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Laos Essential Artistry Posting Page
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The following article was from a recent issue of the Vientiane Times we thought customers might like to read. In the article Ms. Bouakham mentions sharing design her ideas with her aunt in Nongbouathong, a village with weavers we feature at Laos Essential Artistry. We will try to locate her when we visit Laos in late December so we can feature her in one of our blogs and maybe we'll purchase some of her sinhs to sell at Laos Essential Artistry!
"It is not easy for a provincial woman to become successful producing Lao silk skirts (sinhs) in Vientiane . Ms Bouakham Bouasengthong, also known as Boua, is from Xieng Khuang province, where it is common for women to make sinhs to earn money for their families. Ms Bouakham has been learning how to make silk sinhs since she was very young. She was taught by her mother and relatives, who hoped she would continue in the family business. In 1995 she and her husband decided to look for work in Vientiane so their two sons and one daughter could have a good education. But renting in the capital city was expensive, and it was difficult for the family to meet all of their expenses by relying on her husband's earnings as a teacher. After living in Vientiane for four months Ms Bouakham decided to start weaving, because this work required a small amount of capital. “I wanted to preserve Lao culture and handicrafts like my family used to do, and also take on a new challenge,” she said. “It took a lot of energy for me to start doing this work again. It is delicate work and requires a lot of patience.” At first it was difficult for Ms Bouakham to figure out what kind of sinhs her customers in Vientiane wanted. She studied local markets and adjusted her designs and prices accordingly. By 2000 she had 15 looms to weave her sinhs, which she was selling at Khuadin and Thalat Xao markets. By 2005 her work had gained a good reputation for being popular with foreign tourists looking for souvenirs of their time in Laos . In 2006 her work was displayed at the national football stadium and she was recognised for producing the best handicrafts in Nongtha- neua village. “I was very glad to receive that recognition because I knew it would help my work become better known,” she said. Ms Bouakham's work has also been exhibited during important events in her community, including an event last month to celebrate Nongtha-neua village becoming a model cultural village. One large customer base is Lao expatriates who return home to visit. Many of them buy her work as gifts for relatives living overseas and to remind themselves of home. Ms Bouakham often surveys young girls and women about the particular styles they like. She also shares ideas with her aunt in Nongbouathong village and observes current fashion trends. This helps her create designs that are popular and easy to sell. Ms Bouakham said the handicraft industry was growing and there was increasing competition from factories and individuals. This means she has to work harder to make her products even more attractive to customers. Ms Bouakham manages her money carefully to ensure she can pay all of her family's expenses, while also having enough to reinvest in the business and to save for her children's education. by: Laos Essential Artistry 
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