Luang Prabang, 15 April 2011

The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) was invited to participate in the 3rd ASEAN Symposium on Traditional Textiles held in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia from 20-23 March. Tara Gujadhur, TAEC Co-Director and Keuy Chanthangone, TAEC Manager, attended. Tara gave a presentation on "Traditional Textiles and Clothing of the Ethnic Groups of Lao PDR" in which she discussed the vast ethnic diversity of Laos, focusing on materials, techniques and styles employed in textile making by each major ethnolinguistic group as well as their adaptation and change. TAEC also sold handicrafts from the TAEC Museum Shop in the "Textiles Bazaar" part of the symposium, promoting Tai Lue, Phou Tai, and Talieng traditional weaving.

This is the first time that representatives from Laos have participated in the biannual symposium, and there was great interest from participants around the region in Laos' material culture. The next symposium will be hosted by Vietnam in 2013.

Photo: Tara Gujadhur giving a presentation highlighting ethnic textiles and traditional clothing.

For more details visit http://www.taeclaos.org