Pattern

It seems that everywhere you look here there are patterns from encaustic tile, textiles, stenciled ornament on temples and everything in between. These are a few examples of patterns. Iève always noticed pattern and been interested in it so to have it all around me is a real treat. I find it stimulating and meditative and inspiring all at the same time.

Ethnographic Museum

We went to an ethnographic and textile museum today. There were terrific displays and short films to watch. we took a lot of pictures of the costumes and fabrics. The one abov was a decorative edge for a hand woven ,indigo dyed, mosquito net which was so beautiful. It hung as if from a four poster bed with the decoration on the top and it resembled a lovely tent. It also provides a bit of privacy in a home where generations of family live together. Notice the silk worm cocoons used at the top of the tassels. Laos is home to nearly 50 different ethnic groups and sub goups all with differnt dress.

Check out the picture of the needle cases. The bluie one is a great modern adaptation of a traditioal thing. Itès made with bic pen tops!
the picture of the fuschia colored headdress is a crown worn during a wedding ceremony. All the metal is handmade and silver.

There is one ethnic group that from an oral tradition the men can recite their family tree back 60 generations. Today some of the groups only wear traditional dress for ceremonial or special occasions
and others are adapting to some machine made or manufactured components. Amongst the Hmong some make money by sending traditional clothing and implements overseas to family members for resale. There are over 200,000 Hmong in the US alone.

A Weaver in Ban Xang Khong

Yesterday we crossed a river over a bamboo foot bridge and hiked to a craft village to visit a local weaver. She told us that the original of her buildings was her mothers. It was a lovely french colonial building with a classic mustard color. The bottom of this was a gallery and she lived in the upper level. In front of this was an open air building containing four looms and a variety of hand weaving tools like spinning wheels and other implements. All really rustic considering the very fine quality of the work.
Across a small lane was a new building she designed in keeping with the colonial home, open to the rafters and using old timber and beams. It housed another gallery.
On the other side of this was a delightful and serene garden with a small kitchen house fronted by a shady verandah housing a low table and cushions. Over the railing of the verandah were the peels of oranges hung to dry later to be burned as a mosquito repellant.
She invited us to take tea in her garden on the verandah and served us roasted peanuts with bits of lemon grass in them .
Everywhere you looked it was a visual feast. There were many antique Laos implememts and baskets and lots of other wonderful things. Everything was placed in such a pleasing manner, in fact she had it in spades. She spoke wonderful english which she taught herself , no easy feat. She was 31 years old.
Many Laos weavers now use commercially spun fibres and chemical dyes. They are also using part cotton and part silk to keep the prices lower. Her work was all handspun silk and the bulk of it was colored using natural dyes. She does all the dying, most of the spinning and some of the weaving. She designs everything and employs some village women to do some of the spinning and weaving providing local employment.
We bought two gorgeous vegetable dyed scarves to keep us warm as it's quite chilly morning and evening here.
After an afternoon of sharing stories while she played with her cats and tended to a few passers by we reluctantly left in flurry of goodbyes. We got the feeling we could have stayed for days and it would have been just fine with her.........

Thaton Temple

We're in northern Laos right now but prior to crossing the Mekhong to Laos we hopped around northern Thailand near the Burmese Border, staying only a day in each place. This is partly to se more and partly because the travel itself,, although uncomfortable at times, is really fun in the trucks and local buses.
One stop was Thaton where we visited the only contemporary temple we've been in on our travels. Like most temples in the mountains it's high on a hill. After a arduous walk up one is always rewarded with spectacular views.
This temple was extraordinary. The architecture was not something we had seen before, layers of circular shapes on top of each other with a beautiful spire. The colors were pinks and golds and shades of blue.
Inside was flooded with natural light and it had a spiral ramp along the inside nearly reaching the top. There were four levels, each with an outside terrace , an inner perimeter filled with alcoves and a central sanctuary.
The temple was obviously influenced by a Chinese asthetic. The niches or alcoves each highlighted a beautiful Bhudda or porcelain figurines and wood fired pottery.
The giant dragon Naga was on the temple grounds. the picture of the cottage type place was about half way up the hill and was the living quarters for the monks.
It is Customary for young Bhuddist men to enter the temple for a period of time as a teenager or young adult. A wonderful young man we made friends with in Chaingmai spent three years as a monk from the age of 16 to 19. He said at the time he was not happy about it but in retrospect he is happy to have done it saying it prepared him to be a good husband and parent. He also said that now it is less customary for an extended time and is done for a short obligatory time like perhaps three months. He spent some time at this temple during his three years. You do see a lot of young novice monks but they are often from poor village families and it's seen as a way to get an education and a way to learn english which can greatly improve one's ability to earn a living latter on.
Later in the evening we spent the evening under the stars with a Belgian couple sitting four abreast, eating a fine meal and gazing up at the spectacle of the temple lit at night.