http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338 <span class="large">Cottondyeing in an Akha village</span><br/><br/><span class="large">Akha people living in the mountain villages in Luang Namtha province grow their own cotton. They spin it by hand spindles, weave it into big sheets and then, once a year they dye it black.</span><br/><span class="large">I was visiting Ban Namat Mai in 2003 just when they prepared for the dyeing.</span><br/><span class="large">A Master Dyer from Muang Singh had arrived, walking for a day or more over the hills to reach the village, carrying his dye materials. </span><br/><span class="large">Near the little stream that serves the village as bathroom, water supply and laundry place, a fire was built, and half a 44 gallon drum set onto the fire and filled with water. The dyer mixed his ingredients in a plastic bucket, and added them to the water. When it boiled, the villagers carried their stacks of white material down to the river in bamboo baskets, and one by one they were dipped into the boiling vat. After a few minutes, they were fished out and allowed to dry.</span><br/><br/><span class="large">Ban Namat Mai had been on this spot in the forest for about 30 years. They arrived there because there original village had become too big, so the elders had decided in the early seventies that half the population of Ban Namat Gao, the original village six hours walking away, would come here and start a new village.</span><br/><span class="large">Since the dyeing was a once a year event, their relatives from Ban Namat Gao came to the party, carrying their own cotton to be dyed as well. Each family had their cotton weighed, and paid a certain amount per kilo to the dyer for the process. </span><br/><span class="large">Ther was a kind of festive atmosphere. The two villages are closely entertwined in terms of family bonds, and it was an occasion of much talk, food, joking and telling of stories. Some brought their work along, so while waiting they could continue to spin, crochet, or built little rattan stools, which could later be sold on the market in town.</span><br/><br/><span class="large">Unfortunately these villages don’t exist anymore in that location. </span><br/><span class="large">Ban Namat Gao relocated out of the protected area to a piece of land in the valley. They reluctantly did so in early 2004. Ban Namat Mai decided voluntarily to move closer to town in 2005. The move closer to town, to roads, electricity and television will no doubt have some impact on how there lifestyle develops. </span><br/><span class="large">I am pleased to have had an opportunity to visit them in their old location, and to record this process.</span><br/><br/><span class="large">Technical note for photographers:</span><br/><span class="large">In 2002/2003, I used Sony Cybershot 717, later 828. Some of the colour isn't as refined as my later portfolios shot on Canon 20 and 5D. Those shots in the Akha village portfolio that do not have exif data were shot on 35 mm Contax rangefinder, and scanned.</span> en-us (C) Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:11:00 GMT Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:20:00 GMT Laos Asia Travel and Places http://kees.zenfolio.com/img/s8/v0/p1051692804-10.jpg http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338 120 80 http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e3814D66C

]]>Firewood for the dyeing process was collected the previous day from the forest, and carried back to the village in these baskets.

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) The master dyer has arrived http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e2CA6E55D Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:18:33 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e2AA427E0

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) A small piece of cotton to test http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e22F7ED2A Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:15:12 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e2D45A33F

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Cotton being lowered into the vat http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e2D45A33F Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:12:48 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e21963294

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Cotton being lowered into the vat http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e21963294 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:13:06 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e2DECC1CD

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Stirring the pot http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e3EAF8F04 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:08:06 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e3E332DD2

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Waining for their turn http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e3E332DD2 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:08:48 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e37DBAB0F

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Sorting their material, waiting for their turn http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e37DBAB0F Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:09:39 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e2A604BF9

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Weighing the cotton http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e3BE95B2E Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:15:33 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e26D07A65

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Paying by the kilo http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e3B7CF9FC Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:16:25 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e38F683E8

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) The old village's turn has come http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e38F683E8 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:18:57 GMT http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e243171EC

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]]> kees.s@paradise.net.nz (Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos) Village head (L) with the Master Dyer (R) http://kees.zenfolio.com/p485886338/e370E4145 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 07:20:23 GMT