Hands Around the World

Native American and Ethnic Textiles

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Burma

This hand made wall hanging is a very special and traditional art form in Burma known as a "Kalaga". These were royal art used to decorate the palaces of Burma.

Thailand

Hmong Hilltribe of Northern Thailand

The Hmong are divided into two sub-groups found in the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. This ethnic group originates in western China. For a long time the Hmong have supported themselves by the cultivation of the opium poppy. Most of the Hmong people are turning from opium growing, and are now seeking to market their exquisite needlework in order to supplement their income. Hmong women traditionally make clothing for their families. Their clothing is richly decorated with magnificent embroidery and silver jewelry. Blue Hmong women wear pleated skirts with bands of red, blue and white that are intricately embroidered. Jackets are of black satin, with wide embroidered cuffs. They also may traditionally add piece work and pleating to their work. A traditional motif is an appliquéd sun. Much of the embroidery is done with very tiny cross stitching.

 

Akha Hilltribe of Northern Thailand

The villages of this colorful hill tribe are to be found in the mountains of China, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Northern Thailand. There are approximately 20,000 Akha living in Thailand's Northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai at high altitudes. This tribe originated in Tibet. Every Akha village is distinguished by their carved wooden gate, presided over by guardian spirits. They live in raised houses on low stilts, with a large porch leading into a square living area with a stove at the back. The roof is steeply pitched. The live on marginal land and find it difficult to eke out a living through their slash and burn method of agriculture. In order to supplement their income, many Akha are now selling handicrafts, employing the traditional skills used in making their own clothing and cultural items.

 

This amazing traditional Akha jacket features, piece work and  embroidery and is trimmed with wooden beads, silver metal, sea shells, buttons, tassels, and old coins. A real collector's item.

This old Akha purse is a real collector's item. It features piece work, old beads, metal decorations, coins and microscopically tiny stitching. The body of the purse measures 6 1/2" x 8"and the beads hang down another 4". Must see to appreciate!

Lisu Hilltribe of Northern Thailand

The Lisu hill tribe of Northern Thailand decorate their clothing with piece work and tiny pleats in bright colors and silver metal decorations.

Lisu mother and children. Photo by Hands Around the World.	Lisu children. Photo by Hands Around the World

Like the jacket, these Lisu purses are completely hand stitched featuring piece work, tiny pleats and metal and bead decorations.

Indonesia

Borneo

Dayak

The Dayak are to Asia as the American Indian to the Americas. They are the native peoples of the islands. The Dayak of Borneo are in 12 major tribes. Isolated in the vast rainforests of Borneo, they were headhunters until the year 1965. At this time the Indonesian government negotiated peace between the tribes, although rumors of continued headhunting have occurred. The Dayak are a very culturally intact and interesting people, living much as their ancestors have for hundreds of years.

The Dayak of central Borneo are one of the few indigenous cultures left that make a thread and weave with a grass like plant. The Dayak collect a swamp grass called Doyo. There are five types of Doyo fiber. It is collected, dried, spun, and woven. There are also 5 kindes of vegetable dyes that are use to dye the threads so that it may be woven into colorful patterns.

These hangings are hand spun and woven from the Doyo plant. Each hanging has a hand carved wooden hanger. Each is looped over double so that the fabric is twice as long as it hangs. They are beautiful examples of totally traditional weaving and a dying art form. These hangings are from the Benuaq tribe of Dayak in the village of Wacong.

These beautiful pieces of embroidery must be seen to be appreciated. This colorful and intricate hand work is produced by the Benuaq tribe of Dayak in the village of Wacong. Each piece of handwork is wrought on a piece of white cotton cloth. The size indicates the size of the embroidered image itself, not the entire piece of cloth. Most cloths are 2 to 5 inches more on each side of the pattern. These are beautiful pieces to frame or work into a pillow or clothing!

South America

Ecuador

These hand woven shawls are made in Ecuador and come in a multitude of colors, some plain and some with gold threads.

Item 100-0131 - $13.75 each

Peru

Uros Indians [more about the Uros Indians]

The Uros Indians of Peru are a very interesting people. They live on floating islands high in the Peruvian Andes on Lake Titicaca. They were forced onto the lake as the Incan Indians pushed further and further into their territory. The Uros Islands are made of reeds which grow naturally on the banks of Lake Titicaca. The reeds are matted down and added to as they disintegrate at the bottom. The islands float on the surface of the lake. The make their homes, their furniture and their boats out of the reeds. They also eat the tender bottoms of the reeds. The Uros Indians are known for their beautiful and intricate handwork, weaving, spinning, and embroidery.

Huitoto and Bora Indians [more about the Huitoto Indians and the Bora Indians]

The Huitoto (wuh-toe-toe) Bora (Bore-uh) Indians live deep in the Peruvian Amazon along the Amapayaco River which is a tributary of the Amazon. Historically enemies, they have in recent times become close allies with adjoining villages and frequent intermarriage. They are artistically talented tribes, making masks, dolls, rattles, blowguns etc. Many of their crafts are made of bark cloth decorated with vegetable dyes. The bark cloth is made of the inner bark of a palm tree and is beaten until it is paper or cloth like. From the bark cloth they make their clothing which consists of a short skirt for both men and women in the Huitoto. The Huitoto women traditionally go bare breasted. The Bora tribe dresses similarly, but the women wear a dress of bark cloth as opposed to just a skirt. Both sexes in both tribes wear necklaces, feathers and sometimes white body paint or red body paint made of onoto or urucu which is a pod that crushes to a reddish paste.

 

Shipibo Indians

The Shipibo Indians reside at the southwestern edge of the vast Amazon Basin in Peru. They are River Indians living along the banks and tributaries of the Amazon River. They are well known for their distinctive pottery and textiles. In their culture the designs they use are  traditionally copied from the skin of the Giant Anaconda or the heavens, such as the Southern Cross. Many other designs were given to them by their culture hero Incan ancestors.

The Shipibo are known for their cotton cloth hand painted in traditional designs. The cloth is worn as a wrap around loin cloth by the women of the tribe as well as being used for other functions.

Venezuela

Penare Indians [more about the Penare Indians]

These traditional Penare loincloths are hand woven of natural cotton and dyed with onoto to give them the reddish color. These loin cloths are becoming more and more rare, a very collectible Indian museum quality piece.

China

This beautiful rug is hand looped of 100% wool pile.

Mexico

Huichol Indians [more about the Huichol Indians]

The Huichol are the most traditional Indian tribe in Mexico today. They live in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Central Mexico. Their villages are very isolated and insular. They still dress in the traditional fashion and follow their native belief systems. The Huichol are well known for their sacred Yarn Painting. They partake of the peyote button during their religious ceremonies. This puts them in touch with the world of the Spirit. Later they record what they have seen and learned in the ceremony by their yarn painting. The yarn is pressed down into bees wax which is spread on backing. Huichol Yarn Paintings have become very collectible. These particular paintings were created and also blessed by the Huichol shaman Rutilio Benitez Carrillo. On the back of each painting is an explanation in Spanish of the meaning of the painting. Each also comes with a translation into English.

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Hands Around the World

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