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<\/a>This seven-year old in Ban Tao, Laos sits under her home with her grandmother and weaves for an hour each day after school<\/p><\/div>\n
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Granted, the young artist-in-training has for years been watching her elders daily at the loom creating the textiles that both transmit the knowledge and mores of their culture and support the economy of the community. \u00a0And in this village – Xam Tai, Laos – about 90% of the women weave.<\/p>\n
Occasionally, Maren and I share photos of young weavers, and often – and not inappropriately – there are queries about the pressures and expectations on the young workers. Indeed, are they being exploited?\u00a0 It\u2019s a valid question, and the world is rife with examples of unhealthy child-labor situations.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Nine-year-old Mai Chom of Xam Tai, Laos hold up a “sample-sized” silk, affectionately called a “love token.”<\/p><\/div>\n
Children who live in traditional, rural communities are usually expected to participate in the essential daily tasks: sweeping the compound, caring for the farm animals and the vegetable garden, assisting with the maintenance, planting and harvesting of the fields, caring for younger siblings and the very aged, helping with meals and laundry.\u00a0 All these tasks and more are essential components of how an indigenous healthy community a) facilitates the daily tasks of living, b) teaches to the young the myriad of practical skills necessary for a healthy community, c) transmits the communities\u2019 ancestral knowledge and mores to the next generation, and c) generates an economic benefit. \u00a0Youth itself, starting at school-age, offers little excuse for a demonstrated lack of responsibility or \u201cpulling of one\u2019s own weight.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Mai Chom, 12 years old in this picture, shows us how her loom operates.<\/p><\/div>\n
In Xam Tai, Laos (cultural home to some of the world\u2019s finest naturally-dyed silk art), almost all youth attend public school from age 6 to 16 (usually 9-11 AM and 1-3 PM, 5 days a week). After school, each is then expected to assist with essential household and community tasks for 2-3 hours.\u00a0 The boys are generally expected to join the men in fieldwork; the girls typically join the women at the loom. \u00a0Some girls in Xam Tai choose not to dedicate their time to the weaving task – not everyone has the patience or skills – and other household or field tasks offer an alternate contribution.\u00a0 Also, during rice-planting and harvest time, all members of the community assist in the essential fieldwork.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>A young weaver works diligently as she hand-picks the silk decoration on her textile.<\/p><\/div>\n
In a modern, wealthy society, such task development for youth often gets channeled into the development of specific talents such as playing the piano, pitching a baseball, painting a picture, acting on-stage, or practicing ballet.\u00a0\u00a0 The hours of work\/play spent in such hobbies and extra-curricular activities certainly contributes to the individual\u2019s development, and also has an impact on the broader community (albeit an impact that rarely plays to immediate needs). In fact, these activities are my culture\u2019s means of transmitting cultural knowledge and mores.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>15 year old Ta of Meung Kuan, Laos, displays a ceremonial textile that she designed and wove of naturally-dyed silk. She weaves for about 3 hours a day after school.<\/p><\/div>\n
In traditional cultures, one\u2019s time and participation tend to be closely tied to pragmatic considerations (especially if, as in rural Laos, subsistence living is in living memory). The pervading norm that \u201cwe must all contribute so we can all make it\u201d becomes a dominant cultural voice, and a youth\u2019s participation in supporting the larger community becomes the key vehicle for that youth\u2019s maturation.\u00a0Whereas some cultures might reward individual expression and \u201cstriking out on one\u2019s own,\u201d (indeed, even egotism), other cultures \u2013 especially small, traditional groups – hold more strongly to the ethic that the unity of the group and an ethic of \u201cbelonging-ness\u201d supersedes the promotion of the individual. The cross-generational needs of the family and the economic and spiritual health of the community are priority.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>This photo was taken on this 6-year-olds first official day of sitting at her own loom. Her grandmother sat at her side instructing her.<\/p><\/div>\n
Pride in being a contributor \u2013 a \u201cgrown-up\u201d \u2013 is clearly seen on the faces of the young weavers (as well as their parents and grandparents).\u00a0 Finally – mature enough to participate!\u00a0 As parents we saw that pride in 3-year-old Ari as he poured in the pre-measured washing powder at a laundry task, and as 7-year-old Zall joined in to help stack the firewood. \u00a0The individual spirit lifts when we contribute to \u201creal-world\u201d tasks \u2013 when we\u2019re a member of the \u201cgetting-it-done team\u201d \u2013 and this pursuit of the greater good is a young person\u2019s path to gain respect and skills.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Mai Chom, who is 13-years-old this year, models one of her textiles in front of her community.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A young girl, perhaps 6 years old, sits upright on the loom\u2019s bench in the shade of her family\u2019s home; you can see the creases of concentration on her brow as she pushes the shuttle through the shed that she … Continue reading