Tribal People with Crafts Skills, Issue 5

The Karen people are one of the seven major tribes with whom Thai Tribal Crafts (TTC) has been working since TTC was established in 1973. Each tribal group has its own distinctive crafts. Karen women are skilled in both plain and patterned weaving. They also use embroider on their traditional costumes for both men and women. They also produce shoulder bags.

Mrs. Somsri Chairatsamphan or Naw Ti Prway is a 49 year old Karen woman. Living in the Mae Sariang area of Northern Thailand. As a child she received no formal education. However, her mother taught her how to weave the beautiful Karen cloth on the traditional back strap loom. After she married she learned methods of traditional embroidery from her friends. Her husband is a soldier in the Thai military.


This is Somsri's sotry. After she married Somsri moved to Nong Pak Nam village in MaeSariang and it was there that she started to weave for the local co-operative group. Sorsri and her husband have 3 children and the income from her weaving has helped with the education of her children. Her eldest daughter has graduated from a university in Chiang Mai; her son studied High School and is now married with his own family; her yangest daughter is going to graduate from University this year.


The income she received from her weaving as really helped her family. Without this income her children would not have received an education. Somsri and her husband do not own any land and her husband's income is not enough to support the family.


Somsri said " I am very glad and proud of my weaving because it has been helping our family to have a better life. Our children also received the chance to further their studies to University level. I will continue my weaving because it is a part of my life".