We had a FANTASTIC visit to Hoi An’s Precious Heritage Museum, which opened 2 years ago. The founder and creative light behind this brilliant photography and ethnic fashion museum is a remarkable photographer with an eye for the beauty of the fast disappearing ethnic populations, traditions, and textile artistry of Viet Nam.
Bravo to Rehahn, one of the leading travel photographers of our time (French by birth who has made Hoi An his home for the past decade), for investing his energy toward such a noble project as the establishment of a collection of photographs and ethnic costumes from the 54 main tribal groups that comprise Viet Nam’s population. https://www.rehahnphotographer.com/project/precious-heritage-vietnam/h
The discovery of this museum of ethnic fashion brought back a flood of memories from our own experiences with different ethnic groups around the world… Mapuche indians in Argentina for our ethnic furniture business, then Mayagna tribal groups in Nicaragua for our bamboo housing business.
Now, stimulated by our visit to Rehahn’s Precious Heritage project we are reconnecting with this theme in our travels. Already plotting some new adventures in Vietnam… and maybe some future paintings focused around ethnic communities (?)
It feels timely, therefore, to resuscitate a 2014 blog post that we wrote while in Luang Prabang, Laos, another gorgeous and favorite Southeast Asian town, where we were treated to a surprising and magnificent ethnic fashion show.
Read on…
July 2014 ~ Laos
‘We have long been intrigued by ethnic minorities ~ so much so that we created a business several years ago ~ “Ethnicities” ~ based on the import of ethnic craft, fashion and artisanal furniture from Argentina’s Mapuche Indians.
The artistic talent and craftsmanship we found was superb and it was great fun and a memorable life experience to be able to try to open up a U.S. market for these ethnic artisans: See http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-05-23/news/0405230405_1_international-home-furnishings-market-geometric-artists-and-designers
A few years later, we launched into our socially impactful bamboo housing adventure, (CO2 Bambu) which was centered in Northern Nicaragua, working with ethnic Mayagna and Miskito indigenous communities. Less “fun” (man, that was tough!), but still kept the ethnic flame going: See a beautiful video on our work with the Mayagna community ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzNGsQ3A3zc
Looking back on past choices of travel, we are often drawn to countries where the ethnic dimension is palpable through the arts, the architecture, the food and of course the people.
We travelled to Guatemala, where the ethnic population who live in mountainous regions were more vibrant than in our Nicaragua home base. Their textiles, for instance reflected different regional communities, each wearing a dominant color (red, blue, yellow…) based on the natural dye available in their communities.
We also very much enjoyed our time in Morocco where the beauty of Berber women was only matched by the beauty of their jewelry and textiles.
More recently, our current travel through Southeast Asia has been rich with ethnic influence.
In Viet Nam, we spent time in mountain villages during our Ho Chi Minh Trail week long motorbike adventure ~ the tall houses of the Bahnar Central Highlands people were particularly memorable ~ http://greenglobaltrek.blogspot.com/2014/04/bahnar-village-village-of-children.html
In Cambodia, the Khmer boat people with their floating villages were highly impressive for their climate adaptation and resiliency ~ http://greenglobaltrek.blogspot.com/2013/09/staring-down-climate-change-flood.html
In Bali, Indonesia, a rich local culture that distinguishes the island as a Buddhist pocket inside the world’s largest Muslim country led to our discovery of the Balinese ethnic culture manifested through Balinese architecture, religion, dress and culinary culture ~ http://greenglobaltrek.blogspot.com/2014/02/30-year-cycle-ceremony-at-gyanyar_20.html
In Laos, at the epicenter in Southeast Asia for ethnic minorities, we are introduced to the wide array of tribal culture and traditions..
The notion of “ethnic minorities” is a misnomer in this part of the world. In fact, ethnic “minorities” are the overwhelming majority in Northern Laos. Mostly rural and living in remote mountain villages, these minorities are an extraordinarily rich cultural asset of Laos.
There are apparently 100 or so ethnic sub groups, distinguished by their ethnic make up, but also by their languages, clothing, food and cultural practices.
Of course, in a town like Luang Prabang, a large portion of the ethnic population works and lives in this “urban” setting, but their families are from mountain villages and they come to “the city” (it is a city, but feels more like a town), for specific trading opportunities, to attend University, or as novices and monks in the town’s many temples.
These 100 or so ethnic groups can be a few larger ethno-cultural families or groupings, which are:
The Hmong: The most famous ethnic group which today has large overseas communities in the U.S., Australia and France. The history is complicated (and brutal), but essentially, the Hmong partnered with the United States during the Viet Nam War, along with the Lao monarchy, with disastrous results. Squeezed between North Viet Nam’s Viet Cong and the United States, Laos was forced to make a choice between the Laos Pathet and the United States and they opted to side with the U.S. Costly decision.
Ultimately the North Vietnamese won the war (and retributions against the Hmong population was swift and harsh), but not before the U.S. opted for a vast secret war that destroyed northern Laos.
While everyone knows of the American war (or Viet Nam war), few Americans are aware that the U.S. waged a highly bloody war in Northern Laos where they dropped more bombs per person in Northern Lao than they did against Nazi Germany. Trying to disturb the North Vietnamese’ ability to go and replenish in Northern Lao, the U.S. carpeted (cluster bombs), its allies’ land, destroying villages, and killing civilians on a massive scale. This was the outcome of the Hmong people’s support of the U.S. war effort.
The Hmong were considered the most ardent soldiers with detailed knowledge of the mountainous terrain. After the war, many Hmong sought to escape retribution from Viet Nam and resettled in the U.S., Australia and France.
This region has the dubious record of having the largest amount of bombs dropped than any other country in the history of the world. To this day, the quantity of UXO (Unexploded Ordinance) is so large, that there continue to be victims in the Lao countryside routinely, 40 years after the war ended.
The Khmu: The majority ethnic group in the Luang Prabang province. Traditionally animists, believing in spirits and the spirit world. Unlike the Hmong who came down from China several centuries ago, the Khmu are the indigenous population of Lao.
The Akha: They live in the far north of the country and are well known for their elaborate headdresses made from silver coins. They have a distinctive traditional cuisine which relies heavily on unique herbs and spices
We are delighted and surprised to discover a local (twice a week) fashion show of ethnic clothing at one of the restaurants in town.
The models are Hmong university students, who are given the opportunity to showcase their ethnic heritage to the public as well as have a side job of modelling.
With stages in the garden and musical accompaniment, the fashion show is absolutely entrancing and captivating. An amazing opportunity to see a large variety of traditional clothing made from hand dyed fabrics, with textile weaving and intricate hand stitched embroidery. Some of the clothing is worn daily and other pieces are for celebrations and festivals.
Our travels through SouthEast Asia started in Hoi An. This photo captured the feeling of adventures current and forthcoming, taken 6 years ago.
I am so behind in reading blog posts but I am so glad I read this one! I love all the ethnic fashions you have featured here, especially the detailed embroidery.
That Hmong silver necklace is perfect for you with your elegant long neck, Peta.
What a wonderful bit of serendipity that the photo of the dear older woman was the same person you had your picture taken with 6 years ago. I love that!
Darlene, isn’t it amazing how so much of the ethnic fashion is so modern and classic in its beauty? I still have that Hmong silver necklace. I haven’t worn it much but I do admire it a lot. That photo we took with “the boat woman” as we fondly remembered her, was one of my favorite photos from our first time in Hoi An.
Peta
Stunning! Thank you for sharing this fascinating article. I’m especially interested in anticipation of visiting N Vietnam and a H’mong village for the first time coming up this fall.
Colleen you have quite a wonderful adventure ahead of you, with visiting Viet Nam and a Hmong village for the first time. So glad you enjoyed this blog post. You might enjoy reading some of the links, including the visit to the Banhar people.
Peta
Both the museum and your previous blog post offer beautiful images of the people and fashion of this part of the world. It is not surprising at all that you have made the whole theme of ethnicity part of your business and life in general over the years; every value you embody can be found in that arena!
Yes, yes, yes Lex. Ethnic authenticity is what keeps pulling us to new destinations and new lands. Much as there is now a large awareness of endangered animal species, there is not as yet, enough recognition of the severe and rapid loss of indigenous populations and their ancestral ways. The world is losing its ethnic asset at a rapid pace.
Ben
This is quite the collection of photographs, I love all of the colors and patterns. Although I don’t condone smoking, the photo of the elderly woman smoking a cigarette seemingly told so many stories without saying a word. I continue to enjoy traveling that part of the world vicariously through your lens and words.
Patti, re the smoking, since most of the smokers in these photos are well into their late years, they seem to have actually survived pretty well, nonetheless. Not sure what they are smoking but it could be homegrown tobacco or other herbs/plants, but not likely to be laced with chemicals and other harmful products as in mass produced cigarettes. Often with tribal people, plants are smoked or chewed as a form of medicine or an “upper” such as coffee might provide for other cultures.
So glad you enjoyed this post so much.
Peta & Ben
Very interesting, thanks!
Such gorgeous images telling of the people and their fashions.
It is clear that your love of learning about cultures and immersing yourselves has been a core value through the years. How wonderful to have the experience of the photo of the old boat woman. xo
Sue with both have upbringings that have influenced our love of different cultures and textiles. For my part, growing up in South Africa, I was exposed to many different tribal peoples and all sorts of interesting textiles. In Ben’s case, his father was a fashion designer in Paris, and all branches of his family were in some part of fashion, so textiles have a natural appeal.
Peta & Ben
What a fascinating post!
I love all the bright colors, fabrics, patterns, and details of the clothing. The history of the Hmong is incredibly depressing, and made even worse by the knowledge they are still dealing with the effects of our war 40 years after the fact.
The story of your encounter with the woman on the boat just goes to show how small and interconnected the world really is.
Wonderful article!
Yes, sadly the multi generational fall out from the United States military campaigns in South East Asia is very real and continues to claim deaths to this date. While America has long ago moved on, the effects linger. Agent Orange in Viet Nam and Laos continues to affect the population and bombs in Cambodia and Laos continue to explode…
Ben & Peta
The words “fast disappearing” make me sad. Photography is a way to help preserve the beauty in the ethnic populations. The portrait photography is exquisite. Interesting about your description on how ethnic minorities are actually a misnomer. This post is filled with fascinating information.
All of your posts are amazing. I set aside quality time to read, learn and enjoy. I always appreciate the photos. A wonderful coincidence on the elderly woman you met. Her spirit is reflected in her radiating smile.
Thank you for sharing, Ben and Peta:)
Erica, the whole concept of minority is very fluid in my mind. It just seems like an artificial way at looking at a people numerically, by head count. I can give a specific example to illustrate: in Sri Lanka, a country of 23 million, whereas you know we lived until recently, the Sinhalese “majority” viewed the Tamils as a “minority” as they represent less than 2 million. The thing is, these Tamils are but an offshoot of their very close cousins in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, a short boat ride away. The Tamil are numerically about 80 million people ( a bit more than France). So now compare the Sinhalese with the Tamil, and who is the minority? And then again, in the context of India, the Tamil are ONLY 80 million strong, which makes it a minority in a country of 1.3 billion people. My point is, ain’t no such thing as a minority in my mind but rather, there are ethnic groups that inhabit lands that for current practices, have geographic boundaries that result in these groups being considered minorities “here” but majorities “there”.
Thank you for the compliment on our writing and photographs.
Ben (& Peta)
I too am saddened by the many fast disappearing ethnic populations, and the brutal histories that were so often endured. Thank you for capturing their beauty and spirit here.
Worse yet, not only is the history brutal, but in many countries and tribal communities, it is the present that is brutal. For example, one only has to look to Myanmar, a Buddhist country where the Rohinga people are being persecuted; or the current U.S. supported Saudi attack on Yemen “rebels” to see a full throated ethnic destruction while the world watches passively.
The credit for capturing the beauty of the tribes here in Viet Nam, all goes to Rehanh.
Ben & Peta
So glad you made it to the museum and that it brought back so many wonderful memories.
Thank you Peggy so much for your wonderful recommendation of this museum.
It is an absolute gem and we are looking forward to going back for the next round, in more detail!
Peta & Ben
Wow! So good of you to share this. I always find that one of the deeper joys of travel is to experience whatever makes people distinctive, whether food or fashion or just how you get along in life. Not what’s novel or exotic (though that’s fun too!), but just what makes you “you”. I can tell that moves you deeply also, when you travel. It always does make me sad though, how much tribal ways are vanishing forever. I think it our duty when we travel to just celebrate their ways!
Johnny, exactly right. Well said!
It is our duty as humanity to do no harm. Not to intefere with tribal and indigenous ways, but to let them be, in peace to go about their daily lives. The recent events in Brazil with farmers purposefully setting fires in the heart of the Amazon in order to drive out indigenous people and to clear the land is nothing short of criminal. If you had people in broad daylight setting fires to cathedrals, like 80 a year like the fires in the Amazon, surely there would be an outcry. It is nothing short of shocking that the world reacted with such horror at the sight of Notre Dame on fire but ancient tribal traditions deliberately being disrupted and destroyed for the greed of big industry (in this case cattle famers) and for the most part, the world watches with indifference.
Peta & Ben
I love traditional textiles/clothes – the colours, the embroidery – the sheer time, effort and love that have gone into making every garment. Things that are valued for the stories they tell, that provide a link to the past. Beautiful. Loved reading this post.
Thanks Jim and Trace, it is so nice to read that you too love traditional textiles and clothing. It is quite amazing the level of skill that has been passed down through generations as part of a cultural heritage handed down. (Sadly, as Rehanh has chronicled, the art of tapestry is already disappearing and in many cases we are witnessing the last generation of weavers and embroiderers with the skill and knowledge to pass on the ancient heritage.)
As a painter, I also really appreciate the use of natural dyes made from available plants, for example the blue indigo, which is what gives us the name of that colour (from the plant).
Ben & Peta
I am in awe of your travels experiences and interactions with the various cultures of your travels. Although I am not envious I’ll bet many folks wish that they could be living your life. This is a such marvelous description of life and the people of southeast Asia. It seems the people are warm and welcoming and eager to share with foreigners. I find the necklaces beautiful but cumbersome. Petra looks very nice wearing one of the necklaces.
Yvonne, the interesting thing is that of course this post covers but a tiny tiny cross section of people in South East Asia. It just touches the surface of course as the region is rich with cultural, ethnic, religious, race and linguistic variations.
As a foreigners we do our best to be as respectful as we can both in our interactions and in taking of photographs. We use our photos to share and engage with people we meet as we find this to be a mutually rewarding cross cultural interaction.
Peta & Ben
As a quilt maker and crocheter, I really enjoy seeing traditional textiles. The colours are beautiful.
Quilt making and crocheting? Both skilled activities and I can see where having those skills would make traditional textiles all the more interesting to you. Each tribe has its own unique designs and decorative elements and different pigments, by definition, depending on where the live. (Nature reflected in their outfits.)
The colours are quite striking in how bold they often are and then there are others which are more subtle ~ but there is an abundance of interesting colours and colour combinations.
Ben & Peta
So many ethnicities living side by side, Peta. Why do we find it so hard to do that? If we could all just be amazed by each other, how wonderful this world could be. I love the stories etched on the faces in these photographs. Thank you for sharing them. 🙂 🙂
Amen to that Jo!
Alas these days and across all regions of the world, there is a breed of politician that seeks electoral victory through ethnic separatist philosophies. We are seeing a clear pattern of political selection of right wing fear mongering politicians whose very platform is division by ethnic religious linguistic tribes. This does not bode well for our future as a species.
Peta & Ben
I learn so much from your posts. This is a part of the world I know little about and it is quite fascinating. I for one am guilty of often thinking of indigenous people as a single entity in a country rather than a cluster of different tribes each with their own history and culture. Sadly, it seems that the reign of terror from the 60s and 70s continues to haunt them and likely will forever.
Glad that our posts are substantive in a way that they surface interesting information. When we lived in Chicago and Central America, Ben used to tell me, “what till we go to Asia”. Forecasting huge learning and discovery. Indeed the learning curve about ethnicities and all things pertinent to South East Asia has been extensive for us both.
Now I tell HIM… “just wait till we go to AFRICA!” That’s another big learning curve hopefully some point in the future.
Peta
Lovely! As I was reading I was struck by the difference in the approach to clothing. Clearly the historical tribal clothing was/is treasured and revered as evidenced by the hours and hours of beautiful handwork involved. I couldn’t help but compare that to today’s fast fashion, which is meant for only several wearings (if that) before being discarded due to being “out” and the poor quality these items start out with.
Since becoming landlord to the Fashion History Museum, I have become more educated on the importance of clothing as part of the historical record of humanity. Your post helped underscore that, for me.
Love that necklace on you Peta! I hope you kept it. It suits you very well.
Deb
Deb you make a very good point about fast fashion today and how easily clothes are discarded and new ones bought. It is particularly ironic considering that the fashion industry, the textile industry is very much a part of the growth economy in South East Asia, hence the juxtaposition takes an unusual twist as the fashion industry creates jobs for rural workers who seek higher wages at factories. This is true in China of course but Viet Nam as well and a lesser extent in Laos.
What city is this Fashion History Museum.. are you really the landlord? How did that come about?
I do still have that necklace and enjoy wearing it occasionally, as there is a lot of it! I really love the ethnic jewellery that we bought in Morroco and wear that probably way more frequently…
Peta & Ben
Peta & Ben
The Fashion History Museum is located in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. https://www.fashionhistorymuseum.com/
It’s in the building I own and I live above it. I took over the building my late husband bought, and transformed it into what it is today – a project that took 4 years of renovation “madness”.
Now THAT is badass indeed! Owning a building with a Fashion History Museum in it! Impressive museum too, looks as though they have a lot of interesting exhibits. I can only imagine the stories behind THIS four year renovation madness. I am wondering if you have any blog posts that were written about the process? Would love to see those. Super cool.
Peta
Oh, they are buried in the blog somewhere ;-). But not a lot of them, as I recall. Search “renovation” on ye olde blogge – that should pull them up. At some point I think I will pull together a post touching on all of this as I look back on the building I will be leaving.
Peta, I love the ethnic clothing and the photographs are spectacular. What a wonderful thing to create a heritage museum that celebrates and preserves the country’s culture this way. I do not know anything about the photographer, but will check him out. If you like ethnic photography, you might want to take a look at images from Joshi Daniel. He shoots mostly portraits of the people of India. Thanks for sharing the story of the Hmong people, as you can imagine that is not something typically found in our history of the war.
Suzanne, Rehanh is quite famous for his portraiture of the tribal people of Viet Nam but also has taken interesting and dramatic photos in Cuba, India, and Malaysia. We will take a look at Joshi Daniel’s work, thanks for the suggestion.
Ah yes, the way nations portray history is so subjective. What it refers to as high points and low points, often has little resemblance to the other side of the conflict. Even though i have been interested in security studies and international affairs for decades I must admit I have just a scant and vague recollection of something that happened in Laos, but never understood how extensive the level of destruction reached (by the U.S.), with a country with which the U.S was NOT officially at war. Collateral damage to a level that exceeds bombing campaigns by the U.S. in World War two. Hard to wrap one’s mind around how this fiery destruction from above must have looked to indigenous popuations in the hinterlands of Laos and Northern Viet Nam.
Ben
I remember reading about this museum on Peggy’s blog. It is a fascinating exhibition and so important to preserve and value such wonderful Ethnic clothes and traditions. Travelling really opens our eyes to so many different cultures and lifestyles. I loved when we visited Peru and was mesmerized by their traditional clothes and hats in different regions. A great project for you Peta to paint some of these beautiful Ethnic fashion of Vietnam.
Ah yes Gilda Peru is wonderfully rich with regards to the textiles and traditional clothing. Some years back we spent a month there when we were on a sourcing trip for our business “Ethnicities”.
I’m still immersed in painting water buffaloes for now…:)
Peta
Rehahn’s portraits look wonderful. The first elderly woman with the proud stare is amazing. As, of course, is your smiling woman – how lovely to find her again in the exhibition!
There are about a 100 photographs in the Precious Heritage Museum and all of them are captivating. In an era when everyone wields a high quality camera embedded in their phone and snaps away, one might think that the democratisation of photography would make it difficult for professional photographers to distinguish themselves. This is clearly not the case with Rehahn, whose unique eye and ability to connect to his subjects puts him in a class of his own.
Ben
Oh I would love that museum in Hoi An! Anything do do with the minority cultures draws me in. Have you been up to Sapa and Bac Ha to see the Black Hmong, Red Hmong, and Flower Hmong? Now you’re living in Vietnam you should be able to.
We went to the same fashion show as you in Luang Prabang and loved it. I posted about it here: https://alisonanddon.com/2013/05/14/laos-part-4-fashion-parade/
Also interestingly someone else that I follow recently wrote about the museum in Hoi An. It must be a sign 🙂
Hope we get there one day.
Alison
Alison, we have not yet been to Sapa and Bac Ha, and we are in process of discussion about which region we might explore further in. Ben’s bamboo business brings him to a place called Mai Chau where the bamboo forests grow and ethnic groups reside. Hopefully we can do a work and play trip combination sometime soon.
Wasn’t that fashion show in Luang Prabang incredible? Loved the blending of the traditional dress with the modern music and theatrical production of a fashion show.
Yes, it was Peggy that alerted us to the museum as we had the pleasure of meeting her and her husband for lunch while they were in Hoi An. They had just been to the museum and highly recommended it. The funny thing was, that when we got to the museum about a week later, we realised it was located around the corner from where we lived on the river three years ago. However, at that time, the building was under restoration and the museum had not been created yet…
Peta
The portraits are amazing! Rehahn managed to capture the light that shines within each subject. And, the textiles… just beautiful!! We will be traveling back to Mexico soon and I am looking forward to once again being surrounded by a culture that is so rich and visually stunning. As Deb said, the difference between the ethnic clothes we see when we travel and the fast fashion throwaway clothing we have here is profound.
How interesting it is that such vastly different cultures ~ Mexico versus Viet Nam, would have nonetheless an ancestral connection in terms of traditional use of local dyes, weaving and embroidery.
Re the portraits, that ability to connect with the person one is photographing is key and that is something that Rehahn does so very well.
Peta
The ethnic ‘minorities’ and their fashion are indeed a fascinating subject. But it is probably inevitable that some of these traditions will disappear as the younger generations opt for more western fashion and ‘ethnic clothing’ will be the preserve of the older generation and to be worn at ceremonies and special occasions. This is what I noticed during a visit to Kontum last year. We were privileged to take part in a welcoming ceremony for some Korean visitors and it was the only time we saw locals wearing their traditional ethnic clothes…
However, your photographs really make me want to come to Hoi An soon to check out Rehahn’s museum. His photographs are quite special. At least I have made it to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum in Hanoi where they also have a display of the traditional clothes worn by various minorities, but I think Rehahn’s photographs add a unique dimension.
Lieve
LIevelee, the issue I think is not just that younger people are more interested in Western fashion and that these traditional clothes will only be worn at ceremonies…. More fundamentally, in terms of preserving the cultural heritage, is that those members of the tribe with the knowledge and skill to make these textiles, are dying off. This means that the total “inventory” of these traditional clothes, becomes a finite cultural resource. That is when they become the stuff of museums and no longer a part of the living culture that gets handed down from one generation to the next.
We too visited the museum in Hanoi, which is very extensive and well put together. We especially enjoyed the models of the various ethnic traditional housing and that was the stimulus for us to go and seek those out in the Central highlands on a motorbike trip with our youngest son years ago. Do agree though that Rehahn’s photographs add another dimension which bring the textiles to life and also, give them context.
One more reason to visit Hoi An.
Ben
A “full circle” post – you two starting and finishing in Hoi An and having the same photogenic female subject to spark travels and ideas. How wonderful! Yes to the new painting series about ethnicity, Peta! Although, I have a feeling that it would be a very tricky one, on an interactive level as well as on a creation level.
Liesbet, it is interesting that we started our S.E Asian explorations here and met that particular boat woman and then saw her smiling face in photos with Rehanh and reading that she was the impetus for his photography series. I’m still working on Hoi An vistas and water buffaloes, but we will see where my paintbrush takes me…
Peta
Leslie E:
Just beautiful, Peta!
I went to the museum and bought almost all of the post cards to paint later! I love fabric, detail and colour as well and try to collect costumes from all of my travels! In Guatemala, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao…I wanted to buy them all!
Love your posts,
Leslie
That’s great you got to see the museum when you were here Leslie. It’s been open for two years, so we didn’t get a chance, when we lived here three years ago, at that time the building was being restored. But it is right around the corner from where we lived!
Peta
It’s sad that museums may be the only way we have of remembering some of our ethnic groups, but I’m glad that we’ll at least have that. Thanks for this post, Peta!
Yup, but having civilizations be reduced to relics in a museum is a sad outcome.
Ben
I adore Rehahn’s work and saw his work on display when visiting Hanoi in 2017. Kismet that you had the opportunity to meet one of the women in his photographs. Perhaps you will meet many more… when will you be heading to SaPa region for a visit?
Great portraiture from Bali. I did not have your good fortune to enjoy an Ethnik Fashionshow in Laos but enjoyed it here 😍.
I love the idea of Ethnicities Inc. Am glad to see that you both have come full circle back to Bamboo. C02 Bamboo was ahead of its time.
Hi Lisa,
Hoping to visit SaPa sometime soon, hopefully we can combine it with a trip to bamboo country for Ben’s work. Looking forward to it.
The Ethnik Fashion show was very unique and memorable. Great that you saw it as well.
Many people said that CO2 Bambu was ahead of it’s time….
Ben & Peta
Wonderful Post. The Silver Hmong Necklace looks fabulous on you Peta. For several years I’ve been supporting an Australian couple who raise funds for a small village “Na Lin” in Laos. To build All Weather Roads, School House etc and also a Women’s School of Textile Arts. So I found this Post extremely interesting. Thank you.
Thank you Carol for the kind words. that sounds like a wonderful initiative. Perhaps one day you will get to visit the village in Laos.
Peta
Wonderful post! From your Instagram post, I immediately thought of my time in Guatemala, and the indigenous fashion culture there, so it was no surprise to read about it here in your post! In Guatemala, they print beautiful catalogs featuring indigenous women. I visited the Mapuche in Chile and got to know their fashions but I haven’t visited them yet in Argentina. Very soon!
Thanks Aixa. We very much enjoyed seeing the variety of amazing textiles in Guatemala, it was one of our favorite destinations in Central America, while we were living in Nicaragua.
Have a wonderful time in Argentina… They have such a strong culture of aesthetic and design there. The Recoleta art museum in Buenos Aires, right next to the cemetery is not to be missed. We loved going to Argentina to do sourcing trips for our ethnicities business years back.
Peta & Ben
Ah, finally I have good enough internet so that I can peruse your beautiful photos! I would absolutely love that ethnic fashion museum. And I especially love the portrait photos. I find it sad that traditional, colorful ways of dress disappear, often in favor of adopting Western dress which in my opinion, is so much less interesting. And then traditional culture disappears, as well. I can’t help but think that it’s a case of the entire world sinking to the lowest common denominator. 🙁
But even sadder is the devastation that the U.S. wrought on that beautiful country and people. That bomb as a sculptural piece—that is chilling.
I totally agree with you Laurel re the traditional colorful clothing. I would LOVE to wear some of the outfits or even some of the elements of them, that we saw at the museum. It was amazing just how modern some of them feel.
Don’t know if its the “lowest common denominator” as it is perhaps an inexorable pull towards some homogenous definition of “current and modern”. But yet, just reminding ourselves, as we do live in Asia, that India’s 1.3 billion people which easily dwarfs all of the U.S., Canada, Australia, all of Europe, firmly holds on to it’s culture of wearing bright colorful saris. Every time after we spend time in India, no matter where we go afterwards it always feels so “Blah” in comparison color and clothes wise.
What the U.S. did to Laos and the whole region is nothing short of criminal.
Peta & Ben
Really enjoyed this worldwide tribute to ethnic peoples, Peta. The photos, the fashion shows, and especially the close-up photos of the handiwork on the garments. Wonderful coincidence, too, with the woman you befriended in Hoi An six years ago, and then finding her again. She does indeed have an engaging smile and personality. Thanks so much, Peta.
Thanks Jet for your observation of MY favorite photos as well… The close ups of the handiwork. The amount of dedication and time and artistry that goes into each piece is so rare these days. And more, I appreciate the connectivity between the pigments that are found in the local environments and used as natural dyes. Clothing that is as ECO and environmentally friendly as it gets.
It was a moment of totally synchronicity to find the photos of the river woman. Our time and encounter with her was memorable.
Peta
What a marvelous look at a slice of vibrant fashion in Southeast Asia, Peta and Ben! Rehahn’s portraits are stunning and I so admire how alongside this beauty you’ve highlighted the losses brought on by the long arm of war and politics.
Thank you for acknowledging our intention to ground the beauty of the tribal clothing on some level of geopolitical reality. Sadly, minorities/tribal populations around the world continue to be suffering the brunt of geo political contest through wars. A similar story can be told about the beauty of remaining tribal cultures in South and Central America that are under attack by business interests are recently demonstrated by the purposeful setting of fires in the heart of the Amazon. While this is first and foremost an environmental calamity, it also includes an entire chapter of wilful destruction against indigenous populations, that are forced to flee from manmade destruction by fire.
Ben
So gorgeous. I’m also drawn to the vibrant ethnic fashion and try to buy something to bring home and incorporte into my wardobe, even if it’s just jewelry. I love that simple silver necklace you’re wearing, Peta. So elegant.
I fell in love with the fashions in Laos that look so modern and classic even though based on ancestral design. They were too expensive for us to splurge at that time. But now I kinda wished I had. Oh well, I still have the necklace at least. Thanks J.D.
Peta
So interesting to see the diverse cultural traditions as represented by ethnic fashions. It is sad and horrifying to see how western cultural and military imperialism is transforming so many parts of the world to serve its economic appetite.
Jude
Pictures, pictures, I’ve got the pictures back on your blog! Yippee! I’m going to go back and see the past year or so of your posts so I can see all the photos I missed.
Rehahn’s exhibit is a crucial part of preserving Vietnamese culture. What an ambitious project, carried out with humility and skill. What pleasure to see the costumes and faces of these people. Thank you for sharing so much with us – I always enjoy the articles and now again the images.
Sharon,
This is one of those blog posts that REALLY requires visuals, so it’s great you took the time to circle back to this small gem of a museum. The photography of the 53 tribal groups reminded us that we still have plenty of exploring to do in Vietnam – now on our priority list for 2020.
Peta