Stitching Our Stories: Hmong Batik and the Life of Ms. Xue Xiong, by Bao Xiong

BAO XIONG
Stitching Our Stories, Community Researcher

"I sell handicrafts at the night market, and I live in Ma Village, Luang Prabang, Laos. The subject of my research is Ms. Xue Xiong from Nasamphan, Luang Prabang, who is an expert in traditional Hmong batik.

The reason I chose to research Hmong batik and Ms. Xue Xiong is because it is an interesting part of Hmong identity and there are few people left who are skilled in this traditional craft. Ms. Xue Xiong is getting old and is not sure how long she will be alive in this world. I have never seen anyone draw the batik as good as her, and there does not seem to be anyone interested in learning from her and carrying on the tradition. If one day she cannot work, her relatives will take her to live with them, and she may have to stop doing batik. I am worried about this traditional craft, because if Ms. Xue Xiong passes away, the Hmong community may lose an important part of their culture.

I have learned many things since we started this project, and I am very happy and proud to be part of it. I have learned about taking photos, about conducting interviews, and making videos. I even know how to set up the exposure and take videos on the camera. I have also learned a lot about drawing batik. I have seen pieces of batik cloth that have already been finished and were being sold at markets, but I never knew how the fabrics were made or had the chance to see people draw the designs using the indigo dye. Now I have seen batik being made, and it is very interesting to me. I have been thinking about learning from Ms. Xue Xiong, if I have opportunity and time.

I hope my work will make people more interested in Lao and Hmong culture. I feel happy to have made this project and hope this subject impresses people. I am very proud to be Hmong, and am happy that I was born in Laos and to be Lao. I want all Hmong people to love Laos and for everyone to love your own ethnic group; even you are Lao, Hmong or Kmhmu."

_____________________________


Stitching Our Stories: Community Research Project was launched in October 2012 through the partnership of PhotoForward, an international media arts programme, and the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre, a private museum in Luang Prabang, Laos.

This trail-blazing project engages women and girls from Laos' diverse ethnic communities to use photography, digital video, and community research to explore their unique cultural heritage, the vital roles that women play, and the often-seismic impact that modernization is having on traditional beliefs and practices.

The film which premiered at the Luang Prabang Film Festival in Laos assembles four documentary shorts shot by the projects' filmmakers Bao Xiong, Pasong Lee, Sia Yang, and Maiying. These projects examine the intricate artistry of Hmong batik and embroidery and the complex and often challenging roles of the medicine women and shamans who care for the bodies and spirits of their communities. The film opens with a brief introduction by the project organizers, and each short is prefaced with an interview with the community filmmakers.

To learn more about this ongoing project and to view the artists' portfolios, visit www.photoforward.org and www.taeclaos.org.