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  • An Akha Puxo shirt 'button' made from aluminium, Ban Bounphieng, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  In the traditional Akha view art is something one wears and makes a statement which is ethnic, personal and aesthetic.
    A0020005cc_1.jpg
  • Laos is the most bombed country, per capita, in the world with more than 270 million cluster bomb submunitions dropped on it during the Vietnam War from 1963 to 1974. The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) are a humanitarian organisation clearing the remnants of conflict worldwide and have been working in Lao PDR since 1994. UXO clearance team 6 (UCT6) is an all-female team, one of MAG’s seven UXO clearance teams in Xieng Khouang Province, one of the most heavily bombed province in Lao PDR.The photograph shows UCT6 walking a short distance through the village of Ban Namoune to start work clearing UXO at 8am. The photograph shows UCT6 walking a short distance through the village of Ban Namoune to start work clearing UXO at 8am.
    A0011883cc_1_1.jpg
  • Laos is the most bombed country, per capita, in the world with more than 270 million cluster bomb submunitions dropped on it during the Vietnam War from 1963 to 1974. The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) are a humanitarian organisation clearing the remnants of conflict worldwide and have been working in Lao PDR since 1994. UXO clearance team 6 (UCT6) is an all-female team, one of MAG’s seven UXO clearance teams in Xieng Khouang Province, one of the most heavily bombed provinces in Lao PDR. <br />
Denonation of 4 BLU-26 cluster bomb sub-munitions known locally as 'bombies' in Ban Namoune village.  . 'Bombies' are the most common form of UXO remaining - approximately 80 million unexploded bombies remained in Laos after the Vietnam War. They cause more accidents than any other type of UXO in Laos.
    A0011755ccrt_1_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
  • 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.
    A0026228cc_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.
    A0016455cc_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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.
    A0026317cc_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
  • Fallow fields, slash and burn landscape, Luang Prabang 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. To rebuild the soil fertility after growing crops on a shifting cultivation plot, farmers ‘abandon’ that plot and allow vegetation to regrow for a number of years.  This is called the ‘fallow period’.  In the meantime, they grow crops on other new plots. 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.
    20-07_1_1.jpg
  • Fallow fields, slash and burn landscape, Luang Prabang 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. To rebuild the soil fertility after growing crops on a shifting cultivation plot, farmers ‘abandon’ that plot and allow vegetation to regrow for a number of years.  This is called the ‘fallow period’.  In the meantime, they grow crops on other new plots. 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.
    20-02_1_1.jpg
  • An upland rice field in the 'green season', Vientiane 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.
    A0011175cc_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
  • 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
  • Slash and burn landscape, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  Swidden 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.
    A0016697cc_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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Tan, a Tai Lue ethnic minority man holds a fish he has caught in the river and then smoked over an open fire, Ban Bo Ha village, Luang Prabang province, Lao PDR.  For families living away from the main roads and markets, food caught or collected from the wild, especially edible plants and small animals still make up fifty per cent of their diet.  Nature’s bounty in providing for the Lao may be plentiful, but this does not mean that the task of growing and finding enough food for family subsistence and maintenance is easy. It is a major preoccupation of rural families and takes the bulk of time and energy of every man, woman and child.
    A0011010cc_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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • After harvesting and the bark has been peeled off in long thin lengths, the hemp yarn is pounded in a large wooden mortar to soften it, 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.
    A0026916cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman wearing her traditional clothing ties up the hemp stalks after harvesting and stripping off the leaves, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan, 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.
    A0026865cc_1.jpg
  • A field of hemp growing 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 make into skirts, for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0026793cc_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 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.
    A0026409cc_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.
    A0026402cc_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
  • 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
  • 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.
    A0026470cc_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.
    A0026402cc_1.jpg
  • A woman drinking water in the relocated village of Ban Nongkinnaly, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields. <br />
In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation
    A0026192cc_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
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, Tong, a Hmong Du woman holds a skein 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.
    A0021321cc_1.jpg
  • A recently harvested upland rice field, Ban Cha Wang, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn 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.
    A0019913cc_1.jpg
  • Growing chillies for export to China in the Tai Lue ethnic minority village of Ban Nawai, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  The scarcity of agricultural land in Southern Yunnan province is promoting Chinese farmers and small scale entrepreneurs to cross the international border between China and Lao PDR in order to invest in cash crops. The villagers are supplied with seeds, plastic and fertilisers to grow various crops which are then exported back to China on a vast scale.
    A0019635cc_1.jpg
  • 'The Green Season', a swidden rice field almost ready for harvesting Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  Slash and burn 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.
    A0019081cc_1.jpg
  • 'The Green Season', Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  Slash and burn 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.
    A0019012cc_1.jpg
  • 'The Sea of Clouds', Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. Phongsaly Province is one of the remotest of the Lao PDR provinces and is dominated by rugged, mountainous terrain and an abundance of thick forests.
    A0018925cc_1.jpg
  • Villager holding an alms bowl containing sticky rice to donate to the monks for their one meal of the day during the early morning Buddhist alms giving ceremony (tak bat), Ban Mouanghoun, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. This is an ancient, religious tradition and those who give alms earn merit for their next life, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Lao Buddhists are very devout and almost every Lao man joins a monastery, or temple, for at least a short period of time. Many men also become monks for the rest of their lives. The village will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower project Dam 5.
    A0027335cc_1.jpg
  • 'The Green Season', swidden rice fields in Houaphan province, Lao PDR.  Slash and burn 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.
    A0026756cc_1.jpg
  • A ball of hemp fibre (cannabis sativa) in the Hmong village of Ban Pom Khor, 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 for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    DSCF2327cc_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.
    DSCF2234cc_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.
    DSCF2233cc_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
  • 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, 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.
    A0026951cc_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
  • After harvesting and the bark has been peeled off in long thin lengths, the hemp yarn is pounded in large wooden mortar to soften it, 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.
    A0026923cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting and the bark has been peeled off in long thin lengths, the hemp yarn is pounded in a large wooden mortar to soften it, 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.
    A0026919cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting and the bark has been peeled off in long thin lengths, the hemp yarn is pounded in a large wooden mortar to soften it, 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.
    A0026915cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting and the bark has been peeled off in long thin lengths, the hemp yarn is pounded in a large wooden mortar to soften it, 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.
    A0026903cc_1.jpg
  • After harvesting and the bark has been peeled off in long thin lengths, the hemp yarn is pounded in a large wooden mortar to soften it, 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.
    A0026896cc_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.
    A0026890cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman wearing her traditional clothing strips the leaves off the hemp plant as she is harvesting, Ban Long Kuang, Houaphan, 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.
    A0026853cc_1.jpg
  • Hemp (cannabis sativa) stalks drying in a field 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 make into skirts, for their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north.
    A0026797cc_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
  • Portrait of Yai with her peeled hemp outside her home in the Hmong village of Ban Pom Khor, 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.
    A0026716cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of Yai with her peeled hemp outside her home in the Hmong village of Ban Pom Khor, 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.
    A0026713cc_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
  • 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 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 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.
    A0026521cc_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
  • 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.
    A0026470cc_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.
    A0026417cc_1.jpg
  • A field of hemp growing 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.
    A0025912cc_1.jpg
  • A field of hemp growing 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.
    A0025910cc_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
  • 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.
    A0025890cc_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
  • 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.
    A0025853cc_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
  • 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
  • Wearing her traditional clothing, Tong, a Hmong Du woman holds a skein 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.
    A0021321cc_1.jpg
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