Hill tribe silver necklaces are here! I actually made these last week, but couldn't get any decent sunlight for photographing. (It's the time of year when farmers burn the rice paddies after harvesting, so often the sky is just a dull white haze from the smoke.) But finally, we got some sunshine, so 3 new necklaces of hill tribe silver are now made, photographed and just added to my shop. Here's a little preview.
Aqua "Om"
available here:
Clarity Lotus
available here:
Aqua Lotus
available here:
Who makes this "hill tribe" silver?
The more traditional ethnic populations in Asia are often
referred to as “hill tribes” because most reside in mountainous, densely
forested, and remote regions. Of the twenty hill tribes residing in Thailand
and Burma today, the Karen tribe is the largest. After migrating from Tibet in the 12th century, they
primarily resided in Burma for centuries, comprising 7% of the Burmese
population. However, over the last few
decades, they have been increasingly persecuted and marginalized, so many have
begun to seek refuge in Thailand.
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| Karen village in western Thailand near Burmese border |
Originally, there was not actually just one Karen tribe but
many loosely related heterogeneous populations with varying dialects,
religions, customs, styles of dress, etc.
However, due to disenfranchisement, these sub-groups have sought to
unify in recent decades in order to gain greater recognition from the Burmese
government.
Though they are skillful metallurgists, artisans and
weavers, they are predominantly farmers and live in remote villages. Their
houses are made of teak or bamboo and are usually constructed on stilts to
protect from flooding in the rainy season and to serve as shelter for
livestock. The Karen villagers have few possessions and little if any
furniture, usually sleeping on floor mats, cooking on open fires, and
collecting drinking and washing water from a nearby river.
Today, the Karen people face a variety of problems including
poverty, disease, discrimination, loss of culture and a lack of opportunities.
What makes Karen hill tribe silver so special?
Karen silver actually has a higher silver content than
Sterling silver. Karen silver is
between 99.5% and 99.9% pure silver.
It's just the solder used to fuse the silver components together that
makes up the last fractions of a percent. Therefore, Karen silver is of
exceptional quality and has a unique color and feel to it.
But perhaps even better than that, every piece is handmade
and individual. Created in simple forges, the pieces are hammered by hand, and
then decorated by chasing (i.e. etching) or using hand-carved stamps and
moulds.
How you help…
Through the support of their artisan crafts, we give
vitality and opportunity to the Karen people.
Not only does your purchase from Lotus and Lace Boutique contribute to
my Karen suppliers, but I also give 10% of profits to UNHCR Thailand, a
charitable organization aiding Karen refugees in Thailand.
