Cotton wall hanging, 'Cool River'
Price: $99.95
Speaking with skillful hands, Aphi Min conjures ancestral icons of the Akha tribe in embroidery and appliqu?. This extraordinary cotton wall hanging is adorned with nickel coins used in the eastern Burma state of Shan, and finished with fringe. Its name, Mae Wang, is taken from a river in northern Thailand. Aphi Mina crafts these textiles like a painter would, each piece representing something that occurs around her at the time. So no two pieces are alike [although they are in essence similar to the picture]. If she wakes up in the morning, after having dreamed of pink elephants, she might just decide to incorporate part (either with a new motif or new color) of this dream in the piece. Because of her age and her unique situation as a keeper of traditional arts, Novica allows for greater variance in her works than with other artists. Originally from Nepal, the Akha tribe has spread throughout the mountains of China, Laos Myanmar and Thailand. Today, some 20,000 Akha live in the northern hills of Thailand. Akha villages are distinguished by beautifully carved gates protected by fierce guardian spirits. This is a proud and timeless culture, struggling to preserve its cultural values through traditional skills and knowledge. In the Akha society women play an important role, and among them, prominent artisan Mina is committed to spread their colorful hand-made items all over the world. Because each textile is individually crafted, this piece can vary slightly from that shown. A bamboo display rod is included.