Crafting Laos and Cambodia the CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE: RESOURCE the CREATIVE the CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Crafting Andcambodia Laos the Creative Resource Guide

Crafting Laos and Cambodia THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE: RESOURCE THE CREATIVE THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Crafting andCambodia Laos The Creative Resource Guide:

ii CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Development Goals(SDGs) culture360.ASEF.org ISBN: 9789811416088 Akha Pouly Nyau silver headdress ©Traditional Ethnology ArtCenter (TAEC) All rightsreserved ©Cover photo credit: Download from culture360.ASEF.org All rightsreserved ©Asia-Europe May Foundation 2019 (ASEF), Inksurge Design Magali AnBERTHON Researcher Ms Valentina RICCARDI(ASEF) Series Editor www.ASEF.org F: +6568721135 T: +656874 9700 31 HengMuiKeng Terrace Singapore 119595 Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Published by: Crafting LaosandCambodia THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE:

contributes to thepursuit ofthe , particularly Goal16:

Sustainable portal willtake cultural cooperation betweenAsiaandEurope to awhole newlevel. across Asia and Europe. As a reference tool, and a place for dialogue, this exciting exchange interact ideas, andcollaborate withtheartsandcultural communities audiences are reached through itsvariousevents, networks andweb-portals. over 3,000 AsiansandEuropeans participate inASEF’s activities,andmuchwider and onlineplatforms, together withabout150partnerorganisations. Eachyear 100 activities,mainly conferences, seminars, workshops, lectures, publications, Meeting (ASEM).ASEFrunsmore than25projects ayear, consistingofaround located inSingapore. Founded in1997, itistheonly institutionoftheAsia-Europe ASEF is an intergovernmental and media. public health not-for-profit organisation

policy makers, culture360.ASEF.org isyour platform to inform, Created forandfuelled by artists,cultural practitioners and and enhancegreater understanding between thetworegions. stimulate thecultural engagement betweenAsiaandEurope Asia- Europe culture360.ASEF.org Foundation (ASEF). aimsto Meeting (ASEM)andmanaged by theCulture atthe Department culture360.ASEF.org isaportalinitiated by theAsia-Europe views of the European Union. ASEF’s partnerorganisations anddonotnecessarily reflect the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of ASEF, producedThis publicationwas withthefinancialsupportof

education, governance,education, economy, sustainable development, collaboration across thethematicareas ofculture, ASEF enhancesdialogue, enables exchanges andencourages the people, institutionsandorganisations ofAsiaandEurope. strengthens relationships andfacilitates cooperation among The Asia-Europe promotes Foundation understanding, (ASEF) iv CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Table of Contents Conclusion 41 Women inLaos&Cambodia Interview withChanthaNguon, co-founder ofMekong Blue Saoban 36 Lao Disabled Women Huey HongCentre forWomen’s SkillDevelopment Weaves ofCambodia Afesip Fair Fashion Cambodia Watthan Artisans Mulberries /Phontong-Camacrafts Nature Bag Mekong Quilts Fair Weave Chapter 3 Upcycling Initiatives inLaos&Cambodia Interview withEmiWeir, founderofMaTe Sai Bodia CambodianApothecary Kumae 22 Samatoa 21 Khang 20 ARTICLE 22 Chapter 2 About Silk Interview withEricStocker, master lacquerer Phaeng MaiGallery PopOck Tok Traditional ArtsandEthnology Center (TAEC) AngkorArtisans Caring forYoung KhmerWeaving Programme Chapter 1 Introduction 01 Preface VIII RECLAIMING HERITAGE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY BEYOND TRADITION

09 06 08

29 39 36 36 34 24 35 35 35 10 32 23 33 27 37 19

15 12 31 13 17 11 vi CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE 1 Ensure public access to informationandprotect fundamentalfreedoms, inaccordance withnational legislation andinternational agreements -http://indicators.report/targets/16-10/ Preface Singapore, May 2019 Senior Project Manager, ASEF Culture Department, Valentina RICCARDI merging arts,crafts anddesigninAsiaEurope. we look forward to continuingthisseriesnext year, withnew exciting initiatives We invite you to discover newcrafting initiatives inCambodiaandLaoPDR and contributes to the Agenda 2030, particularly SDG16.1 (accessto information) in theinformationonartsandculture inAsiaandEurope. Indoingso, italso this newseries,culture360.ASEF.org continuesto respond to theexisting gaps with like-minded professionals andeventually setupnewcollaborations. Through who are facing similarchallenges. TheDirectory offers theopportunity to connect projects inCambodia andtheLaoPDRthatcanbeofuseto otherorganisations Theobjective ofthisguide isto provide anoverview ofthemostinnovative and rural areas, away from themainurbancentres. by local CambodianandLaotiansaswellto projects located intheperipheries In selecting thefeatured initiatives, strong given attention was to initiatives run conditions andtraining opportunities,ultimately addressing gender inequality. initiatives featured are infactsuccessstories interms ofimprovement ofworking terms ofempowermentlocal communitiesparticularly women.Mostofthe beyond(innovation traditions) and thechallenges facedby suchinitiatives in most innovative upcycling techniques fortextiles, plasticandpaper metal, section:thesilkproductioneach cycle (preserving ancienttraditions), the with akey player inthesector. Aseriesofinteractive mapsvisually documents For theme,theguide each empowerment. alsofeatures onein-depthinterview around 3mainthematicareas: heritage preservation, innovation andcommunity organisations inCambodiaandtheLaoPDRengaged incrafts anddesigninitiatives and sustainable processes, thisguide presents adirectory of20mostpioneering documentarist withextensive research knowledge Asiantextiles inSoutheast Researched andwritten by Magali AnBERTHON, afreelance cultural objects andproducts. century-old creative practices withnewdesignapproaches, to produce unique organisations (e.g. Not-for-profit, NGOs,private businesses)thathave combined ASEF.org, thisseriesofcountry-specific guides looks atdifferent typesof Cambodia andLaoPDR.Published through ourarts&culture portalculture360. Guide: Crafting anewseriesoncrafts LaosandCambodia, andinnovation in The Asia-Europe isdelighted to present Foundation (ASEF) TheCreative Resource

. viii CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE 2 Introduction Clare M.Wilkinson-Weber eds.,CriticalCraft: Technology, and AliciaOriDenicola, Globalization, and Capitalism,London:Bloomsbury, p1. ‘Craft, like history, isatoolthatpeopleusetonegotiatetheirroles and placeswithin (PDR) and Cambodia. These two adjacent Southeast Asian countries each Asiancountrieseach Thesetwoadjacent Southeast (PDR) andCambodia. agents ofsocialchange incountries suchasLaoPeople’s Democratic Republic The Creative Resource Guideconsiders howcrafts anddesigncanbeeffective R&D,digital, fashion,andpublishing. of thecreative whichcomprisesdesign,architecture, industries, advertising, economic opportunities.Inthatsense,crafts have beenincluded inwidersector to beactivated and integrated incontemporary approaches to bringexciting perpetuation ofcentury-old techniques. Moreover, theseskillshave thepotential passed from generation to generation, often withinfamilies,ensuringthe hand makinginempoweringlocal skillsare communities.Artisanal usually efficientlyand AliciaOriDenicola outlinedhere thevalue andthepotential of the materialandsocialenvironment.’ 2 Anthropologists Clare M.Wilkinson-Weber 3 conservation andfair-trade practices withasocialimpact. resources, aswellsomeinitiatives thatfocusonheritage book highlightsprojects thatcreatively engage withlocal and usingraw materials from sustainable resources.’ handicrafts as‘made withoutrestriction interms ofquantity Cambodian andLaotianorganisations. UNESCOdescribes skillsthroughartisanal theexample ofaselection of This bookpresents anoverview ofavarietyexisting rural exodus. of incometo alleviate poverty andfightphenomenaof activities hasthepotential to generate invaluable sources population stilllives inthecountryside, developing these such asCambodiaandLaoPDR,where themajorityof the field iscentral to theseendeavours’ success.Incountries development andtraining programmes, theiractive role in Though makers astherecipients appear ofprofessional their familiesalong-term perspective. ensure sustainable revenues, whichwould afford makers and carehealth benefits.Findingnew markets remains key to organisations follow fair-trade guidelines andoften provide with underprivileged ormarginalised communities,these makers develop theirtechnical andmarketing skills.To work development andvocational training programmes to help capacities, thesecompaniesoften implement professional of thisgrowing sector. Working indifferent scales and profits andsocialbusinesses,highlightingthedynamics involved inthefield, from transnational institutions to non- This guide showcasesthedifferent modelsoforganisations where creativity meetscultural heritage. respond to thiswiderdefinitionofcontemporary crafts standardisation. theprojects Inthisbook, presented will aesthetic value, turningaway from mass-manufacturing sometimes overlap to produce objectsofutilitarianand capital citiesofPhnomPenh andVientiane.Craft anddesign field, whichisonly taught inhandfulofschoolsthe dialogue isanemerging Design betweendesignandcraft. handmade products have alsoled to collaborations ina Recent regain ofinterests from designers andstudentsfor groups, mostly composedofwomen,wholive inrural areas. product ofindependentmakers, cooperatives, andmakers handicraftsIn LaoPDRandCambodia, are mostly the diversity, regional cultural exchanges, andcolonial influences. marked by local particularism, religious beliefs,butalsoethnic possess adistinctive artisticheritage rooted inarichhistory UNESCO/CCI Symposium,“Crafts andthe International Market: Trade andCustoms Codification,” 1997. Manila, 3 The

“Laos” to designate LaoPDR. concision, after theintroduction, thisbookwillusetheterm crafts, andcultural customs. For thepurposeofclarityand as wellanyone withaninterest Asia, for Southeast makers, non-profit managers, and socialentrepreneurs designers, researchers, educators, artists,heritage policy the socialandenvironmental designedfor Itwas impact. on thegenesis initiative, ofeach themakingprocesses and This Creative Resource Guideisnon-exhaustive andfocuses urban centres. or involving resources andmakers basedoutsidethemain showcase arange ofprogrammes located inremote areas of theprojects.was made Inaddition,particulareffort to and SiemReapinCambodiausually welcome themajority Vientiane andLuangPrabang inLaoPDR,andPhnomPenh Laotian people. Capitalcitiesandtouristic hubssuchas as possible onlocal projects foundedby Cambodianand emphasishasbeengiven asmuch Inthisbook, investment. history, theseinitiatives are often theresult offoreign to CambodiaandLaosPDR’s respective contemporary ethical practice andforthequalityoftheirproducts. Due Organisations were chosenfortheirauthority, seniority, as wellresearch onkey organisations inthesector. governmental reports andanumberofpress articles, andasurveyperiods offieldwork, relying onNGOsand The Creative Resource Guideisbasedonaseriesofinterviews, provide: The objectives oftheCreative Resource Guideare to

collaborations makers’ groups andimplement fruitful recommendations to get intouch with An overview ofthechallenges and sharing theirexperience inthefield In-depth interviews ofkey players community heritage preservation, innovation, and divided inthree separate themes: initiatives inCambodiaandLaoPDR A directory ofcontemporary creative 02 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Both countriesreclaimed theirfullindependence in1954. Cambodia to VietNamto formthelarger colony ofIndochina. territories into onecountry. TheFrench associated Laosand French protectorate in1863andLaos1893, unitingits markedwas by French colonisation.Cambodiabecame a At theendof19thcentury, Asianregion theSoutheast COLONISATION stupa (temple), inVientiane. monuments suchasThatLuang, thegolden-covered sacred areas. Laoswelcomes ofreligious inparticularawealth spirits alsoremain quite prominent, especially in rural of bothcountries.Animisttraditions andbeliefsinancient Buddhism oftheTheravada tradition istheprimaryreligion BUDDHISM COMMONTHREADS LAOS ANDCAMBODIA: Khmer OFFICIAL LANGUAGE 14.952.665 POPULATION 181.035 Km² AREA Phnom Penh CAPITAL CAMBODIA

of thetotal population. Laotian lands.Thedominant EthnicLaocountsfor52.5% ethnicities consistingof160 ethnicgroups live across population interms ofethnicity. About49distinct for centuries.Attheopposite, Laoscountsahighly diverse and Chamoriginshave alsobeenestablishedinCambodia province. Immigrant populationsofChinese, Vietnamese StungTrengareas Mondulkiri, ofRatanakiri, andKratie Khmer Loeulivinginremote mountainousandforest also welcomes indigenous ethnicminoritiessuch asthe counting forabout90%ofthepopulation.Cambodia Khmer people are themainethnicgroup inCambodia, ETHNICITY Lao OFFICIAL LANGUAGE 6.858 million(2017) POPULATION 237,955 km2 AREA Vientiane CAPITAL LAO PDR 4 United States inthe1960sand1970sto forbidtraffic with received massive aerialbombardments orchestrated by the 20th century. Ascollateral victimsofthewar, thesecountries regional politicalupheavals over thecourse oftheVietNam Both CambodiaandLaoshave encountered internal and WAR simplified versions ofthecomplex techniques. artisanal either pushingtowards amore ‘traditional’ orpraising visual, the products andleads to theemergence ofatourist taste, tourism, alsobrings local challenges. Itaffectsthequalityof 4 milliontourists in2017. Tourism, andespecially mass- encountered asimilartourist boomandwelcomed nearly welcome more than6milliontourists in2018. LaosPDRhas exponentially increasing sincethe2000s.Cambodia Tourism isamajorsector oftheCambodianeconomy, TOURISM living inrural areas (2016). Laos isalandlocked countrywith60.35% ofitspopulation 79% ofitspopulationlivinginrural areas. Cambodia isanagricultural countrywithapproximatively RURALITY to turnthesedestinationsinto majortouristic sites. preservation. Thisinternational recognition hascontributed of LuangPrabang asaWorld Heritage Site to ensure its square kilometres. In1995UNESCOinscribedthetown religious complex intheworld extending over about400 province ofSiemReapisconsidered oneofthelargest heritage sites. InCambodiaAngkor Wat inthenorthern Cambodia andLaosbothwelcome UNESCO-protected HERITAGE of high-qualityobjects. established royal workshops to commissiontheproduction life. TheLaoandCambodianroyal courtsalsorespectively needs andspecificritualslinked to therural societydaily practicesThese artisanal primarily responded to functional weaving, ceramics, gold andsilverware, andwoodcarving. to farming. ThemainLaotianandCambodiancrafts are as acottage industry, asecondaryactivitycomplementary generations to generations. Handicrafts are often practiced crafts are perpetuated through oral transmission from LaotianandCambodian Asia, As inotherpartsofSoutheast HANDICRAFTS workers prefer to go to Thailandinstead. wagean insufficientminimum 77reaching only USD, many in thegarment industry. Thedemandishigher, to butdue USD. InLaos,there are only about30,000 people working Takeo. In2018, monthly have salaries increased upto 182 city ofPhnomPenh andintheneighbouringprovince of by ChineseandMalaysians, are spread around thecapital people (2013).Factories, which are mostly foreign-controlled to supportitseconomy,industry employing about500.000 Since the1990s,Cambodiahasheavily relied onthegarment GARMENT FACTORY Clean Clothes Campaign.Facts onLaos‘Industry. Garment https://cleanclothes.org/resources/publications/factsheets/laos-factsheet-2-2015.pdf 4 common criteria: These projects were selected according to aseriesof directory were dividedinthree maincategories: The CambodianandLaotianinitiatives presented inthis A FEWNOTES ONTHEDIRECTORY Cambodia reaches 65% ofyoung people undertheage of30. Lao youth makes upforabout60%ofthetotal population. Laos andCambodiaare countrieswithayoung population. YOUTH resulting ofnearly inthedeath 2millionpeople. turmoil oftheKhmerRouge dictatorship from 1975-1979, Inparallel,Lao Government. caught Cambodiawas inthe (1959–75) opposedtheCommunistPathet LaoandtheRoyal Viet Namalong theHoChiMinhtrail. TheLaotianCivilWar organisations. or Skypeexchanges betweentheresearcher andthe onthefield,interviews personal conducted email Unless otherwisestated, allquotes are from the positive impact. overview articulating thehistory, the specificitiesand Each project’s presentation isintended asaconcise non-profit organisation, orasocialenterprise Their structure asacommunity-based organisation, a the sector A level ofsenioritywithademonstrated authority in An opennessto innovation andcreative Their attachmentto local resources contemporary An engagement skills—ancient withartisanal and EMPOWERMENT SOCIAL INNOVATION PRESERVATION HERITAGE

04 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Reclaiming Heritage CHAPTER 1 paper making, andwood stone carving. lacquer, silver plating, silkweaving intheikatand brocade techniques, pottery, in CambodiaandLaos,especially by ethnicminoritycommunities, suchas their cultural heritage” (UNESCO, 2003).Thisbroad definitionincludes practices – thatcommunities,groups recognize and,insome cases,individuals aspartof as theinstruments,objects, artifactsandcultural spacesassociated therewith thepractices,means representations, expressions, knowledge, skills–aswell practices. Following UNESCO’s “intangible definition,“the cultural heritage” have bothmanaged to revive andconserve awiderange ofcentury-old artisanal Beyond thesearchitectural andarchaeological splendors, Cambodia andLaos ancient temple complex ofVatprovince. PhouinChampasak established itasakey tourist destination.InLaos, UNESCOalsorecognised the As aresult, thismajorrecognition significantly increased the town’s and appeal the town ofLuangPrabang asaWorld Heritage Site to ensure itspreservation. buildings intheFrench Indochinesecolonial style. In1995UNESCOinscribed traditional houses,anumberofremarkable Buddhisttemples, andantique style.Laotian Thecitycenter offers auniqueatmosphereof withitsjuxtaposition and NamKhanrivers, hasalso been recognised foritsdistinctive architectural At thecentre ofLaos,LuangPrabang, located attheconfluence oftheMekong more than2millionofvisitors every year. archaeological complex hascontinuously garnered majorinterest, welcoming Rediscovered intheearly 20thcenturyby French colonial explorers, major this exceptional andBuddhisttemples to Hindu preserve, to study, andto visit. the remains ofsuccessive ambitiousconstructionplansover centuriesleaving kilometres. AstheformercapitalofKhmerEmpire, thesite hasconcentrated the largest religious complex intheworld, extending over about400 square site ofAngkor Wat intheNorthernprovince ofSiemReap isconsidered oneof of tourists from all-over theworld. InCambodiathespectaculararchaeological Cambodia andLaosbothwelcome protected heritage sites, whichattract flows

06 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE dedicated to organisations practices thatsupport artisanal Resource Itisespecially Book. prominent in thisfirst chapter This modelwilloften inthedirectory appear ofthisCreative entrepreneurs” (Falls andSmith,2011). managed and/or runby First-World designers, activistsor (either for-profit ornot-for-profit) that are funded, Third-World skilled artisans, incrafts, andorganisations practices relationships implementing “working between (TAP), a structure combiningphilanthropic andartisanal this typeofproject asaTransnational Partnership Artisan Anthropologists Falls Susan andJessicaSmith have defined the attractiveness ofheritage sites inCambodia andinLaos. have benefited from and theboostof tourism industry development andpreservationist objectives, theseinitiatives of therevitalisation ofhandicrafts. Pursuing grassroots partnering withlocal people— to becomeactive agents mostly international NGOsand expatriate individuals lack ofgovernmental supportpushedotherkey players— for thecraft sector inbothcountries hasbeenlimited. This between 1975 and1985. Sincethe1990s,state’s funding remained closed to Western aid,investments andtrade Laos presence and themassive involvement ofNGOs.Similarly, accords openedCambodiato theemergence offoreign aid from theinternational community, the1991Paris Peace political upheavals. Afterandisolation 2decadesofcivilwar Cambodia andLaosbothexperienced dramatic situationsof thatwreakedof theVietNamwar havoc intheregion, In thesecondhalfof20thcentury, especially asaresult Weaver onherloom attheLuangPrabang outdoor Pop workshop ©Ock Tok minority groups. the transmission ofskillsinrural areas andamongst ethnic to alarger movement ofcultural preservation, whichensures makers. Theappreciation ofthesetextiles alsoparticipates weaving thusoffers invaluable sources ofincome to rural prized commoditiesforinternational customers. Developing tourism, textiles—and silks inparticular— have become their dowry. Withphenomenonofglobalisation andmass- young age and produce textiles whichwillbecomepartof very strong inLaos.Laotiangirlslearn to weave atavery which keep aritualsignificance.The textile culture isstill for ceremonial events (wedding, engagement, funeral), traditionaland Cambodianwomenstillwear silkgarments aftermath ofthecivilwar. Indifferent contexts, Laotian the subsistencereactivated ofsilkworms.Itwas inthe of mulberrytree plantations,whichare essentialin to theshutdown ofweaving activitiesandthedestruction collapsed underthedestructive KhmerRouge regime due domestic consumptionandtrade. thesector InCambodia, to mostly bothCambodiaandLaosthatwas destinedto section. Silkweaving isacentury-old practice common Textile production isparticularly represented inthis reach aninternational customer base. design andmarketing strategies borrowed to theWest to makers withremarkable handskillswhile alsoimplementing These initiatives carryprogrammes thatoften rely onlocal importance oftheseexpressions ofintangible heritage. in CambodiaandLaoscultivate discourses onthe programme called PidanProject, which gives advanced The organisation hasalsolaunched thespecific training THE PIDAN PROJECT dyestuff whichisthenusedinsilkweaving. production ofindigo paste inKampongCham province, a Since 2008, CYKhasalsosupported farmers inthe were attended by about700weavers inTakeo province. communities to train theminspecificikat techniques which mobile workshopshas alsoconducted inweavers’ graduated from theirtraining programme. Theorganisation the centre had welcomed atotal of180weavers whohave CYKcalculated Interms thatby ofimpact, 2014, equipment. if theweavers decideto to pursue, they get to keep the may installaloom loaned by CYKforoneto twoyears and women are selected to continuethepractice athome.They After thetraining periodatthecentre, the most skilled year where they learn to weave 5to 7complex ikatpatterns. Apprentices recruited invillages receive training forone weaving training courses fordifferent levels ofskills. Since itsfoundation,CYKhasbeenofferingnumerous FOCUS ONSILKWEAVING strategic counseling. still receives theactive supportofJapanesefundingand operated by aCambodianteam.However, theorganisation Cambodian ikattechnique. Interms ofmanagement, CYKis the hol, weaving activitieswithaspecialtyinsampot Takeo. Historically, thisarea hasbeenknownforitssilk Krasaing village, Batidistrictinthesouthernprovince of CYK openedaweaving centre foryoung womeninTrapaing with aspecificfocusonunderprivileged villages. In2003 community-based vocational programmes inrural areas, Thailand. CaringforYoung Khmerhasbeenfocusingon support to theyoung Cambodianrefugees incamps Japanese NGOestablishedinTokyo in1980to provide in 1991asanextension ofCaringforYoung Refugees, a Caring forYoung Khmer(CYK)isanorganisation launched HISTORY Caring for Young KhmerWeaving Programme Vocational training inweaving; indigo dye farming Takeo andKampongChamprovinces pidankhmer.org MORE INFORMATION FOUNDED WHERE 2003 FOCUS invaluable contribution ofthepidanweavers. museum to promote thesenewtextile acquisitionsand the project hasbeenfollowed in2016 by anexhibition in the textiles basedonthemuseumphotographic archive. This to make contemporary piecesreproducing missingpidan thecivilwar.collection during CYKcommissionedweavers Themuseumhaslostof Cambodia. mostofitstextile has bridged close relationships withtheNationalMuseum Beyond itslocal implantationinTakeo province, theNGO Silk andindigo pidaninthemaking©Magali AnBerthon Phnom Penh. commissioning silkpidanpiecesthatare sold initsshop a year, theNGOcontinuesto supportthemby regularly Once theweavers have beentrained over thecourse of its revitalisation—CYK offeringthemostactive programme. handful oflocal silkworkshops have beeninstrumentalin villages anddonated to Buddhisttemples to makeA merit. polychromic hangings were usually woven by womenin fully disappeared by theearly 1990s.Thesespectacular specifically prominent in Takeo province andhadnearly auspicious scenesfrom whichwas thelifeofBuddha, of pictorial silkikathangingwhichusually depicts weaving techniques. Theterm pidandesignates atype weavers theopportunityto learn theartofpidan

CAMBODIA 08 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE scarves inikatanddamask insophisticated colour palettes. sells alarge range ofhandwoven silkproducts including customers initscommercial strategy. Theenterprise craft company however mostly focusesoninternational urban Cambodiansfrom theuppermiddle class,the and SiemReapwithhandcrafted goods. Well-known by 48 workshops to supply itsflagship stores inPhnom Penh accessories andgarments. Thecompany runsatotal of ofwhichhalfare800 artisans, involved inmakingsilk It provides employment to over 1100people, including managed underaFrench andCambodianjointpartnership. province, Angkor Artisans isalarge socialenterprise Considered oneofthelargest employers inSiemReap FOCUS ONCAMBODIANHANDICRAFTS carvings inspired by Angkorian art. and lacquered decorative gifts,andstone andwood souvenirs including silkclothing andaccessories,silver-plated developed into ahandicraft brand sellinghigh-quality prior experience incrafts. Thesemi-publicorganisation since continuedto train Cambodians inrural areas withno cutting, lacquering, andsericulture. Angkor Artisans has on manualskillsincluding masonry, woodworking, stone- original planimplemented avarietyofworkshops focused participating intherestoration ofAngkor temples. The manual skillsinconstructionworkandagriculture and country’s post-civil reconstruction war effort by learning to encourage young Cambodiansto get involved inthe thegoalof theCambodianMinistryEducation, was European andFrench fundingandundertheapproval vocational programme inSiemReaparea With in1992. whichhadlaunchedLeague anambitious forEducation) NGO LaLigue Française del’enseignement French (The handcrafted goods. Thecompany stemmed from theFrench dedicated to thedesignandproduction ofCambodian AngkorArtisans isasocialenterprise foundedin2003 HISTORY CAMBODIA Cambodian crafts (lacquer, metalware, stone carving, woodcarving, silk) Artisans Angkor artisansdangkor.com Siem Reapprovince MORE INFORMATION

FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS 1998 gods anddemons,atAngkor ThomSouthGate. of theprovince, anddozen andAsuras, ofDevas ofheads Vishnubas-reliefsandstone inthenorthwest atKbalSpean lions thatwere missingontheTerrace oftheElephants, a craftsmen have, over theyears, reproduced statues of Under thesupervisionofarchaeologists, Angkor’s Artisans charge ofprotecting andmanagingthesite ofAngkor. collaborated withAPSARAAuthority, theorganisation in Highly involved inSiemReaparea,Angkor Artisans has PRESERVING ANGKOR HERITAGE mythical tales to thatappeals alarge tourist customer base. foundonstonethat was carvingandbas-relief, andKhmer imagery inspired by the temples ofAngkor, Angkorian art of Cambodiancraftsmanships. develop Theartisans an preservation, Angkor Artisans hasbeenpromoting therevival Combining socialimpactanddiscourses ofcultural Silk weaving inPuok village Angkor ©Artisans ethnic groups whocanreclaim asense ofcultural pride. This typeofactions encourages collaborative workwith andartistic practicestheir artisanal andrecord lifestories. closely works withcommunities invillages to document exhibitions. Beyond thesole scopeofthemuseum, TAEC are conserved and documented forresearch andpotential 30 ethnicgroups inthecentre’s permanentcollection that public programming. There are about400 objectsfrom groups through communityengagement, exhibitions, and hub connectingvisitors andresearchers to local ethnic Tai Dam,andKmhmu people. Itfunctionsasacreative groups living inLaossuchastheHmong, Hmong, Akha, instruments, costumesandcustoms ofthenumerous ethnic cultural diversity, by presenting thetraditional arts, music is dedicated to the promotion ofthecountry’s remarkable As aregional leader incultural heritage management,TAEC FOCUS ETHNICCULTURAL ONLAOS’ TRADITIONS citizens andthecentre keeps expanding itsreach. 120,000 visitors including international tourists andLaotian platform. Between2007and2016, TAEC hasattracted over ethnology centre ofresearch, andanactive educational in LuangPrabang thatcombinedanexhibition gallery, an friends eventually solidifiedtheirproject by openingaspace as ashowcaseforLaos’ethnicdiversity. Ayearlater, the2 toambitious idea create amuseumandresource centre as amuseumprofessional, discussed together the Thongkhoun Soutthivilay, aLuangPrabang native working anthropologist specialisedinsustainable tourism, and Luang Prabang. In2006Tara Gujadhur, anAmerican an institutionrooted inthequiethillsofcity The Traditional ArtsandEthnology Centre (TAEC) is HISTORY Traditional Center(TAEC) ArtsandEthnology Ethnic minoritiestraditional artsandcrafts MORE INFORMATION Luang Prabang taeclaos.org/ FOUNDED WHERE 2007 FOCUS Basketry ondisplay ©Traditional Ethnology ArtCenter (TAEC) 50% ofthesalesdirectly returns to themakers themselves. to follow fair-trade principles, theorganisation ensures that products initsownshoponlineandatthemuseum.Eager opportunities andsecure newmarkets. TAEC alsosells canlearn practicalartisans tipsto improve theirincome expertise insustainable village-based tourism activities, underprivileged inLaotiansociety. WithTara Gujadhur’s minority womenandyouths whoare amongst themost business development,withparticularattention to ethnic training programmes onproduct design,marketing, and and basket weaving. For instance,TAEC hasimplemented such asweaving, embroidery, crochet, jewellery-making, all-over thecountryincontinuingto practice theircrafts put aspecificfocusonsupportingrural from artisans phenomenon ofexodus to larger cities.Thecentre has rural areas, thushelpingto actively reduce thepervasive TAEC alsoaimsto foster livelihoods development in SUPPORTING PRODUCERS LOCAL HANDICRAFT

LAOS 10 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Weaving intricate silkbrocades Pop © Ock Tok Responsible Tourism Award inAsiaforcultural preservation. Association Award forInnovation; andin2015itwonthe Tok’s recognised contributionwas by the Lao Handicrafts and abedbreakfast with4 bedrooms. Pop In2014Ock for theweavers, ashop, arestaurant called SilkRoad Cafe, centre includes anopen-air workshop withfloor looms set working onafulltimecapacity. Opento thepublic, close to theMekong river, currently welcoming 55weavers the LivingCrafts Centre intheserene outskirtsofthetown to alarge shopintheinnercity, theenterprise opened employees mixinganinternational andlocal team.Inaddition Pop Tok developed into alarger socialenterprise ofover 78 the production andpromotion ofLaotiantextile crafts, Ock of textiles, crafts andLaotianrural culture. Aprecursor in expatriates, could engage otherthrough witheach thetheme designs andwhere visitors, especially foreign tourists and gallery where local weavers could produce andselltheir Smith andVeo Douangdala first decided to opena textile as ithasdefinedtheground dynamicsofthisproject. Jo West,’ anamethatsummarisesthispartnership asmuch well, weaver basedinLuangPrabang. Pop Ock Tok ‘Eastmeets means Joanna (Jo) SmithandVeomanee (Veo) Douangdala, aLaotian PopOck Tok foundedin2000by was aBritishphotographer HISTORY LAOS Ock Pop Tok Weaving Handicrafts ockpoptok.com MORE INFORMATION Luang Prabang

FOUNDED WHERE 2000 FOCUS

creative collaborative programmes inLaos.Itoffers on responsible tourism, theorganisation hasfostered textile ancienttechniques to aWestern audience. Relying Pop Tok hasplayed anessentialrole inintroducing Laotian ofcross-culturalCapitalising ontheidea exchange, Ock TRADITIONAL WEAVING EAST ANDWEST: BRIDGINGCONTEMPORARY AND and ethnicheritage. while conservingprecious setsofskillsrooted inLaosrural developing abalancedbusinessopento theglobal market, invillages.500 artisans Pop Ock Tok remains committed in Laos, creating sustainable sources ofincomeforabout series ofpartnerships with weaving communitiesthroughout Beyond LuangPrabang, theorganisation hasestablisheda staff composedofnearly 99%ofwomen. production andprovides socialbenefitsandfairpay to its The socialenterprise hasfocusedonaneco-conscious Responsibility andPromising Women Entrepreneur. ASEAN BusinessAwards inLaosforSMEsCorporate Pop hemporcotton bases.In2018Ock Toksilk, wonthe weaving to create beautiful LaoTai traditional patterns on from Pakse, masters thecomplex know-how ofbrocade beautiful indigo batikcloths. While Kieng, originally Zu Xiongwhobelongs to theHmongcommunitydevelops diversity ofLaos.For instance,attheLivingCraft Centre, Festival andsupportsmakers whichembodytheethnic PopOck Tok isanactive organiser oftheLaoHandicrafts VILLAGE WEAVER PROJECTS international taste. while keeping hand whichcould to anartisanal appeal the contemporary designs(scarves, hangings andaccessories) its weavers to take theircraft to anotherlevel, developing on-site textile Moreover, artisans. Pop Ock Tok encourages awareness to thevalue ofthetextiles beingproduced by weaving, Theseintroductory workshops andbatik. alsobring mastered by local makers suchasdyeing, silkbrocade, ikat children interested inlearning avarietyoftextile techniques numerous classesthroughout and theyearforadults handicrafts. Sheworked extensively in several areas ofLaos Trade Organization (WTO) to share herexpertise ontextile such astheInternational Trade andtheWorld Center (ITC) is often invited asacraft consultantfordifferent organisations In additionto heractivityatPhaengMaiGallery, Kongthong course adjusted to thestudent’s priorexperience. foreign visitors. Itprovides atwo-year course andashort ethnic minorities.Thestudioisopentobothlocals all, and and dyeing techniques specific to Laotianculture and local is dedicatedPhaeng MaiGallery inperpetuatingtheweaving EDUCATION INWEAVING Gold Medalawarded by theLaotiangovernment. such asUNESCOandtheASEAN.In2016, shereceived the institutions supportingthepreservation ofcultural heritage Kongthong’s recognised contributionwas by majortransnational from home and take care oftheirfamily time. atthesame designs. Women have thepossibilityto continueweaving shetrainsDevelopment, women’s weavers anddevelops new As theorganisation’s ofTechnique Head andMaterials sister, sheco-founded inthe PhaengMaiGallery early 1990s. mother’s legacy. Shebecameamaster weaver and,withher (Former Soviet Union),Kongthong decidedto pursue her fromin Education theUniversity ofPhilology atPyatigorsk members ofthecommunity. AfteraMaster’s earning degree the war, her family started aweaving studiowithother Communist Pathet LaoandtheRoyalAfter LaoGovernment. (1962-1975),of theLaotiancivilwar whichopposedthe a very young age. Kongthong’s fatherdiedin1964asavictim transmit hercraft to Kongthong andhersister Viengkham at border. Inatraditional eager fashion,hermotherwas to the province ofHouaphanh,nottoo farfrom theVietnamese into afamily ofweavers intheremote cityofXamNeuain Kongthong Nanthavongdouangsy bornin1963 Saisnithwas HISTORY Phaeng MaiGallery Weaving SchoolandGallery artofsilklao.com/index.php MORE INFORMATION

Vientiane FOUNDED

WHERE 1990 FOCUS sustainable source ofincome. preserve to theirculture while generating a continue weaving, the weavers actively MaiGallery atPheang flowers. Bycreating moderndesigns rooted inLaotian elements suchastemples, birds, dragons, elephants, and stylised motifscombininggeometric shapesto auspicious uses discontinuoussupplementary weftto create intricate and brocade intheLaoTai style. Thisweaving technique showcase different textile techniques including weftikat a handmadetouch, theclothes, scarves andcushions traditional styles reproducing antiquepatterns. Keeping line specifically forthe export market which includes more reach internationally, alsodevelops MaiGallery Pheang a is colourised in sophisticated natural dyes. To expand its in areinterpreted contemporary Laotian aestheticwhich business prized itself forpresenting silkandcotton products rich range ofhandcrafted high-endsouvenirs. Thefamily inVientiane may MaiGallery Clients visitingPheang finda THE ART OFLAO SILK Training centre forweaving apprentices ©PhaengMaiGallery weavers anddevelop newproducts insilkandcotton. and hasalsotravelled to ButhanandThailandto train local

LAOS 12 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Eric Stocker, master lacquerer Buddhas ingilded lacquerandeggshell ©EricStocker -Angkor Artwork www.linkedin.com/in/stocker-eric-7b56a017/ then Icontinue to train apprentices. Iamvery happy. lacquer from thetree isthecore ofmy practice. We have ourowncollections and AngkorArtisans moved onto develop lacquer withacrylicvarnish.For me, 22 people andIkeep going! Itistheonly workshop stillexisting here inCambodia. time forusto take ourownway, Idecidedto setupmy owncompany. are Nowwe other companions,withthe support ofthegroup Vinci.After ten years, itwas welaunched thesemi-publiccraftAfter that, Angkor company Artisans with How didyou launch your ownlacquerstudio? everythingwas to rebuild. one of thebestmomentsmy Itwas life. only 2hours ofelectricity perday, notourists!amazing because Butitwas there people whobleed thetrees. alittle Cambodiaatthis timewas rustic.There were Istarted byIn 1998inCambodia, findinglacquertrees, training the resin-tappers, Ihadalreadyand hejoinedmein2008Cambodia. beenthere for10years. me to go to Cambodiato revive Itrained lacquerwork. my younger brother Thierry restoration of nationalfurniture for27years. Eventually, theEuropean Unionasked a ‘compagnon devoir’, du Iworked withtheMobilierNationalworkingon restoration attheGuimetMuseum.After finishing my training and my workas I started attheage of16asanapprentice inChineseandJapaneselacquer What brought you andyour brother to Cambodia? 2008, withhisbrother ThierryStocker Angkor Artwork INTERVIEW Siem Reap, Cambodia MORE INFORMATION FOUNDED WHERE months to make anobject. is expensive andthere are constraints. Ittakes atleast 3 to themodern world, takes avery long timeto make. It have fundingto organise large events. Lacquerware, contrary TheJapaneseplayCambodia. acrucialrole inthatasthey lacquerers gather inonecountry, andlastyearitwas lacquerers from 12Asiancountries.Eachyear, themaster me. InSeptember lastyearIreceived more than120main Japanhasbeensupporting last oneto dothatinCambodia. to train my young people andmake our products. Iamthe of theyear andrecover 300kilos oflacquerwhichIneed where Iam in SiemReap. Thesefamiliesworkfor6months I currently workwith6familiesbasedabout150kmfrom How doyou supply your resin today? the whole sector. Ittook aboutayear andahalf. on howto collect theresin from thetrees. SoIrelaunched brushes, Ilooked for natural pigments.Itrained people the slaughter-houses to recover pighairto make ourown inthe GuimetMuseum.WhenIarrivedwas to Cambodia, trees. Itriedto reproduce whatIlearned at whenIwas Asia whopromote theuseofvegetal resin coming from 120 remaining master-lacquerers ofAsiaandSouth-East to openabox withpre-made Iampartofthe product. to themassive useofchemicalvarnishes. Itissoeasydue because there really was nothingleft here. mostly Itwas If theEuropean Unioncommissionedmeto come,it’s had aknowledge oflacquerinCambodia? And whenyou arrived in1998, there were stillpeople who 10th-11th centuries. statuesandbas-reliefsvarnish sandstone sincethe the tradition abitmore was was used to specific.Lacquer an artby addingcolor, gilding, andengraving. InCambodia usuallywas useddaily intherural areas. Andthenitbecame protect itsdifferent typesofwoodandbasketry. This resin Lacquer helpedmento protect theirboatsandhouses,to GraduallyChina. through the silkroad, itarrived inMyanmar. It’s a9000-year-old tradition inJapan,and3000years in in Cambodia? And precisely, isthere anold tradition oflacquerware ofourwork. lacquer isattheheart marquetry andsheath-making. SoIplay withtextures. But techniques. Iusealsoshagreen marquetry, lambleather of lacquer, eggshells, gilding, butIalsoincorporate other but weusually stay around 20people. We practice theart people whohave stayed. Irecently hired 3young women, the NGOKrousa Thmey. ThisishowIworkhere. Ihave 20 Itraindisabilities. young deaf people withthesupportof 15 years. Halfofmy employees are people withhearing I have somecraftsmen whichhave beenthere foralmost How many people have you trained?

the craft. Iremainthe craft. optimistic. generations. Itisfragile. to Iwant ensure thecontinuity of howknowledgewe saw lost was very quickly here intwo craftsmen Iamworking withhave tremendous skills.But how to make thetools, soitcancontinueafter Iretire. The lacquer trees, alsoto preserve howto collect theresin and the lacquer. Iwould like to create aconservatory forthe I amalsoconcernedinsavingmahogany trees whichproduce produced heritage piecesinlinewithtradition. design programme becauseonly untilthenThaiartisans Chiang Mai,Thailand,they have justopenedacontemporary art schoolinCambodiawhichtrains to becomecreative. In years to beagood lacquerer technically. There isnotyet an form! ButIamthinkingaboutitalready. Ittakes about10 todo notwant retire now. Iam61years old, Iamstillinfull my teamandbeable towithartisticdevelopment.I deal somebody ofexperience, happy to with live inCambodia, a designer, oraninterior designer, Ithinkthatwillneed carpenter orcabinetmaker. To withahotel deal manager, and marketing, Iwillprobably take aFrench ‘compagnon’, with aremarkable know-how. Interms ofdevelopment I have 20people ofexception whoare trainers themselves And whowilltake over your practice? as wellto buydecoration, butit’s stillmarginal. Cambodians from themiddle classare nowstartingto come commission specialorders and weexecute them.The from Australia, andNewYork. California, Thedesigners for designers anddecorators. Mymaincustomers come sold inhotels inSiemReapandthentherest isdeveloped folding screens, andpanels…About20%ofthepiecesare We create artisticpiecesandtableware: plates, large cups, What kindofpiecesdoyou develop? Lacquered tableware ©EricStocker -Angkor Artwork 14 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE About Silk Golden Silk Cambodia produces only 1tonne ofgolden silkperyear. while only yellow cocoonsare foundinthesouth. Yellow Bombyx moricocoonsare foundinnorthernLaos, which needto behand-processed. Cambodia andLaosbothproduce golden silkcocoons Weaving Growing MulberryTrees to feedthesilkworms are primaryproducers the of silktextiles in Sericulture Laos and Cambodia. and Laos WOMEN Dyeing SilkThread

Chain of Activity Rearing Bombyx MoriWorms Spinning SilkThread Silk Facts Products Home Textiles Clothing Sampot inCambodia called SinhinLaosand Tube Skirts Scarves Silk Rolls ofFabric or theEriSilkworm Wild SilkPhilosymia Riccini SilkBombyxDomesticated Mori Laos. Therest There are 2kindsofsilks available in 180,000 LAK 1 kgofraw Laosilkcosts LAOS

(about US$23). is imported. on average Silk Worms

Life Cycle annually from ChinaandVietNam. produced white silkare imported About 390tonnes ofindustrially- golden silkperyear. farmer sellsanaverage breeders inCambodia. There are about100active tree fields inCambodia. There are 40 hectares ofmulberry CAMBODIA One silk of 6kg

silk 16 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Innovation Beyond Tradition CHAPTER 2 countries asatourist andwhofindsaninteresting anunusualproduct or idea, many cases,itistheserendipitous story ofatraveller comingto visitthese factor inthedevelopment In ofpioneeringinitiatives inLaosandCambodia. heritage supporters. Theinputof foreign entrepreneurs remains arecurring which make theirmarkasdesignandcraft creators andasactive cultural In thischapter, wewillconsideraselection ofinspiringprojects andpersonalities practices to contemporary approaches canalsolead to innovative developments. lost heritage ascovered intheprevious chapter. However, connectingartisanal handicrafts Asia, In Southeast are often associated withthepreservation ofa cosmetic products using local lemongrass coconut oil, orjasminflower scents. launching smalllinesofspecialty teasandcoffeesinLaos, oreco-conscious richness anddiversity ofthesenatural resources are aninspiration to creators rice, butalsovegetables, sugarcane, beans, tobacco, The cotton, coffee, and tea. numerous herbs,plantsandspicesused forcooking. Similarly, Laosproduces crops suchascoconuts,sugarcane, bananas, oranges, andmangoes, butalso natural resources. Inadditionto rice,Cambodiagrows alarge range offruits Cambodia are stillmainly establishedasrural countriesproducing invaluable statedAs itwas intheintroduction oftheCreative Resource Laosand Book, socially-responsible businessmodels. chain reaction implementing environmental-friendly production processes and remarkable inmany oftheseorganisations istheincentive to build apositive or contemporary designswiththegoal to make Whatremains apositive impact. rely on local resources andskillsto develop cosmeticproducts, recycled goods, technique, orapromising yet unexploited opportunity. Theseprojects usually local craftsmen to turnthereclaimed metal into upcycled Advisory Group, ahandfulofinitiatives collaborate with scraps? Withthesupport ofdedicated NGOssuchasMines unexploded ordnance (UXO). Howto handle thesedeadly bombs andthepopulations are stillinjured orkilled by operation left thelandsscarred by millionsofunexploded difficult taskandanecessity. Thisinstituted carpet bombing War, collecting theselethal remnants war hasbecomea SincetheendofVietNam tons ofbombsonCambodia. andabout2.7of bomblets inthesize million ofabigfruit, bombs onLaos,mostly cluster bombsreleasing thousands 1973, theUnited States dropped more than 2milliontons of Nam war. During9aerialbombardments between1964and and Cambodiawere bothcaught inthecrossfire oftheViet dramatic aspectsofLaosandCambodia’s histories. Laos In certaincases,creative endeavours emerge from themost and recycled materials suchaspaperandplastic. programmes maximisingtheconsumption oflocal resources support ofNGOsandlocal organisations, they implement considering theirimpactontheenvironment. Withthe innovative thinking. Even smallto mediumcompaniesare change, reducing wasteandrecycling may alsolead to governmental campaignstryingto influence behaviour and LuangPrabang, whichare poorly managed. Beyond now alsosuffers the near Vientiane expansion oflandfills inhabitants useabout10millionplasticbags every day. Laos to theinternational NGOACRA Foundation, PhnomPenh generating massive amountsofsolidwaste.According become amajorproblem whichstrongly affectsCambodia, cities, andtheeffectofmass tourism, pollution has ofcapital Due to theeconomicboom,urbanisation Cambodian artisans preparingCambodian artisans bananapaper©Kumae contemporary aesthetics, sustainability, andnewtechnologies. and Laotianpeople to combinelocal know-how with future, inthenear tech industries allowing more Cambodian demographic factors will mostlikely impactthecreative and development borrowed withideas toThese theWest. contribute toenvironmental, itssocial, andeconomic diaspora return to theirhomecountrywiththedesire to significant numberofCambodiansandLaotians from the a local projects. businesses andartisanal Additionally, using Facebook andWhatsApp, whichcanhelp to boost porouswith socialmedia, to newtrends andextensively population below 25. Thenewgeneration ishighly acquainted Similarly,Champasak. Cambodiacountsnearly 50%ofits in rural areas intheprovinces Vientianeand ofSavannakhet, population isbelow theage of25years old, livingespecially 2 countriesistheiryouths. InLaos,about60%ofthe to starttheirownprojects. Oneofthestrengths ofboththese which could alsoencourage local innovators andrisk-takers by foreign entrepreneurs, they provide virtuousmodels If theinitiatives presented inthischapter are often supported line ofjewellery madeofbombmetalremnants. and urbanareas to make Cambodianhandicrafts, including a communities ofmakers andunderprivileged youth from rural anon-profitof Cambodia, organisation whichtrains small initiatives existespecially inCambodia, Association Rajana (cutlery andbracelets) madeofrecycled Similar metal. also successfully sellsvery popularhandmadeobjects Te Sai,afair-trade handicraft shoplocated inLuangPrabang, collects thismaterial to create contemporary jewellery. Ma designs inLaos.Thebrand Article22 presented inthissection

18 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE to nearby foundries. Inadditionto bombpieces,scrap Group and treated (MAG) locally. purchase Artisans it ThemetaliscollectedBan Naphia. by theMinesAdvisory metal craftsmen andworkingspecifically with villagers from develop theirowndesigns,relying ontheworkofLaotian Elizabeth SudaandCamille Hautefort have continuedto engraved pieceofjewelryderived from bombcasingscraps. ARTICLE22 first launched the bracelet,Peacebomb afine UPCYCLING METAL SCRAPSINTO LUXURY JEWELRY process ofunexploded ordnance clearance. andaccelerate tothe idea supportthislocal industry the article oftheUniversal Declaration ofHumanRights,with the jewelrybrand namedafter ARTICLE22 the22nd in2012, returned to NewYork andco-founded withCamille Hautefort as spoonsinthearea sincethelate 1970s.ElizabethSuda collecting, recycling andproducing commonobjectssuch schools andpublicbuildings. Localmetalworkers hadbeen farmers’ lands,hiddenunderroads andhouses,nested near Suda foundoutthatbombshrapnels were spread on theVietNamWar.American bombingoperation during site PlainofJars, hadsuffered themostfrom themassive This area, whichwelcomes thewell-known archaeological intheXieng Khouang province. thecityofPhonsanvan near Instead, shediscovered community theBanNaphiaartisans travelled research to Laosto conduct ontextiles craft practices. merchandiser foranAmericanhigh-endfashionbrand— In 2010, whoworked AmericandesignerElizabethSuda, asa HISTORY LAOS Peacebomb bracelets madeofrecycled aluminium ©ARTICLE22 Jewelry madeofrecycled bombsnatchels Ban Naphiavillage, Laos/NewYork, USA ARTICLE22 MORE INFORMATION article22.com

FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS

2013 holds thescars oftheViet NamWar. creative way to contribute toacountrywhichstill healing Investing isapractical inthelocal and metalindustry It brings awareness to adramatic aspectofLaoshistory. makers, ARTICLE22 offers designproducts withapurpose. Beyond providing aninternational marketplace forLaotian War to keep supportingUXO clearance. also partnered withthenon-profit organisation Legacies of micro-loans andelectricity communalareas. ARTICLE22 has been implemented yearly to helpvillagers to benefitfrom wage. to theVillage Donations Development Fund have also familiesaminimumof5timesthelocalartisan minimum responds to asustainable businessmodelby paying pays who hasjoinedastheLaosCountryManager, thebrand production chain.WiththesupportofManivone Sorabmixay 2013, thecompany hasreinforced itsworkonthelocal keeping astrong grounding intheLaotianterritory. Since ARTICLE22 countsabout150retailers internationally while WORKING LOCAL /SELLINGGLOBAL materials suchasgold, diamonds,stones, andleather. the company’s signature upcycled metalwithother war bangles, earrings, necklaces, andpendantswhichcombine The brand nowproduces alarge range ofdesignsincluding oven, poured into moulds, andfinally polished by hand. Article 22’s orders. Thematerial isthenmelted inaclay aluminum andmetalfrom planepartsare usedto fill 5 of LaoFashion Week.Theorganisation hasestablished the Shehasbecomeamemberoftheboardideas. committee develop acontemporary approach andbringin fresh new of fashionandtextile designers by encouraging themto experience to supportandempoweranewgeneration creative inLaos.Viengkhamto wants useher industries The figure ofthedesigner remains rare and inartisanal THEFUTUREOFFASHION DESIGN standards ofcraftsmanship. who are looking fororiginalclothing responding to high also welcomes tourists inherlabel’s showroom inVientiane Benefitingfromon export. thisinternational recognition, she still mostly designsforaninternational clientbase,relying gained aprominent positioninLaotianfashion, Viengkham IfKhanghas now sense offeminitywithamoderntwist. goal isto create luxury products whichexpress astrong a teamofseamstresses to hand-sew herclothing line.Her skirts, andblouses shedesigns.Shethenworks closely with developed atPhaengMaiweaving centre, inthedresses, Viengkham usesherownhandwoven fabrics,especially silks Keeping textiles atthecore ofhercreative approach, DEFINING LAOTIAN FASHION saturated red andpurple colour. an indigenous whichgives a Asia, speciesinSoutheast to designate theshellacresin excreted by thelacinsect, show attheLaoFashion Week. Khang istheLaotianterm launched herownlabelentitled Khangin2016witharunway of products sold atPhaengMaiGallery. Sheeventually to develop herfashionproject in2008asaspecialline her sister ontextile designproducts, Viengkham started about fashionfrom avery young age. While workingwith extensive training intextiles, Viengkham hasbeenpassionate techniques insilkweavingartisanal andbrocade. Beyond her She learned asachild howto master arange ofcomplex in chapter 1‘Reclaiming Heritage’) intheearly 1990s. Kongthong Nanthavongdouangsy Saisnith(aproject featured She co-founded withhersister PhaengMaiGallery weavers basedinXamNeuatheprovince ofHouaphanh. Viengkham Nanthavongdouangsy grew upinafamily of HISTORY LaoYoung project Designer https://laofashionweek.com/-Lao-Young-Designers-Project- facebook.com/khangfashionandlifestyle/ [email protected] Womenswear fashion Vientiane, Laos MORE INFORMATION Khang FOUNDED WHERE 2008 FOCUS EMAIL its youth. economic opportunitiesto hercountry, andin particularto growing hasthepotential to bringprofessional industry and development ofthefashiondesignsector. Thisfast-paced active participationto LaoFashion Week contributes to the traditional techniques withaninnovative aesthetic. Her exceptional richnessofhandmadetextiles, combining advocates fora Laotian style whichstillincorporates the Nanyang Academy ofFineArtsinSingapore. Viengkham College ofFashion inHanoi,VietNam, andthe &Design School ofFashion &Business,inParis, France, theLondon international fashionschoolssuchasESMOD, International send theawardees inexchange programmes withanetwork young designers increating their first collection. They also 2014 to foster young Laotalents. Theinitiative supports non-profit programme Lao Fashion Week 2018©Khang Lao Young Project Designer 5 since

LAOS 20 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE empowerment, employing atotalempowerment, of50women, incharge of Set asasocial enterprise, Samatoa strives forfemale SUSTAINABILITY ISKEY the products andconvinced ofthepotential oflotus fibre. the international luxury group Kering by since2015, seduced French Government in2015, withtheadditional backingof initiative hasreceived thesupportofUNESCOin2012and the of every step oftheproduction chainfrom fibre to scarf. The establish afully integrated process whichensures thequality in 2004. Ittook afew years andaseriesoftrialerrors to area ofSiemReapandlaunch theweaving project Samatoa eventually moved to Cambodiato create alotus farminthe provide newopportunitiesto rural people indifficulty. He in abundance,whichprompted himto considerhowitcould also bedeveloped inCambodiawhere lotus plantsalsogrow Awen Delaval realised thatthislocal cottage could industry Buddhist cultures astheexpression of purityandresilience. sheer white flowers, lotus has remained astrong symbolin Yangon. Growing outofmudunderwater andblooming into surroundings oftheInlé Lake, about500kilometres northof worn by Burmesemonks, atechnique welldeveloped inthe fibre hadbeenwoven inMyanmar to make special robes several He that learned lotus decadesofpoliticalconflict. 2000s andvisitedstillrecovering Cambodiawhichwas from went onalife-changingtripto Asiaintheearly Southeast Awen aFrench Delaval, telecom engineerworkinginParis, HISTORY CAMBODIA Cutting lotus stems to collect thefibre ©Samatoa samatoa.lotus-flower-fabric.com lotus fibre weaving Samatoa MORE INFORMATION Siem Reap FOUNDED WHERE 2004 FOCUS lotus industry inCambodia. lotus industry increase theproduction capacityandcreate amuchlarger aims to reach international designers andmanufacturers to to Samatoa aclient baseoftourists thus inCambodia, fashion sector. Already sellingits mid-range to luxury scarves could beusedinvariousapplicationsthe textile and properties suchassoftness,durability, andelasticity, which from recycled bottles. Thisfibre showcasesperformant a newfibre composite madeof lotus stemswaste andplastic fibre manufacturing. In2018, ithaslaunched theLotus Tec®, continues to expand itsreach by pioneeringeco-conscious skillswithinnovativeCombining artisanal thinking, Samatoa PIONEERING NEWTEXTILES friendly dyes aswell. andwaterhyacinth, usingeco- kapok, as pineapple, banana, and lotus, alsoexperimenting withlocal natural fibres such Samatoa hasdeveloped acollection ofscarves mixingsilk weaving. To balancethecostandofferavarietyofdesigns, demanding, whichexplains the high priceforlotus fibre thread perday. Thislengthy process remains painstakingly a yarn.Onespinnerproduces anaverage of200metres of a knife,sothey canextract theinnerfibre andspinitinto 200 tones every year. Spinners cutthestems by hand,using Championing circular economy, Samatoa recycles about harvesting theflowers, lotus stems were usually discarded. paid double thantheminimumwage. after InCambodia, spinning, weaving andsewingtextile accessories,whoare trunks process by hand.Itisanartisanal whichgives paper Banana paper is obtainedby extracting thefibre from banana one 100%bananafibre paperandacomposite called Ashi. Kumae develops 2kindsofeco-consciouspapermaterial: EXPLORING PAPER MATERIALS Kumae andthebanana paper project in2013. After a seriesoftrialsanderrors,Cambodia. helaunched thinkingthathecould findasimilarapplicationin in Africa, after hefoundoutaboutbananapapermakingtechniques Yamase considered thepossibilityto develop paperproducts to prevent locals from Takuya workingon thedumpsite, while workingfor aJapanesetour company. Withtheidea he taught Japaneseto children thelandfills livingnear returned to Cambodiaandsettled inSiemReap, where Instead ofcontinuinghisstudiesinJapan,Takuya Yamase issuesforthefamilieslivingnearby. andsafety major health rural area intoarea, SiemReapoutdoor disposal creating bought alarge pieceofAnlung Pi’s land,turningapeaceful establishedin2012after was aprivate contractordumpsite and metalliccansto resell themto recycling centres. The on thelandfill to findfoodscraps, collect plasticbottles Reap city. Localvillagers, andchildren adults alike, work Anlung Pi,about25kmaway from thetouristic hubofSiem harrowing size ofthegarbage thevillage near dumpsite of shocked Hewas as atourist to in2012. discover the Prefecture. After hevisited finishinghighschool, Cambodia Japanese manborninTokyo andraised inFukuoka Kumae foundedby was Takuya Yamase, a26yearold HISTORY recycled banana-fibre paperproducts Turning bananapaperinto accessories©Kumae MORE INFORMATION Kumae kumae.net Siem Reap FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS 2013 could learn sewingforfree. vocational training schoolwhere people from thecommunity future,its vision.Inanear Takuya Yamase hopesto opena Thecompany hasnow slowlyon thedumpsite. expanded community ofAnlung Pibesidesthehardship ofworking beginning thegoal to was provide newopportunitiesto the constant flow of tourists buyingpaperproducts. Inthe 3 shopsopenedinSiemReaparea, benefitingfrom the the finishedgoods. Asuccessfulinitiative, Kumae hasnow from fibre extraction, papermaking to theproduction of from age 19to 38whotake care ofthewholechain artisanal All comingfrom thevillage, they are mostly young women organisation. Takuya Yamase employs 11people fulltime. local advisorwho hasbecomeanintegrated memberofthe Yamase and thevillagers ofAnlung Piwiththe helpofone Kumae istheresult ofaclose collaboration betweenTakuya COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECT to bemadefrom startto finish. wallets, andpouches.Ittakes about5days product foreach designer to create acollection ofsustainable printed bags, Founder Takuya Yamase hascollaborated withaJapanese resistant. Bothmaterials offernumerous applications. recycled bottle fibre, whichmakesdurable it water and a compoundmaterial madeof70%bananafiberand30% paste spread into frames to make sheetsofpaper. Ashiis softened andthreshed. Mixed withwater, itbecomesa After theextraction, fibre are boiled forseveral days to be a uniquetexture thatcannotbereproduced industrially.

CAMBODIA 22 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE small flaskof ginger essentialoil. instance, ittakes nearly 300kilos offresh ginger to obtaina used inbath,massage, and aromatherapy products. For local tree withantioxidant properties, are, amongst others, and nowcharcoal andmoringa whichisextracted oil, from a in ancestral Khmerculture. Lotusseeds, lemongrass, ginger, particular atplantswithmedicinal qualitiesknownandused the widerealm ofCambodia’s natural resources, looking in additives, colorants, andconservatives, thebrand explores respecting international standards. Free from synthetic a French expert to experiment andcreate originalproducts Cambodian soils,thecompany hasrelied onthe servicesof know-how incosmeticswithingredients comingfrom the the only MixingFrench R&D labofitskindinCambodia. south ofPhnomPenh withastaffofaboutsixtypeople, Bodia hasimplemented anambitiousresearch labinthe RESEARCH ANDDEVELOPMENT INCAMBODIA Angkor Wat andanurbanclientele ofexpatriates. outlets throughout thecountry, attracting tourists visiting products inthespasanddistributes them inseveral retail Cambodian Apothecary. Thecompany usesitshigh-end joined theadventure ofBodiaNature, nowcalled Bodia plants, andQuentinClausin, artdirector anddesigner, both Antoine anengineerpassionate Bancel, aboutherbsand with raw materials procured directly In2010, inCambodia. and launched itsownbrand ofnatural cosmeticsmade success ofthespabusiness,Bodiaexpanded itsactivities sourced inanorganic farmbasedinThailand.Withthe the beginning, themassage therapists would useproducts businessman basedinthecountrysincelate 1990s.In Reap inthelate 2000s,foundedby Sylvain Perrier, aFrench to bloom throughout Cambodiafrom PhnomPenh to Siem thefirstBodia was affordable yetqualitative chainofspas HISTORY CAMBODIA Bodia CambodianApothecary bodia-spa.com/our-products-6-presentation.php Natural cosmetics MORE INFORMATION Phnom Penh FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS 2010 CULTIVATING CLOSE PARTNERSHIPS Candle holders crafted incollaboration withLoYuyu ©BodiaCambodianApothecary support towards Cambodianlocal initiatives. of local clay glazed inceladon,establishingfurther tiesand handcrafted candle holders andessentialoilsburners made Siem Reap, they have designedadelicate collection of workshop LoYuYu located inthevillage ofBakong near towards Cambodianhandicrafts. Partnering withtheceramic an eye onpackaginganddesignextends itsreach charcoal forCambodianfuelconsumption.Bodiahasalso in PhnomPenh providing sustainable alternatives to wood Fuel Enterprise (SGFE),another socialenterprise implanted recycled coconutshellsproduced by Sustainable Green a Spanishagronomist. Thecharcoal comesfrom burnt organic plantationsupported by JoséManuelRamos, in SiemReap area whichcombinesaguesthouse andan aCambodiansocialenterprise establishedin2005 Villa, moringa theorganisation oil, hascollaborated withBaca closely withlocal cooperatives andorganic farmers. For To findthebest raw materials inthecountry, Bodiaworks presenting of aselection sustainablefair-trade handicrafts developed incollaboration Founder of MaTe of brand heart Sai, and inthe Luang ashop Prabang’s oldcity organizations aswell andget more experience. MaTework. Sai enables producers which willhelpthemworkwith other to work, this countryare far-flung and long-lasting. isalways The idea to bringthem more tome: Iwant make asinh(tubeskirt) outofit!Myrelationships with makers in They love discovering newfabricsthey may have never seenbefore! Some tell from otherpartsofthecountrywhichI then give to my sewers inthevillages. which Iencounter through Ialsobuysomehandmadefabrics consultancy work. sometimes bringinnewproducts withinteresting patterns from certaintribes Itend to keepthat. my suppliers andgive themasmuchworkpossible. Ido villages. Ifyou don’t spendthatamountof time,itwould bevery hard to do we preserve theiridentity. It’s possible because Ispendsomuchtimeinthe sometimes designthings, butmostly weworkwiththeethnicgroups to ensure ourselves. Iwould saythatweco-design,co-create withthemakers. I selling products attheshop, wealsodesignalarge range ofourproducts Ma Te Saihasexisted for8years andIhave beeninLaosfor10years now. Beyond with makers groups? How long have you been inthebusinessLaosandhowdoyou collaborate with local craft communities with local Emi Weir INTERVIEW Portrait ofEmiWeir ©MaTe Sai Luang Prabang, Laos MORE INFORMATION matesai.com

WHERE 2010 24 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE industry withhandicrafts. industry Laotians are startingto recognise thatthey have aspecial fundedbyVientiane whichwas theMinistryofCommerce. Art Market inSantaFe. Somepeople received training in directly, somehave beensponsored to go to theFolk organisations. More supportisgoing into thevillages more support from thegovernment andfrom overseas I noticedthatLaotiancraftspeople are startingto receive freight costs. stifle thegrowth ofcraft ways.exports insome Plus the come andcopy designs.Thisprobably explains why itmay partner. Thishascreated abitofstop forforeigners to won’t let foreigners open abusinesswithoutlocal Laotian crafts have beenclassifiedasaheritage business.Sothey probably notahuge amountofnewcomers. Because inLaos, in terms there ofactualpeople doingthedeepwork, is There isalot more retail shopsinLuangPrabang but and LuangPrabang inparticular? Could you tell usaboutthesituationinhandicraft inLaos retail andonlinesales. platform tryingto aswell, seehowwecancombinelow-cost our groups ofproducers. isto Theidea develop ouronline pop-up stores to reach newmarkets while stillsupporting We are tryingto slowly develop abrand inSingapore with us alittle bitdifferent, beyond justbeinga textile company. do really Having well. arange ofhandicraft products made the LaoDisabledWomen Center, andtheirrecycled products We started withpeople whowestillworkwithnow, suchas Things thattourists would to want seewhenthey visitLaos. ware, bamboo coffee, and tea, andaselection ofbooks… create ashopbringinghandicraft products andlocal goods, lessdoing alot cotton ofsilk, thatthey donow. Iwantedto I worked Pop forOck Tok foryears andatthetimethey were company? What isthespecificityofMa Te Saiasahandicraft Emi Weir withYao women©MaTe Sai servicing thehigh-endLaotianmarket forsolong. Itwillmost silk market, isalsodoingvery wellbecause they have been thanks to thelarge Thaimarket.AndinHouaphanh,the but themakers there, from thePhuTai tribe,doreally well Savannakhet isnotatouristmarket. Butinsayingthat, area located faraway from tourism willget less accessto a is definitely providing opportunities.Thepeople whoare It isvery hard to generalise. From my experience, tourism basically simply thetourist market? For theproducers, dothey touch onalocal market or organisations like MaTe Sai. They needmore supportandworkthanjustfrom small projects. Itisgreat because they are getting stronger. they are getting helpfrom eitherthegovernment orforeign The abilityfortheproducers to grow ishappeningbecause andalltheproducerswith Savannakhet, thatweworkwith. market, isdeveloping remarkably. Similarphenomenon which produces allthecotton fortheLuangPrabang the mostcraft sector inLaos.For instanceBanNayang and becomingbigger. Sotheproducers are theonesexpanding Yes, mainly there are maker groups consideringwholesale come from thecity? Areindustry? they usually makers themselves, dothey What aboutLaotianpeople getting involved inthecraft are basedinaremote area. they have worked withalot ofpeople foryears, even ifthey because itisan amazing silkarea. We workwiththem but The expertise is different andHouaphanhisananomaly Chinese comingin. in theirtastes. Andyou have alsotheinfluence ofthe women are more nowwearing cotton andthey are changing people, itisupto themandto trends. Because more Laotian Whether they canstay infashionanddesignforthe Laotian probably continuethisway because ofthequalitytheirwork. to have only stillcomemainly Laotiancontactsandsotheideas However whenyou are inaLaotianlanguage zone, they tend I have alsoseenthemlooking newtrends. atnewideas, younger they are, thefaster they get onsocialmedia. Thai, they go online.Laotianare allonFacebook! Andthe doing businessonWhatsApp. Ifthey’re doingbusiness with Yes absolutely. Everyone here isontheirphoneandwe’re all help thehandicraft sector? they haveDo accessto socialmediaandhowdoesthat range ofproducts. start sewinginthevillage, leading themto develop anew huge amountofaddedvalue whenthey realized they could which they sellatthenightmarket now. Thatinstigated a Yang, thecotton village. They have started to sewproducts implement newinitiatives. Thishasbeenquite strikinginNa And thenthey canhelpto designnewproducts and youth andtalents backinthevillages. be ahuge accelerator notjustinnumbers butinbringingthe level. Ihave witnessedpersonally thattourism canactually to helpthesegroups ofproducers take theirworkto thenext language abilities.Young people would to want get involved develop sewing, design,people going to theworkshop, and especially to bringintheyouth, Ithinkthey needto I personally to thinkthatifacottage wants evolve industry What abouttheyoung generation? heritage piecesforcustomers looking forthiskindofquality. long term, they mightbeable to develop specifichigh-end weavers donotusenatural dyes because itiscostly. Inthe Vientiane. AndIthought surprisingbecause thatwas often them inatraining innatural dyes inHuey HongwhenIwas strongly conserved theirdesignsandquality. Isaw However these2areas andgroups ofproducers have Collection ofhandwoven hometextiles ©MaTe Sai it canalsobeaway to fightrural exodus. Ifyoung peopleCambodia. get more involved inthevillages, the people having muchcontrol. Thismusthappenaswellin toquite seewhatisbeingdoneto sad thevillages without Chinese andVietnameseinvestment onagriculture. Itis Thecommunitiesarethis alot. alsoimpacted by themassive and they really value itsqualityanduse.Sowediscuss use “LuPhaiLu”thecotton whichmeans from theLupeople handmade andwellmade.TheTai Lucallthecotton they and thepatterns. Itreally matters thattheirproducts are Yao, forinstance,really care abouttheirembroidery work understand theheritage. Itdependsonthetribesbut The weavers, especially whenitisabouttextiles, they do not sure thattheproducts are madeinasustainable way. more sustainable materials. For instancewithbambooIam The only thingIcandoisto questionthemandtryto source really to sellfortheproducers to supporttheirlivelihood. don’t have thecapacityto survey allprocesses. Myjobis From theretail pointofview, itisincredibly challenging. We local resource? Is there any interest forsustainabilityinLaostheuseof from Laos.They are beinginfluenced through theirnetwork.

Collaborating from with artisans many ethnicgroups ©MaTe Sai 26 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Laos &Cambodia Laos Upcycling Initiatives in > > > CAMBODIA /USA TONLÉ, ZERO-WASTE FASHION BRAND, PHNOMPENH, TEXTILE artisans. > > > CAMBODIA RAJANA PHNOMPENH, CRAFTS, METAL and benefits Employs 30people inthePhnomPenh workshop fair wages earning factories discards All ofthefabricsmaderecycled materials from Cambodian garment Founded by Faller, Rachel led asanintegrated zero waste modelsince2015 transformed into jewellery by Cambodian Bullets andbombshellscraps are Since 2000Operated by Cambodians Outreach UK Asian support oftheBritishNGOSoutheast Association launched in1995withthe by-products, reducing wasteby creating newmaterialsor Process of givinga new life todiscarded materialsand

UPCYCLING OR products of value better CREATIVE USE

> AT CAMBODIABRANCH: > AT LAOS BRANCH: > > FRIENDS ‘N’STUFFPROGRAMME FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL NGO PAPER

in difficulty Recycled paperjewellery madeby mothers living inthestreets ofVientianearea collectedsacs by impoverished children Recycled bags madeoutofold rice andgrain magazines) to make handcrafted objects rugby balls,tires, cutlery, foodpackaging, Using recycled materials (newspaper, Cambodia since1994 Focusing onchildren’s empowermentin

PLASTIC > products > > SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA THE GREENGECKO PROJECT,

16 womenworkingfulltimeinSiemReap area the preparation andcrocheting ofamazing Collection ofplasticbags, andwashing to Reap into handicrafts discarded plasticbags whichlitter Siem Upcycling workshop in2015turning

LAOS CAMBODIA PROVINCE, LAOS XIENGKHOUANG BAN NAPHIA, METAL > > > safe aspossible.safe collection andtrade ofthescrap metalas to villagersMine RiskEducation to make British NGOMinesAdvisoryGroup provided jewellery from UXOs (unexplored ordinances) Spoons, key chains,bottle openers, and the mostheavily bombedregions inLaos Village located thePlainofJars, near oneof

28 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Community Empowerment CHAPTER 3 droughts andsoilwaterpollution. Inbothcountries,regions withless leadingphenomenon ofclimate to change destructive andindustrialisation, up market prices.Smallholders alsoencounter anumberofchallenges to due of production, accessto larger markets, andlowers bargaining powerto set form ofgroups andcooperatives are notvery developed, whichlimitsthescale orwiththeirfamilywork individually members. Farmer organisations inthe activities around itscultivationintherainy Localproducers season. usually Rice remains themaincrop grown locally andfarmers organise theiryearly 40% oftheCambodianpopulationandabove 60%oftheLaotianpopulation. are countriesdeeply rooted intheirrurality. Agriculture stilloccupiesmore than As stated intheintroduction ofthisCreative Resource LaosandCambodia Book, solution to reduce poverty andinequalities. developingcontext, goods artisanal andcreative practices asavalid appear ancestral skillstransmitted withinfamiliesforgeneration. Inthiscomplex hand ithasaccelerated rural exodus andcaused thedisappearance ofprecious industry, andbringingnewmarkets andeconomicopportunities.Ontheother to alarge flow offoreign visitors, creating afruitful andstillgrowing hospitality and tourism have double-edged effects.Ononehandithasopenedcountries developments to create additionalsources ofincome.Additionally, globalisation livelihood. International andlocal NGOshave understood thepotential ofthese different types ofcottage would significantly industries improve thevillagers’ economic disparities.Expandingrural activitiesbeyond farmingandfostering production potential orlocated away from themaintrade hubssufferincreasing health-and-life-experiences-in-cambodia 6 goals. Whenworkingwithmakers groups, thedifficultyis to keep thesecompaniesrunningwhile fulfillingtheir social wage. Withoutexternal funding, itis however challenging trade policies,paying theirstaffhigherthanthe average respond to International LaborOrganization (ILO) andfair- care. and health access to primaryeducation, They also a varietyofsocialbenefitssuchas vocational training, enterprises, theseinitiatives incorporate intheir structure the populationsinparticular. Taking theformofsocial empowering rural communitiesandfragile segments of All theorganisations presented inthischapter focuson buy medicalsuppliesandto sendtheirchildren to school. Women are primarycaretakers andthey usetheirmoney to This positive outcome alsodirectly benefitsthechildren. dynamics andestablishesthemasaforce inthehousehold. women to generate theirownincomerebalances thefamily sexual and/or physical intimate partnerviolence.’ UN Women, ‘one infive womeninCambodiahas experienced by theCambodiangovernmentconducted andsupported by National Survey onWomen’s andLifeExperiences Health of womenunable to read orwrite properly. According to the Theliteracysecondary school. levels are stilllow with22% of precarious employment and60% have notattended $50 to $70permonth.70%ofwomenworkinconditions do have anactivity, theiraverage incomeonly reaches remote villages are often unemployed andeven ifthey womenlivingin thanmen.AndinCambodia, education rooted inpatriarchy. They tend to have less accessto Laotianwomenfacesocialandcultural habits account. contribution to thesector hasnotbeenproperly taken into than halfoftheagricultural workforce. However their are womenandyouth. InLaos,womenaccountformore Under thispremise, populationswhoare themostvulnerable NationalSurvey onWomen’s CambodiaMinistryofWomen’s andLifeExperiencesinCambodia. Health Affairs, 2015. http://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/11/national-survey-on-women-s- 6 Supporting Supporting

engage witheco-tourism. by encouraging themto conserve theirtraditional skillsand to these communitieswhoare often struggling forsurvival, sector can alsobringinvaluable employment opportunities Kampong Thom,andPreahRatanakiri, Vihear. Thehandicraft of indigenous people, mostly livinginremote provinces of Hmong, Akha andLahu people. Cambodiaonly counts1.4% especially Laoswith47 ethnicgroups suchastheYao, Finally bothLaosandCambodiaare multiethniccountries, trends, costing andshipping, andqualitycontrol. provide training inmarketing, commercial strategy, design, countries, especially JapanandThailand.Theseassociations to reach potential buyers andtraders from otherAsian yearly festivalshowcasingoverinVientiane 200artisans and bamboo, jewellery, andpottery. LHAalsoorganises a Laos workingintextiles, vegetal-basedrattan products madeof Organisation (LHA)represents about 120companiesacross from international clients.Similarly, theLaoHandicraft the selected attendees invaluable exposure andorders Maison &ObjetinParis orBerlinBazarinBerlin,whichgives It alsoparticipates ininternational trade fairs suchas Asiancraftwith otherSoutheast countriesincluding Laos. by building astronger networkto beable to compete items, andsouvenirs goods. TheAAC supportsitsmembers section. Others produce recycled accessories,woodcarving in theprevious chapters andMekong Blue presented inthis Angkorproduction suchasArtisans andSamatoa featured sector. Themajorityofmembers are withtextile dealing 2001 whichgathers 50companies workinginthecraft amembership-based organisation(AAC), establishedin Associationof Cambodia the supportofArtisans durable sources ofincome.InCambodiaproducers receive to implement asustainable chainofdistributionto ensure 30 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE are stillamongst themostvulnerable inCambodian society agricultural activities.Localyouth andwomen inrural areas Meanchey province where populations mostly pursue Phnom Srok isarural ofBeanteay districtintheeast SUSTAINABLE INCOMEFOR WOMEN specific focusonfemale empowerment. brandhis ownartisanal called Fairweave in2013witha kept intouch withtheweavers inPhnomSrok. Helaunched difficulties. ChomnabHothen returned toPhnom Penhand with villagers andunderstand theirsocialandeconomic This in-depthexperience led himto spendinvaluable time to improve silkreeling, dyeing andweaving processes. Chomnab Hoimplemented aseriesoftraining programmes still grow a variety ofindigenous golden silkcocoons. one oftheonly domesticsericulture regions where farmers andproduces onlyChina, onetonne. PhnomSrok remains Cambodia importsabout399,mostly from VietNamand 400 tonnes ofsilkthread usedinthecountryevery year, relationships withsilkproducers andweavers. Oftheover circuit for5years, where hemanaged to build long-term stayed inthisremote area away from themaintourist marketing andtechnical advisor, thisyoung Cambodian the French Agency for Development (AFD).Working asa (Projet d’Appui au Secteur delaSoie),aproject fundedby of alocal silkdevelopment planimplemented by PASS putinchargeNorthwest Cambodiain2002whenhewas Chomnab Hoarrived intheregion ofPhnomSrok in HISTORY CAMBODIA Phnom Penh andPhnomSrok village Weaver withthescarfshehasjustmade ©Fair Weave Fair Weave Textile accessories MORE INFORMATION fairweave.com FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS 2013 America, Germany,America, Switzerland. and hasstarted to export itstextiles to Japan,Australia, Fairweave mostly sellsinPhnomPenh andSiemReapshops small quantityofKhmergolden silkproduced inPhnom Srok. handwoven cotton throws. Theorganisation alsousesa developing collections ofsilkscarves, butalsoalineof Fairweave strongly focusesonnatural fibres anddyes, organises varioustraining programmes forhisweavers. As themanagingdirector, hedesignsalltheproducts and the abilityto linkcontemporary designto local know-how. entrepreneurs witharemarkable experience inthefield and Chomnab Hobelongs to anewgeneration ofCambodian FRESH NEWHANDICRAFTS hired 6women asfulltimestaffatthecompany’s studio. care oftheir children. Additionally, thesocialenterprise has to anotherprovince. Italsoallows themto continueto take regular source ofincomeandprevents themfrom migrating a sideactivityandworkfrom home,whichprovides thema which 25are basedinPhnomSrok. They produce textiles as present day, Fairweave employs atotal of60women, age andthathecould develop amarket forthem.To the living inPhnomSrok hadlearned weaving from avery young ChomnabHonoticedthatcertainwomen time employment. food products atthemarket,womenstruggle to findfull the fields orintheinformaleconomy by trading goods and Besides workingin in terms ofaccessto qualityeducation. along withethnicminorities.They encounter majorbarriers patchwork, stitching andembroiderypatchwork, onhigh-quality silkand baby quilts,they usearange techniques suchas ofartisanal home andtake care oftheirchildren. For theadult-sized and papier-mâché products cantherefore stay close to their Mekong Quilts,thecraftswomen whoworkonquiltsor on urban centres, andeven With to Thailand to findwork. They also migrate faraway to Phnom Penh orSiemReap often leavecommon. Adults thevillage to workinfactories. such asRumdoul, phenomenonofrural exodus isvery which requires little resources Inremote to start. villages Quiltingisaslowin Rumdoulandprecise district. activity livinginthisremoteartisans province bordering VietNam In 2007, theproduction unitinSvay Rienginvolved 16 QUILTING INCAMBODIA such aswaterhyacinth andbamboo. with objectsandaccessoriesmadefrom local raw materials added anotherhandicraft initiative to diversify itsactivity to encourage thisnewdevelopment. Mekong Quiltsfinally ShopsalsoopenedinPhnomPenhCambodia. andSiemReap branch ofproduction launched was inSvay Riengprovince in Vietnam Quiltschanged itsname forMekong Quiltswhena the openingofafirst store inHoChiMinhCity. In 2009, volunteers’ homes.Theproject asuccessandled was to The first pieceswere soldway inaninformal atfriendsand areas onhowto cutandsewhandmadepatchworked quilts. She started to train 35womenindifficultieslivingrural Thanh Truong makingquiltsandpatchworks was asahobby. with Bernard Kervyn, andRobert Gilberte Eberhardt. Do-Huu support ofMekong Plus, anNGOsheco-founded in1994 Minh City, launched theinitiative VietnamQuiltswiththe Viet Nam.In2001ThanhTruong, adentistbasedinHoChi Mekong Quiltsisasocialenterprise findingitsoriginsin HISTORY Svay Riengprovince, CambodiaandBinhThuanHau Giangprovinces, VietNam Mekong Quilts mekongplus.org Quilted textiles MORE INFORMATION FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS 2001 Handmade colourful quiltson display ©Mekong Quilts programmes.agricultural education micro-financing, scholarships, and health, hygiene and other actionscarriedby theNGOMekong Plus to support profits generated by Mekongsales Quilts’also go the makers andpotentially hire andtrain more women.The as themostdirect way to ensure employment forthe internationally. Increasing distributionchannelsappears countries. Inaddition,theorganisation sellsitsproducts plus.com), reaching mostly foreign tourists visitingthese Viet NamandCambodiaanonlineshop(mekong- To keep developing, Mekong Quiltsrelies on5stores in INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES sustainable additionalincomesupportingtheirhousehold. Mekong Quilts.Craftswoman have managed to generate a more than200womenhave benefitted from workingat the VietnameseandCambodianproduction centres, cotton fabrics.Makers alsodevelop custom orders. Between

CAMBODIA 32 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE 7 up, following anancestral technique passedfrom generation cord, start weaving thebagfrom Khmuartisans thebottom After washing, dryingandspinningtheraw fibre into afine the pulpto collect thefibre inthe form ofthinwhite ribbons. abundant climbingperennial vines,keep the stems andstrip chemicals orirrigation device. Khmupeople harvest these the tropical forests ofLaosinhigheraltitudeswithoutany Kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides) plantsgrow naturally in 100% NATURAL FIBRE distribution, especially intheUnited States. and standardised sizes to reach local andinternational developing bagdesignswithdifferent appealing colours the Khmubag‘Nature Bag.’ Hespentthelastdecade this specificspeciesof kudzu as ‘JungleVine’ and renamed a certainmarketing flair, BillNewbrough trademarked a poverty reduction programme fortheKhmupeople. With partnered withBonsouKeoamphone, aguide whofounded in 2006. To develop asustainable production chain,he for thisvegetal bag, launching theJungleVine Foundation started to collaborate withdifferent groups to build amarket activity andprovide sources ofincometo theKhmu.He preserve anindigenous knowledge, supportaneco-friendly Bill Newbrough intheseproducts saw thepotential to day’s Sensitive to environmental harvest. andsocialcauses, arrowroot, they were commonly usedby theKhmuto carrya a tropical formofkudzu, aplantalsocalled Japanese durable withimpressive elasticproperties. Madefrom lightweight net-like aesthetic,thesebags are remarkably living inthenorthernarea ofthe country. Inspite oftheir bags madeartisanally by acommunity ofKhmupeople He travelled to forthefirst Laosinthe2004andsaw time 30 years asaconsultantinreal estate andcommunications. Bill Newbrough, anAmericannative from worked Iowa, for HISTORY LAOS Jungle VineFoundation https://www.naturebag.org/pages/about-us Accessories innatural fibre Nature Bag MORE INFORMATION Luang Prabang naturebag.org 7

FOUNDED WHERE 2006 FOCUS encourages holisticforest conservation practices. expression oftheKhmuculture, theJungleVine Foundation piece. Bypromoting anon-timber forest product asan to generation. Theprocess takes about2weeks foreach Accessories madeofkudzu ‘JungleVine’ ©Nature Bag connections withtherest ofLaosterritory. Bag’s growing market,especially by strengthening their a sustainable livelihood anddirectly benefitfrom Nature supplement theirfarmingactivities.Thecommunitiessecure based inisolated areas cancontinueto workfrom homeand and LuangPrabang. Withkudzu fibre weaving, thesemakers Bokeo andPhongsaly, andnowexpanding to Houaphanh living in4northernprovinces Oudomxay, Luangnamtha, has beenteamingwithaboutonehundred ofKhmuartisans largest ethnicgroup inthecountry. TheJungleVine Foundation The Khmuare about500,000 people inLaos,whichisthe SUPPORTING THEKHMUCOMMUNITIES

and hercommitment towards womenempowerment. her contributioninthepreservation silkweaving ofartisanal from Magsaysay thePhilippineRamon Foundation, honouring villages inthecountry. In2015Kommaly received anaward now involve about3,000 farmers, weavers andmakers in35 trees andstartthesericulture process. Kommaly’s initiatives of UXO ordnance, theorganisation could plantmulberry land inXiengKhuongprovince. cleared Oncethelandwas established Mulberriessilkfarmasasocialenterprise ona support oftheLaotiangovernment, Kommaly eventually supporting rural Withthe womenmakinghandicraft. partnered with Camacrafts, anon-profit organisation in aperson’s home,often inarural environment. Shethen small-scale businessormanufacturing activityoperated in 1980andintegrated asilk-making a cottage industry: cooperative expanded into Phontong Handicraft Cooperative local markets andgovernment-backed shops. Thesmall who were sellingtextiles alsovictimsofdisplacement, in initiative with10female weavers from herhomeregion to Vientiane.In1976shefoundedafirst silkproduction targeting theHoChiMinhTrail. Kommaly eventually arrived when shehadto flee hervillage destroyed by U.S bombing of Laos.Shestarted weaving attheage of6. only Shewas 11 in theprovince ofHuaPhan,XamNeuaintheeasternpart Chanthavong grew upinafamily offarmers andsilkweavers Phontong-Camacrafts Cooperative. Bornin1950, Kommaly in theLaotianhandicraft landscape:Mulberriessilkfarmand Kommaly Chanthavong isthefounderof2majororganisations HISTORY Mulberries /Phontong-CamacraftsMulberries Vientiane andPhonsavan, XiengKhouangprovince Reeling silk threads from golden cocoons©Mulberries Accessories innatural fibre MORE INFORMATION mulberries.org FOUNDED WHERE FOCUS 1993 education and formedicalsupplies. education primary workat thefarmandusually goes to their children and theirfamilies. Theincomegenerated compliments their organisations efficiently contribute tosupportrural women to produce redesigned handicrafts. Mulberriesanditssister draw from theirancestral embroidery andbatik techniques Camacrafts are mostly women oftheHmongethnicgroups who basketry andotherdecorative objects.Theproducers under whole country. They develop silkaccessories andhangings, together basedin35villages about 450Laotianartisans the in In addition,thePhontong Handicraft Cooperative brings are thensold inashopVientiane,online,andforexport. in theweaving workshops onsite. Thehandwoven products at thefarmisusedto weave complex textiles innatural dyes Following a holisticchainofproduction, thesilk produced FAIR-TRADE HANDICRAFTS from 14provinces insilkwormrearing andsilkspinning. successful initiative hastrained ofrural athousand villagers river to supply agricultural lands.To thepresent day, the used to fertilisetheplantsandwater comesfrom thenearby cocoons. Following organic farming, thecattle’s manure is silk threads, rearing ahybrid typeofgolden mulberrysilk have becomeexperts inspinningthefinestqualitiesof natural dyes plantingandcattle-raising. Theproducers from mulberrytree farming to sericulture, alsoincluding farm hasintegrated thewhole process ofsilkproduction trees andstartsericulture process. The45-hectare model UXO ordnance, before theorganisation could plant mulberry In XiengKhuongprovince, thelandhadfirst to becleared of ORGANIC SERICULTURE LAOS

34 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE CAMBODIA Other initiatives worth mentioning Handicrafts (weaving, tailoring, silversmithing, woodcarvinggoods) Women victimsoftrafficking, violence, and sexual exploitation Watthan ArtisansCambodia Weaves of Cambodia Phnom Penh and Kompong Champrovince Afesip Fair Fashion Weavers andfarmers withdisabilities Clothing andtextile accessories fairfashioncambodia.org Artisans withdisabilities Artisans Handwoven silktextiles weavescambodia.com watthanartisans.com MORE INFORMATION MORE INFORMATION MORE INFORMATION Preah Vihear Phnom Penh FOUNDED FOUNDED FOUNDED SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT WHERE WHERE WHERE 2004 2003 FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS 1999 Huey HongCentre for Women’s SkillDevelopment Lao Disabled WomenLao Disabled Eco-friendly fair-trade textile accessories Recycled paperandtextile handicrafts Handwoven textiles accessories Rural communities across Laos Houey HongVillage, Vientiane houeyhongvientiane.com laodisabledwomen.com Women withdisabilities saobancrafts.com Saoban MORE INFORMATION MORE INFORMATION MORE INFORMATION Rural women Vientiane Vientiane FOUNDED FOUNDED FOUNDED SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT WHERE WHERE WHERE 2005 1990 FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS 1998

LAOS 36 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Co-founder of Mekong Blue, insilktextile enterprisespecialized asocial accessories and vocationaland training insericulture weaving and for women Chantha Nguon Tell usaboutyourself andhowyou settled inStungTreng. support homeless victimsofHIV/AIDS, sex workers, andgeneral population. ahospiceI set upwithmy partnerKimDaraof Destination, Chanin2000, to Stung Treng conceived Women was from Development Center Center (SWDC) What isthestory ofMekong Blue? backto StungTrengheaded to settle. back to Phnom Penh just to saygoodbye to friendsandgather our belongings and there, whichreminded meofBattambangwhere born.Sowedecidedto Iwas go catching thecargo boatandIfellinlove withthegreen landscapesandtherivers go backto Phnom Penh. Ontheway backwespentanightinStungTreng before were severely from malnourishedandweak We malaria. thenleft thejungle to After more than11monthsandfindingno gold andnorubiesofany worth, we consideringtheKhmerRouge safe, thinking itwas factionshadleft thisarea. decided to thejungle head to province Ratanakiri to diggold andrubies to Cambodiain1993forthefirst democratic electionwar. sincethecivil We After 10years livingintherefugee campsofThailand,my husbandand Ireturned Weaving silkinStungTreng province ©Mekong Blue Stung Treng, Cambodia INTERVIEW mekongblue.com MORE INFORMATION WHERE 2001 and demands a lot ofwork. This issuchabroadto empowerwomenin Cambodia. topic are many things thatshould bedonemore to supportand do feelthatwomenneedmore There support inCambodia. have abetter future thantheirmothers. More generally, I Children are noware able to go to schoolsothatthey can house from theincomethey received through Mekong Blue. changed. Many ofthemhave beenable to build theirown themselves. Ihave to saythatthewomen’s lives have totally training to becomeable to manage theweaving unitsby leaders andadministrators are alsoweavers. They received The weavers are workingfulltimeatthecentre. Theteam What’s theimpactonwomen? support ourfemale trainees andtheirchildren. for girlsandboys. Onsite,center ahealth hasbeenopento year.9 each We alsoorganise computer andEnglishclasses provided scholarship to 100studentsfrom grade 1to grade for100children.and education Andsince2006, wehave SWDC, wehave implemented kindergarten to provide care kindergarten, schoolsponsorship to theirchildren. At weprovideNHS ofCambodia, free lunch, free care, health knowledge. We alsogiveinsurance themahealth under training saytheymore want choices.More skillsand Women from StungTreng whoapply forour6monthvocational Mekong Blue? What kindofsupportdoesthemakers get from workingat children inStungTreng area. program to helpgenerate incometo supportwomenand eventually led to Mekong Blue in2001, aSWDCweaving classes butalsohelpto improve theirlives andskills.That to was addvocationalMy idea training to keep womenin start familiesvery young. expected tothen stay homeandhelpwiththehousework, isalow priority,Education especially forgirls,whoare often Economic opportunitiesinStungTreng are extremely limited. Diamonds) whichmainly provided literacy education. empowerment project called(Women Ratana Neary Are to runthehospice.We thenjoinedtheNationalwomen’s Sadly, after 1yearofoperating, westopped receiving funding

better future. Ihave beenadvocating forthissince 2008! larger markets to sellourproducts, thesector willhave or churches, sothey survive. To me,ifwemanage to reach on thelong term suchas certainforeign missionarygroups are luckier andreceive thesupportofdonors committed when fundingstops, mostbusinessesdrop! Certain NGOs on donations,bothfrom thegovernment andfrom NGOs.So to get funding. Consequently Cambodiaisheavily dependent government. Somostbusinessesare setupasNGOs inorder projects withnotmuchsupportfrom individually our Inthesector,much inCambodia. weare alldeveloping For thepast20years handicrafts have notbeengrowing Cambodian handicraft sector? And finally, howdo you imaginethefuture ofthe that they canuse. prostitution andslavery, training themto develop lifeskills we have beendoingwellinprotecting theyoung girlsfrom of landto grow vegetables andraise cows. Imustsaythat have started theirownbusiness,somebought smallpieces weaving centre are better prepared foranewlife.Some wehopethatthewomenwholeftBlue. Thatsaid, our cannot afford to keep alltheweavers wetrained atMekong widely into othercountries.Asa result weunfortunately don’t have any fundingto export anddistribute ourtextiles The costto make silkproducts isvery high.AsanNGO, we let go about100weavers in2010andanother14thisyear. Due to thecompetitive market ontextile sales,wehadto community asmuchwecan. we keep oursocialsupportto womenandchildren ofthe won’t make However ithappenwithoutexternal support. anddreamsideas to turnitinto reality isalong journey! We weavers to create marketable From butfundingistight. our products. We would like to receive supportingintraining We are struggling to findmarkets to sellMekong Blue textile projects? How isMekong Blue developing andwhatare your future 38 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Laos &Cambodia Laos Women in Low accessto basiceducation Lack ofskillstraining EDUCATION TRAINING LITERACY LEVEL LOW LOW Low accessto basiceducation

Lack ofskillstraining ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT Lack ofbusinessknowledge Low wage employment OBSTACLES TO SOLUTION TO DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS RESOURCES IMPROVING ACCESS TO WORKING

Amount oftimerequired athome Addressing unequaldomestic Access to socialprotection Taking care ofthechildren and care workburden ADDRESSING DOMESTIC EQUALITY GENDER UNPAID WORK

Women literacy rate vs 85% for Female members artisans of Mekong Quilts©Mekong Quilts Vendors infresh foodmarkets men (2010) are women CAMBODIA mortality rate forwomen vs. 4.1 per1,000 formen more housechores and care workthanmen LAOS

Women-headed households

population are women

of agriculture-reliant 40 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE Conclusion ancestral skillsandlocal resources, asitisexemplified by Samatoa andBodia andhandicrafts liesininnovativeindustries perspectives whichstillvalue opportunities foreconomicandsocialdevelopment.Thefuture ofthe creative crafts canberevitalised withcontemporary approaches to bringsustainable different aspectsofLaotianandCambodiancultures. Eachproject showedthat This bookhasoffered alimited butrich overview ofcreative practices showcasing providing alarger marketplace, connecting makers directly to consumers. more difficult toreach suitable markets. New technologies play a crucial role in Mekong Blue inStungTreng orMulberries inXiengKhouangprovince, itcanbe located inremote areas orworkingwithmarginalised communitiessuchas the consumers onthelegitimacy andqualityoftheirproducts. For organisations traditional thesecompaniessuccessfully handicraft comfort withamoderntwist, With astrong capitalbaseandabusinessmodelcombiningsocial impactand Laotian textile traditions to discover crafts inanopen-air workshop. weaving inthearea ofLuangPrabang, whichinvites visitors eager to learn about observations may apply Pop to Ock Tock, an authority inhigh-qualityartisanal heritage sites suchastheAngkor archaeological complex inSiemReap. Similar AngkorArtisans have managed to reach asolidclientele, mostly tourists visiting abroad Certain tolong-established findwork. pioneeringorganisations suchas issues ofrural exodus leading many villagers to go to thecitycentres andeven Cambodian Apothecary. Thesector canbenefit rural communitiesandlimit Phaeng MaiGallery, itcanbehelpfulto contactassociations cooperatives and independententrepreneurs suchas and communication. To reach initiatives launched by local profits are usually more developed in terms ofmarketing Laos isto persevere. Projects created by foreign non- One adviceto workwithcommunitiesinCambodiaand Working withmakers’ communities©MaTe Sai professional purposes. used extensively butnotnecessarily for Asia, inSoutheast sometimes challenging. Socialmedia andFacebook are always upto date andcommunicatingthrough emailswas in communicationandmarketing. Thewebsites were not makers groups, whichcould benefitfrom more support has beensometimeschallenging to connectwithcertain For thepreparation ofthisCreative Resource it Book, WhatsApp isalsousedto passorders andmake business. her interview, EmiWeir, founder ofMaTe Sai,mentionedthat Facebook whichisvery popularinCambodiaandLaos.In with awebsite orthrough andespecially socialmedia, on Most oftheprojects selected have apresence onlineeither Preparing bobbinsofcoloured threads ©Fair Weave THERE ISMOREWORK TO DOTO continue to elevate acentury-old heritage. Cambodian andLaotiancreative canthrive and industries designers, product managers, andcraftspeople thatthe natural resources. Itisinaholisticdialogue between aesthetic while respecting thesehuman,technical,and imported goods, designstrategies mustfoster adistinctive natural materials. To compete withmass-produced and utilizing local plants,forest timberproducts, andother ancestral knowledge available culture ineach butalsoin Successful projects are grounded intheremarkable supporting rural andindigenous communities. protecting against humantrafficking, fighting poverty, and people preserving withdisabilities, regional cultures, working towards avarietyofgoals suchasempowering These corporations alsoensure thattheirmembers are orLaoHandicraft Organisationof Cambodia(AAC) (LHO). regrouping different members Association suchasArtisans considerate ofthe communitiesidentities Cultivate designandcraft synergies which are beneficial to theworkerssafety and health respectful to theenvironment while also being Encourage upcycling andany production process with farmers methods, andimplement fair-trade practices Consider available local resources, organic farming centres, and reach international marketplaces. technology to reconnect rural communitiesto urban Develop training incommunication,marketing, and out ofthehousehold. wages, including afairer workload distribution inand Ensure equality betweenmenandwomeninterms of

42 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING THE CREATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE

www.tissusetartisansdumonde.fr/en from Asia. mainlandSoutheast photography andessays showcasinghighly-skilled textile especially artisans, Monde” (World Textiles anonlinemultimedia journey combiningfilm, &Artisans), an AHRC du scholarship. &Artisans Sheproduces thewebdocumentary“Tissus London focusingonthedynamics ofsilkheritage inpost-conflict Cambodiaon attheRoyalPhD candidate Department College intheHistory ofDesign ofArt, and theonlineBloomsburyLibrary, Design amongothers. Magali Anisalsoa She isalsoaregular contributor to culture360.ASEF.org, Selvedge Magazine, and asanadjunctinstructor ingraduateprogrammes intheUnited States. international experience workingasadesignerinthe craft sector inCambodia cultures, post-colonial perspectives, andsustainable processes. Shehasgained with particularinterests Asiandress inSoutheast andtextiles, local craft Magali AnBERTHON isafreelance cultural writer, researcher anddocumentarist BIOGRAPHY 44 CAMBODIA AND LAOS CRAFTING Reclaiming Heritage / Caring for Young Khmer Weaving TheProgramme / Artisans Creative Angkor / Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (TAEC) / Ock Pop Tok / Phaeng Mai Gallery / Interview with Eric Stocker / About Silk / Beyond Tradition / Article22 / Khang / ResourceSamatoa / Kumae / Bodia Cambodian ApothecaryGuide: / Interview with Emi Weir / Upcycling Initiatives in Laos & Cambodia / Community Empowerment / Fair Weave / Mekong Quilts / Nature Bag / Mulberries / Phontong-Camacrafts / Watthan Artisans Cambodia /Crafting Afesip Fair Fashion / Weaves of Cambodia Laos / Huey Hong Centre for Women’s Skill Development / Lao Disabled Women / Saoban / andInterview with Chantha Cambodia Nguon / Women in Laos & Cambodia