would like the provincial
authorities to deduct loan interest and taxes for us because then group members
would be able to borrow money from the bank to develop their product range.”
She also said the group welcomes all
organizations that would like to promote handicraft activities in Huaphan
province.
“Promoting handicrafts means helping
low income families to have a better standard of living,” she said.
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