Weaver’s Way of Life
Weavers play an essential role in preserving Myanmar’s rich textile traditions and cultural heritage.
A weaver’s daily life may vary depending on location, the type of textiles they produce and their cultural background. Often the loom and daily weaving is a central part of the household - and it’s not uncommon for multiple generations to work together in a household, allowing skills and knowledge to be passed through the generations.
Nyaung Shwe Township, Shan State
We visited with two weavers who both live with their families in Nyaung Shwe Township in Shan state. They were happy to share photos and stories about their daily lives! Ma Cho Mar Wai and Ma Khine Nwe Oo used to work together at Mya Sakkyar weaving workshop so are close friends.
They took all the photos and videos themselves, so the quality may not be high resolution – but do enjoy!
Mon State
We spent time in two villages in Mon State. We visited Shwe Chi Weaving in Nainghlon village and also visited Ma Khin’s village.
The photos here were taken by Ma Khin Lin Naing from Pochi. The entire village is involved in reeling though they split the tasks based on skills – some focus on reeling only, some on loom set up only and some only weave.
Inle Lake, Shan State
We were so happy to spend a day visiting with Aung Sakkyar Lotus & Mya Sakkyar Weaving on Inle Lake, learning more about lotus harvesting, and natural dyes.
These photos and videos were shared by Aung Sakkyar lotus or taken by Ma Khin Lin Naing from Pochi.
Burma (Myanmar) has a long history of textile production. For centuries raw materials such as silk and cotton were cultivated spun, dyed and hand woven into beautiful fabrics. Members of the royal family clothed themselves in silk, woven in the most complex and colourful patterns, often made by women employed at court or in well-established workshops in cities like Mandalay. Costumes were subject to sumptuary law, so woven patterns worn by kings and princes were graded according to rank. This made for an interesting array of colours and designs produced for the major courts and for princes and chiefs from ethnic groups who wore their own distinctive patterns. Many items were passed down through the same family, reserved for wearing at annual festivals.
Today there are workshops continuing to weave historic designs. Others innovate and experiment with new fibres and patterns. Production takes place in small workshops or in a home setting. The aim is to provide jobs in areas of low income and unemployment. The skill is in creating fabrics that sell locally and to international markets.
‘Spotlight on Handwoven Textiles’
Dr Susan Conway, Research Associate Institute of Development Studies www.ids.ac.uk