Helping Tribal Artisans Continue Their Tradition
One of the most beautiful examples of craftsmanship we see today is the hand tooled, handwoven works of specialized artists. Because each is hand made, the intricate designs, the unique jewelry and fabrics are one of a kind.
Yet today it is often difficult for the small tribes and artists to continuing their traditions. The young people are led away with school, and the opportunity to make more money. Their subsistence has been low.
An increased awareness in the hand made art, from silver, to other jewelry to baskets, fabrics and more, is now giving the artists the opportunity to provide a more stable income. The result may encourage more of their youth to carry on the tradition.
The Hill Tribe Artisans
The Hill Tribes are located in mountainous villages in North and West Thailand. You may have heard of the city of Chiang Mai, well known for its variety of craftsmen.
Their silver crafting or silversmithing is laboriously and exquisitely designed, using silver that is generally 97.5% silver content or higher. Hand tooled, each will be unique.
For cloth items you find, chances are that they grow their own cotton, spin it, dye it, and weave it into the beautiful fabrics you see. It is truly an art in its own. They will often use the cotton seed pods to decorate. Their dyes come from berries, bark, and natural substances.
You will often find the “chakra flower,” included in their designs. A dot, surrounded by six more dots in the shape of a flower, is used traditionally in their culture.
Keepers of The Arts
A wonderful silver designer from Thailand, Archara, along with her husband Withal, formed a collaboration of Hill Tribe artisans in order to showplace their creations and keep the traditional work going. Their group enables the local artisans to sell their beautiful handmade jewelry and wares across a broader, international platform.
The goal of the Keepers of The Arts is to encourage and maintain each local custom for design, so that it is passed on to future generations. For shoppers and creators it is proving a win-win. Not only is their product in more demand, they are able to receive fair prices for it. Prices that are clearly a good value to the buyer.
You can purchase distinctive, hand tooled jewelry that generally makes them one of a kind, all for a very reasonable price. Those are definite benefits. Perhaps even more important is that you will be helping carry on long tribal traditions, and providing a better and more consistent income to the Hill Tribe peoples. They are a fair trade company as well. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support fair trade and local artisans. The silver work is stunning in its design and a welcome gift for any occasion.
Click here to see over 300 hundred beautiful design from the Hill Tribe Collection
Supporting Keepers of the Arts and local artisans worldwide.
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