Lao PDR - Ethnic minorities - A Hmong woman wringing the water out of the hemp fibre after washing in the river

After the hemp skeins are boiled in ash water and washed in the river, a Hmong woman wrings the water out of the hemp fibre in Ban Tatong, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process; the end result is a strong durable cloth with qualities similar to linen which the Hmong women use to make their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north. The remote and roadless village of Ban Tatong is situated along the Nam Kang river (an offshoot of the Nam Ou) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.

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Filename: A0026589cc_1.jpg
Copyright: Tessa Bunney
Image Size: 2828x2120 / 349.6KB; Asia Lao Lao PDR Laos PDR Southeast Southeast Asia Tessa Bunney countryside ethnic ethnic minorities life minorities minority remote rural hemp cannabis sativa cannabis sativa plant fibre fiber fabric cloth material Hmong Lai Hmong Lai traditional clothing costume mountainous textiles durable woman female hill tribe tribes heritage laborious process processing Ban Tatong Nam Ou skein wring wringing squeeze squeezing water Phongsaly Phongsali province village
Contained in galleries: Lao PDR - Nam Ou River

After the hemp skeins are boiled in ash water and washed in the river, a Hmong woman wrings the water out of the hemp fibre in Ban Tatong, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process; the end result is a strong durable cloth with qualities similar to linen which the Hmong women use to make their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north. The remote and roadless village of Ban Tatong is situated along the Nam Kang river (an offshoot of the Nam Ou) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.