Weaving for Laos women still a matter of survival

VIENTIANE, Laos (JP): Women in Laos have managed to maintain their sources of power over the years, though some fear that modernization may erode their traditionally strong position in society.

Mechanization in agriculture and land legislation have contributed to the marginalization of women. Equally alarming is the impact of development on weaving. Changing trends and market demands have led to greater creativity and the development of new skills.

Foreign investment, better production facilities and increased access to market outlets have weakened indigenous women's position in the weaving industry. Machine-spun yarns are affecting women's weaving activities, and chemical dyes tend to be used instead of natural colors from insects, leaves, bark, seeds and roots. New tastes emerging from increased international contact and communication may make it necessary to redesign the motifs traditionally based on ethnic, legendary and mythical features. Also, quality must be improved.

Weaving has traditionally been a woman's affair. Not only does she weave to dress the whole family, she also does so to supplement her husband's income. When hit by a disaster, weaving is the only tool to help the family survive. A case in point is Ban Vieng Xai, a village located in Vientiane Province, 150 km north of Vientiane Municipality.

Loes Schenk-Sandbergen and Outhaki Choulamany-Khamphoui, two researchers supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bangkok, wrote a report about how women and girls have had to weave to save their families from starvation. In 1993, heavy rains destroyed a local dam. The farmers only had food for four months, as rice cultivation was failing. There was no water and they needed a new dam. The farmers sold everything to get loans from the rice bank at huge interest rates, which had to be paid back on time. Weaving day and night, the women and girls managed to produce enough skirts and cash to help their families survive. Interestingly, men took care of all the household activities to allow women more time for weaving.

In many ethnic groups in Laos, a woman's life is spent weaving clothes, blankets, mosquito nets, baby carriers and items for decoration and ceremonies, according to researcher Douang Deuane Bounyavong. In fact, women's weaving goes beyond the act of weaving, as they are also responsible for the production of cotton and silk through the planting and raising of silk worms.

A one-time activist of the Laos Women's Union, she is a researcher and connoisseur of traditional Lao textiles, and knowledgeable of their cultural linkages and intrinsic meanings. Together with Bandit Pathoumvanh and Chanthone Chanthachit, Bounyavong authored the book Infinite Designs, The Art of Silk, published in 1995 by the LWU with support from the Swedish International Development Agency.

Weavers have enjoyed assistance from the Laos Women's Union, a mass organization with branches in even the remotest areas. Revolving funds, technical assistance, and adequate sales outlets should help preserve authentic Lao weaving as it has merged with other cultural traits.

The building of the Laos Women's Union houses their shop, where traditional weaving patterns are displayed and items are for sale. Tourists will find information on the backgrounds and origins of various patterns. Of course, they cannot expect to see a sample of every ethnic variety, as that could take up a whole building.

Also in the shop, people who take an interest in women and gender related issues will find some interesting publications on sale.

There are numerous basic weaving techniques in Laos, some similar to those in neighboring countries. This is not surprising, considering the movement of ethnic groups in the region according to the political history of the country. Even Javanese are said to have been among the prehistoric inhabitants of Laos. That was in 5,000 B.C. and is just an illustration of how many cultures now belonging to a separate nation must have wandered together over the vast land that now constitutes Southeast Asia.

Recently, advanced weaving knowledge has added an additional dimension to the art of weaving in Laos. So far, there is only one person supporting its promotion, Carol Cassidy, an American and one-time consultant who established Lao Textiles in 1990.

Everyone in the neighborhood seems to know where Carol Cassidy's shop is. The house is a kind of colonial building with high ceilings. More a modern gallery than a shop, its interior reflects a western taste. The display is professional, with an orientation toward the elite. The textiles on display are exquisite works of contemporary art with a tendency towards the abstract, suitable to hang on the walls of a mansion or around the shoulders of the rich and beautiful. The designs are abstract, with apparent Thai inspiration.

The prices are high, starting from US$85 for a shawl to several thousand dollars for pieces that can take six months to weave. They are exported to several countries, including Hong Kong and New York. (Cebe Tadjoedin)