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  • A young girl wearing a headskarf in the remote Akha Nuquie village of Ban Peryenxangmai, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Whilst there is a small primary school in Ban Peryenxangmai not all children are able to attend as their parents cannot afford the fees and need them to work at home or take care of younger siblings.
    A0029008cc_1.jpg
  • The head of an opium poppies oozing sap in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    DSCF4746cc_1.jpg
  • The heads of opium poppies oozing sap in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0029073cc_1.jpg
  • Two Hmong ethnic minority men smoke opium at home in Lao PDR. Opium addicts are usually adult males. By taking opium, they lose the energy to work hard which leaves heavy tasks to women and children which then impoverishes the entire household. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2012 the area under opium poppy cultivation has more than tripled. Although in 2013 the area of poppy fields in the country has again fallen, the number of regular opium users was still estimated at between 14,000 to 15,000 in the 10 northern provinces.
    A0009860cc_1.jpg
  • Two Hmong ethnic minority men smoke opium at home in Lao PDR. Opium addicts are usually adult males. By taking opium, they lose the energy to work hard which leaves heavy tasks to women and children which then impoverishes the entire household. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2012 the area under opium poppy cultivation has more than tripled. Although in 2013 the area of poppy fields in the country has again fallen, the number of regular opium users was still estimated at between 14,000 to 15,000 in the 10 northern provinces.
    A0009855cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha subsistence farmer scores opium poppies in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016484cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha subsistence farmer scores opium poppies in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016463cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha subsistence farmer scores opium poppies in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016460cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha subsistence farmer scores opium poppies in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016455cc_1.jpg
  • An upland field of opium poppies ready for harvesting in remote Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016420cc_1.jpg
  • The heads of opium poppies oozing sap in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    DSCF4747cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong ethnic minority man smokes opium at home in Lao PDR. Opium addicts are usually adult males. By taking opium, they lose the energy to work hard which leaves heavy tasks to women and children which then impoverishes the entire household. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2012 the area under opium poppy cultivation has more than tripled. Although in 2013 the area of poppy fields in the country has again fallen, the number of regular opium users was still estimated at between 14,000 to 15,000 in the 10 northern provinces.
    A0009854cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong ethnic minority man smokes opium at home in Lao PDR. Opium addicts are usually adult males. By taking opium, they lose the energy to work hard which leaves heavy tasks to women and children which then impoverishes the entire household. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2012 the area under opium poppy cultivation has more than tripled. Although in 2013 the area of poppy fields in the country has again fallen, the number of regular opium users was still estimated at between 14,000 to 15,000 in the 10 northern provinces.
    A0009853cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha subsistence farmer scores opium poppies in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016447cc_1.jpg
  • A field shelter in an upland field of opium poppies in remote Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0016394cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman checking her rice whilst harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026352cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026340cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026236cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026229cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026228cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026317cc_1.jpg
  • Hmong women harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026218cc_1.jpg
  • In the remote Akha Nuquie ethnic minority village of Ban Chakhampa, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, women's first task of the day is to collect water and carry it back to the village in traditional bamboo water carriers. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0028936cc_1.jpg
  • Yai puts on a hairpiece made from her own hair collected from her hairbrush over many years in the Hmong village of Ban Pom Khor, Houaphan province, Lao PDR
    DSCF2339cc_1.jpg
  • Meuay, a Iu Mien (Yao) ethnic minority woman laying cotton fabric dyed with indigo dye out in the sun to dry, Ban Hom Phan, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Meuay buys the cotton fabric from a nearby Tai Deng village and after dyeing the fabric many times to build up the colour to a dark blue/black she sells to local Iu Mien women to make their traditional clothing. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0026985cc_1.jpg
  • Boiling indigo dyed cotton fabric in Mak Bao (a trailing forest fruit) to fix the colour in Ban Hom Phan, a Iu Mien village in Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The cotton fabric is purchased from a nearby Tai Deng village and after dyeing the fabric many times to build up the colour it is sold to local Iu Mien women to make their traditional clothing. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0026981cc_1.jpg
  • Ball of hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) in the Hmong Lai village of Ban Chalern, 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 Lai women use for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2240cc_1.jpg
  • Weaving hemp fabric on a back strap loom in the Hmong village of Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan 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.
    A0026893cc_1.jpg
  • After being boiled in ash water and washed in the river, a hemp skein is dried outside 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.
    A0026631cc_1.jpg
  • 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.
    A0026589cc_1.jpg
  • 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.
    A0026565cc_1.jpg
  • After boiling in ash water to turn the hemp yarn a white colour, the skeins of hemp fibre are washed in the Nam Khiew river (a tributary of the Nam Kang), 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.
    A0026493cc_1.jpg
  • An elderly Hmong woman weaving hemp outside her home 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.
    A0026406cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, an elderly Hmong woman winds balls of hemp into one roll outside her home in Ban Chalern, 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 for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2204cc_1.jpg
  • A young Laoseng ethnic minority woman with her baby outside her home in Ban Sopkang, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Sopkang is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2178cc_1.jpg
  • After boiling in ash water to turn the hemp yarn a white colour, the skeins of hemp fibre are washed in the Nam Khiew river (a tributary of the Nam Kang), 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.
    A0026493cc_1.jpg
  • After boiling in ash water to turn the hemp yarn a white colour, the skeins of hemp fibre are washed in the Nam Khiew river (a tributary of the Nam Kang), 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.
    A0026472cc_1.jpg
  • After reeling onto spools, 4 metre long skeins (loops) of hemp fibre are created by winding the yarn around a large frame that is pivoted in the earth, 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025858cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha Nuquie woman sewing her traditional clothing in Ban Phanghok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0026055cc_1.jpg
  • Yua, a Hmong Du woman wears her traditional skirt made from hand woven hemp (cannabis sativa), decorated with batik (a wax resist technique) and dyed with indigo, Ban Vieng Hang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The batik motif is the basis for hand stitched cotton appliqué and embroidery. 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 Du women make into skirts, for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021361cc_1.jpg
  • A view of the Mouchi ethnic minority village of Ban Terka, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.
    A0018945cc_1.jpg
  • Slash and burn landscape in the Phunoi ethnic minority village of Sinesai, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Swidden cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation.
    A0016641cc_1.jpg
  • A Ko Loma ethnic minority woman weaves ribbon on a loom outside her home which she will use to decorate her traditional clothing, Ban Lao Leo, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In some areas, Loma women still grow, gin and spin cotton into thread and set up their looms outdoors for weaving cotton. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0015631cc_1.jpg
  • A Ko Pala ethnic minority woman sews traditional clothing at Pak Nam Noi market, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0015491cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha Cherpia ethnic minority woman prepares to begin weaving homegrown cotton on her loom outside her home in Ban Phi Mayai village, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0014386cc_1.jpg
  • Two Mouchi ethnic minority women (sisters) sew traditional clothing outside their home in Ban Nam Sa, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups.  These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0014198cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a young Akha Ya-er woman wearing her traditional headdress selling cucumbers that she has grown herself at Pak Nam Noi market, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0013613cc_1.jpg
  • A portrait of a Ko Pala ethnic minority woman carrying a headstrap basket at Pak Nam Noi market, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0013607cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of two Akha Nuquie women wearing traditional clothing on their way to back to the village of Ban Peryenxangmai carrying firewood collected from the surrounding forest, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The forest around an Akha village provides its inhabitants with a number of essential products including firewood, food and building materials.
    DSCF4697cc_1.jpg
  • In the remote and roadless Akha Nuquie village of Ban Peryenxangkao freshly harvested roof grass and indigo dyed cotton hang out to dry, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Lying in a cleared patch of the surrounding forest, typical Akha villages have houses which are made of bamboo and wood with thatched roofs and house 'horns' although increasingly houses now have corregated iron roofs. The Akha favour remote locations above the plains and valleys, generally 1000-1500 m high where there is plenty of forest cover.
    DSCF4679cc_1.jpg
  • In the remote Akha Nuquie ethnic minority village of Ban Peryenxangmai, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, women's first task of the day is to collect water using a gourd scoop and carry it back to the village in traditional bamboo water carriers. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0028968cc_1.jpg
  • Yai puts on a hairpiece made from her own hair collected from her hairbrush over many years in the Hmong village of Ban Pom Khor, Houaphan province, Lao PDR
    DSCF2340cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, Meuay, a Iu Mien (Yao) ethnic minority woman boils indigo dyed cotton fabric in Mak Bao (a trailing forest fruit) to fix the colour, Ban Hom Phan, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Meuay buys the cotton fabric from a nearby Tai Deng village and after dyeing the fabric many times to build up the colour she sells to local Iu Mien women to make their traditional clothing. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0027015cc_1.jpg
  • Meuay, a Iu Mien (Yao) ethnic minority woman removing a length of indigo dyed cotton fabric from a vat of Mak Bao (a trailing forest fruit) used to fix the colour, Ban Hom Phan, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Meuay buys the cotton fabric from a nearby Tai Deng village and after dyeing the fabric many times to build up the colour she sells to local Iu Mien women to make their traditional clothing. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0026973cc_1.jpg
  • Meuay, a Iu Mien (Yao) ethnic minority woman boiling indigo dyed cotton fabric in Mak Bao (a trailing forest fruit) to fix the colour, Ban Hom Phan, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Meuay buys the cotton fabric from a nearby Tai Deng village and after dyeing the fabric many times to build up the colour she sells to local Iu Mien women to make their traditional clothing. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0026965cc_1.jpg
  • Meuay, a Iu Mien (Yao) ethnic minority woman boiling indigo dyed cotton fabric in Mak Bao (a trailing forest fruit) to fix the colour, Ban Hom Phan, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Meuay buys the cotton fabric from a nearby Tai Deng village and after dyeing the fabric many times to build up the colour she sells it to local Iu Mien women to make their traditional clothing. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0026954cc_1.jpg
  • A 15 year old married Akha Nuquie ethnic minority woman sewing outside her home in Ban Pang Hok Kao village, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  She is wearing the Akha Nuquie traditional costume made from hand woven cotton and dyed with indigo and decoarated with hand embroidery typical of the Akha Nuquie sub-group; the high headdress distinguishes her as a married women. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0013871cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong ethnic minority woman decorates woven hemp fabric by batik, a wax resist technique, Vieng Hang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Bees wax is collected from the forest, heated in small metal pots and mixed with indigo paste (which colours the wax and makes it easier to see on the cloth). A bamboo pen with a metal nib is used for drawing the wax onto the hemp. The wax marks will resist the dye when the cloth is dipped in the indigo dye bath and left to dry. After the last dye bath has been completed, the cloth is boiled to remove the wax. The resulting fabric is an indigo blue colour with white designs and is the base for cotton applique and colourful embroidery. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process which the Hmong women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    DSCF2455cc_1.jpg
  • A bag of hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) in the Hmong Lai village of Ban Chalern, 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 Lai women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    DSCF2226cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, an elderly Hmong woman holds a ball of hemp fibre outside her home in Ban Chalern, 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 for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2210cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, an elderly Hmong woman winds balls of hemp into one roll outside her home in Ban Chalern, 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 for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2207cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, an elderly Hmong woman winds balls of hemp into one roll outside her home in Ban Chalern, 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 for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2204cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, an elderly Hmong woman winds balls of hemp into one roll outside her home in Ban Chalern, 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 for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2196cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026949cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026940cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026934cc_1.jpg
  • A close up of hemp fabric on a loom showing the warp and weft threads in the Hmong village of Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Hmong weavers in Houaphan province use a back strap loom where the tension of the warp is controlled by the weaver wearing a strap around their waist. 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.
    A0026889cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting, hemp (cannabis sativa) is left to dry in the sun for around 7 days before the bark is peeled off in long thin lengths. 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.
    A0026881cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman sewing her traditional skirt, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The woven hemp fabric is decorated by batik, a wax resist technique which is the basis for red cotton applique and colourful cross stitch embroidery.
    A0026833cc crop_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman sewing her traditional skirt, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The woven hemp fabric is decorated by batik, a wax resist technique which is the basis for red cotton applique and colourful cross stitch embroidery.
    A0026828cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman, carrying her baby on her back, twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026820cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting, the hemp plant (cannabis sativa) is left to dry in the sun for around 7 days, then the bark is peeled off in long thin lengths, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan 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 make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0026786cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting, the hemp plant (cannabis sativa) is left to dry in the sun for around 7 days, then the bark is peeled off in long thin lengths, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan 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 make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0026784cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting, the hemp plant (cannabis sativa) is left to dry in the sun for around 7 days, then the bark is peeled off in long thin lengths, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan 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 make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0026774cc_1.jpg
  • Mee, a Hmong Lai woman holds a roll of spliced hemp 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.
    A0026672cc_1.jpg
  • An elderly blind Hmong woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Tatong, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026666cc_1.jpg
  • An elderly blind Hmong woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Tatong, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026659cc_1.jpg
  • 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.
    A0026617cc_1.jpg
  • 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.
    A0026613cc_1.jpg
  • After boiling in ash water to turn the hemp yarn a white colour, the skeins of hemp fibre are washed in the Nam Khiew river (a tributary of the Nam Kang), 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.
    A0026498cc_1.jpg
  • After boiling in ash water to turn the hemp yarn a white colour, the skeins of hemp fibre are washed in the Nam Khiew river (a tributary of the Nam Kang), 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.
    A0026479cc_1.jpg
  • After boiling in ash water to turn the hemp yarn a white colour, the skeins of hemp fibre are washed in the Nam Khiew river (a tributary of the Nam Kang), 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.
    A0026472cc_1.jpg
  • An elderly Hmong woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Tatong, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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.
    A0026446cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong Lai woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026256cc_1.jpg
  • Reeling hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) onto spools using a foot treadle in the Hmong village of 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025909cc_1.jpg
  • After reeling onto spools, 4 metre long skeins (loops) of hemp fibre are created by winding the yarn around a large frame that is pivoted in the earth, 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025894cc_1.jpg
  • Reeling hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) onto spools using a foot treadle in the Hmong village of 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025889cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong ethnic minority woman reeling hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) onto spools using a foot treadle, 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025887cc_1.jpg
  • After reeling onto spools, 4 metre long skeins (loops) of hemp fibre are created by winding the yarn around a large frame that is pivoted in the earth, 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025875cc_1.jpg
  • After reeling onto spools, 4 metre long skeins (loops) of hemp fibre are created by winding the yarn around a large frame that is pivoted in the earth, 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025868cc_1.jpg
  • Spools of hemp fibre (cannabis sativa), 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 make into skirts for 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.
    A0025863cc_1.jpg
  • Nan Ya, a Hmong Leng ethnic minority woman decorates the woven hemp fabric by batik, a wax resist technique, Thien Pha, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Bees’ wax is collected from the forest, heated in small metal pots and mixed with indigo paste (which colours the wax and makes it easier to see on the cloth). A bamboo pen with a metal nib is used for drawing the wax onto the hemp. The wax marks will resist the dye when the cloth is dipped in the indigo dye bath and left to dry. After the last dye bath has been completed, the cloth is boiled to remove the wax. The resulting fabric is an indigo blue colour with white designs and is the base for cotton applique and colourful embroidery. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process which the Hmong women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021483cc_1.jpg
  • Nan Ya, a Hmong Leng ethnic minority woman decorates the woven hemp fabric by batik, a wax resist technique in Thien Pha, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Bees’ wax is collected from the forest, heated in small metal pots and mixed with indigo paste (which colours the wax and makes it easier to see on the cloth). A bamboo pen with a metal nib is used for drawing the wax onto the hemp. The wax marks will resist the dye when the cloth is dipped in the indigo dye bath and left to dry. After the last dye bath has been completed, the cloth is boiled to remove the wax. The resulting fabric is an indigo blue colour with white designs. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process which the Hmong women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021476cc_1.jpg
  • Nan Ya, a Hmong Leng ethnic minority woman decorates the woven hemp fabric by batik, a wax resist technique, Thien Pha, Houaphan province, Lao PDR. Bees’ wax is collected from the forest, heated in small metal pots and mixed with indigo paste (which colours the wax and makes it easier to see on the cloth). A bamboo pen with a metal nib is used for drawing the wax onto the hemp. The wax marks will resist the dye when the cloth is dipped in the indigo dye bath and left to dry. After the last dye bath has been completed, the cloth is boiled to remove the wax. The resulting fabric is an indigo blue colour with white designs and is the base for cotton applique and colourful embroidery. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process which the Hmong women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021474cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, Tong, a Hmong Du woman holds a ball of hemp (cannabis sativa) fibre which she has produced herself, Ban Vieng Hang, Houaphan 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 Du women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021423cc_1.jpg
  • Yua, a Hmong Du ethnic minority woman prepares the hemp (cannabis sativa) fibre for weaving, Ban Vieng Hang, Houaphan 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 Du women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021339cc_1.jpg
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, Yua, a Hmong Du woman washes the hemp (cannabis sativa) fibre in the river, Ban Vieng Hang, Houaphan 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 Du women make into skirts, for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021302cc_1.jpg
  • Yua, a Hmong Du woman softens the hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) by placing it in a hole in the ground and bashing it with a tool, Ban Vieng Hang, Houaphan 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 Du women make into skirts for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0021270cc_1.jpg
  • Ball of hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) in the Hmong Lai village of Ban Chalern, 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 Lai women use for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2240cc_1.jpg
  • Ball of hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) in the Hmong Lai village of Ban Chalern, 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 Lai women use for 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 Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    DSCF2225cc_1.jpg
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