My friend James, who was once a textile dealer, sent over 3 boxes of his collections for me to have a look last week. This is always exciting and enjoyable! He used to spend long weekends in some of the remote villages in Northern Thailand, looking out for fine quality handwoven textiles, both new and old. Here are some of the pieces that I particularly like, mostly silk ikat from Luang Namtha in Northern Laos. These pieces were collected slightly less than a decade ago, but now none are to be found should one were to return to these villages. When I visited with a local friend some seven years ago, most of the weavers we came across were in their 50s, and those were the 'young' ones. In one village, we saw women working under a tin roof structure. I imagine the heat inside must be a strain on those hot days in the early months of the year. It is possible that many of these weavers might have retired, due to age or perhaps life's condition has improved. The younger generations, however, have either left home or in search of more interesting pursuits. Young weavers aren't that many around. Dealers and collectors were caught by surprise, in quick succession the disappearance of the craft in these villages. One can't help but to lament the loss.
