I have received a request for information from a forum member soon to travel to Vietnam:
Quote:
I am going to visit Vietnam on 25th march and will go to Sapa, unfortunately, not on a saturday but a sunday+monday.That`s how i got to your site. After reading long articles about Hmong textiles, I am eager to know from you where I can meet these ``fairy fingers`` ? are they willing to share and show their work ? what could I bring them as small gifts from embroyderers to embroyderers? beads ? threads ? needles? fabrics ?
I responded: If you go to Sa Pa I think that there is a market in Bac Ha on Sunday which you can reach from Sa Pa. Looking on the internet several tour companies seem to offer this. When I visited in 1995 I was so upset because I only got to Sa Pa on the Monday and all the markets were over for the week. I think that the Bac Ha market has very many Flowery (or Variegated) Hmong.
There are a lot of villages within trekking distance of Sa Pa but you will need someone to guide you. There will be many Black Hmong in Sa Pa but I don't think you will see any embroidery in the town but need to go to a village. I did not go into a Black Hmong village but met many on a trek and at a school with lots of Black Hmong. I visited a Red Dao village near Sa Pa and bought a beautiful embroidered coat although I did not see anyone actually sewing. It is not easy to arrange these things on the spur of the moment and it can be difficult to give a guide the idea of exactly what you want to see.
Yes, gifts of needles will be welcomed. I have taken to China with me packets of needles and needle-threaders to help the older ladies whose eyesight has started to deteriorate. For these I have scanned the threading process in a series of shots to make sure that they understand how to use the needle threader to thread the needle.
Do other forum members have any comments to add either specifically about Sa Pa (remember it is a Sunday and Monday visit) or about suitable gifts?
Another, subsequent, thought on gifts is not sewing related. I like to take notebooks and pens because these are always welcomed by the children - and when you visit villages you are going to be an object of interest and amusement for the children. The embroiderers (or weavers) - mothers, grandmothers, siblings - usually welcome these gifts for the children.
thanks for any suggestions.
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Pamela
http://www.tribaltextiles.infoon-line tribal textiles resource