PhotoGéographie
PhotoGeography

Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy

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Akha Muchi, Muchikang Village,
Boun Tai district, Lao PDR (Laos)

Akha Oma, Sengkangmai village, Boun Tai District,
Lao PDR (Laos)

The well-dressed Akha woman looks stunning from the tip of her elaborate headdress to her ornate leggings. The basic material used in Akha clothing is a firmly woven homespun cotton cloth, dyed with indigo to a blue-black hue. Formerly, Akha grew all of the cotton used for their clothing.
Many Akha women wear antique glass beads of Chinese origin, which have been handed down from mother to daughter for many generations. Most of the smaller beads are of European origin, the oldest probably having been traded in China by European traders over several centuries. The coins used on headdresses are of several types. Those who can afford them use silver coins, such as silver Indian rupees, Chinese dollars, or French Indochinese piasters. Burmese, Indochinese, and Thai coins of small value are also used. Various styles of dress exist among Akha groups and subgroups, from Burma, to Thailand, and Laos. The basic outfit of an Akha woman consists of a headdress, a jacket worn over a halter-like garment, a short skirt, a sash with decorated ends, and leggings.Source: Paul and Lewaine Lewis, Peoples of the Golden Triangle, River Books, Bangkok, 1998.

Akha Muchi, Muchikang Village, Boun Tai district,
Lao PDR (Laos)

Haw, Ban Sop King (Village), Boun Neua District,
Lao PDR (Laos)

Akha Muchi, Muchikang Village, Boun Tai district,
Lao PDR (Laos)

Green and red krama (scarf), Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The krama is the scarf worn by most Cambodian. "The craft of Kra-ma weavers has been practiced from ancient time until today by the Khmer, especially female adults and girls at countryside. Designs of Kra-ma woven from heads of crude cotton or from selective silk must also evolve from a simple to a complex one in order to meet the changing demand of people of all ages upon the course of time. The picture is true to their daily life as Kra-ma is always at the hand reach of the Cambodian people, especially those living in rural and remote areas and then is very probably becoming their good friend indeed. Because of the specific requirements by geographical conditions, a farmer or a highlander does not care about Kra-ma aesthesis but prefers using a thickened scarf that can ensure conformance, durability and serviceability. For them, they discover many advantages from using a scarf. A mother surely concerns over only the protection of her baby in a Kra-ma haversack hung on her back from the sunheat. A father who wants to shield his head from sunheat will fold Kra-ma round his head. A young man might turn his Kra-ma into a stretched fan to wind his body full of sweat after exerting his physical force. A young lady might turn it into a provisional bag to hold light stuff such as personal belongings, cakes, fruits and vegetables or on another occasion as a piece of cloth to hide her body when taking a bath, etc. On a hazardous occasion, Kra-ma is helpful for a young lady to cover her face while she is shy in front of male onlookers. And perhaps on another occasion she can peep from behind at her neighboring boy whom she pays special attention at". Source.

Flower market, Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar)

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More on Akha people:
The Akha Heritage Foundation
Hani and Akha Peoples

Photos of Akha
(Laos and Thailand)
by Bryan Watt

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Portraits de familles
Family portraits