Last year, we were introduced to a Paluang community near Chiang Dao, just north of Chiang Mai. The Paluang are the seventh recognized minority hilltribe of Thailand. The Paluang are refugees from the Burmese military junta and number between 5,000 and 7,000 people. Although recognized as an ethnic minority, they still have limited rights.

This community formed after illegal, cheap labourers were abandoned in Chiang Dao district in 1983 after a reforestation project completed. In 2008, 400 people were squatting on a quarter acre of land. They survived by contract farming, labouring and selling handicrafts to the occasional passing tourist.

Makhampom Foundation has been working with this and other communities in the Chiang Dao region since 1998 to promote identity rights, community cultural development, and economic self reliance. Izara Arts supported their recent fundraising efforts, which helped the villagers raise 700,000 baht (US$20,000) to buy land and materials to build their new village.

Izara Arts conducted a handicrafts survey to establish what skills and capacity exists in the village. The Paluang believe they are descended from angels (kinaree) expressed in the strings of pompoms on the sleeves of a velvet bolero jacket. They decorate with silver in hammered squares, clusters of 3 beads and belt. They are expert weavers and create a sarong skirt with horizontal stripes.

In December 2008, the villagers were invited to contribute to our new product: the WorldTote. Now that the community is settled in their new homes, we hope they will start producing hand woven cotton for the WorldTote exterior fabric and the Wine Carrier.