Tapestry Weaving in Laos

In tapestry or Kor (the Lao name for this technique), colored yarns of the weft are inserted into the warp in small sections making patterns or images. This flatweave has a discontinuous weft, which generally does not extend from selvedge to selvedge and the warp is a hidden structure that does not play a role in the surface design.

Exquisite textiles woven with a variety of techniques, complex patterns and a great diversity of motifs reflect the extraordinary ethnic diversity of Laos and the tapestry technique is associated with the Tai Lue, one of the largest of the ethnic minorities, who live in northwest Laos.

From an ancient origin in southeast China, ancestors of the Tai moved south and west. Their descendants now live in Vietnam, China, Laos, Thailand, Burma and India. The Tai share similar cultural characteristics, including wet rice cultivation and living in houses on stilts. The majority practice Theravada Buddhism into which they incorporate earlier animistic spirit beliefs. Among the 27 or more Tai groups in Laos, belonging to one of four main ethnolinguistic families, several, including the Lue and the dominant ethnic Lao, are renowned for their weaving skills.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Laos
• weaving
• silk textiles
• tapestry weave
• handwoven
• Tai Lue

[Grace1978ish]

its so amazing that she is working with the silk that way.. Ive watched this same video several times.. so interesting!