Evening Presentation
Drinks Reception 6:30pm
Presentation 7:00pm
Close 8:15pm

A ‘common thread’ runs through the generation of the Hmong and connects the vast diaspora. Various ways of weaving, dyeing, tailoring, and embroidering distinguish the diversity and individuality of the Hmong subculture. American researcher and filmmaker Victoria Vorreiter is fascinated by the nourished culture of the Hmong garments.

Over the millennia, the Hmong have developed an astonishingly rich culture as they migrated from their source in the far reaches of northern China along mountaintops that flank the great rivers of Southeast Asia, finally finding sanctuary in the foothills of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, and further in the four corners of the world. These numerous groups and subgroups display diverse customs and speak a range of regional dialects. Despite such diversity of practices and vernacular, the Hmong find commonality in shared tenets that permeate their way of life, worldview, oral tradition, and craftsmanship.

Victoria Vorreiter, an American researcher, photographer, and filmmaker, highlights the traditional garments and fabrication practices of the Hmong of Laos and Thailand through Hmong Threads of Life, a dynamic presentation enhanced by a wealth of vivid photographs and textiles of the Hmong who create and wear them. Victoria has spent over a decade documenting the traditional music, ceremonies, and culture of the highland peoples of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and China. This has resulted in an extensive body of work, beginning with the Songs of Memory: Traditional Music of the Golden Triangle book, compact disc, and multi-media exhibit showcasing the six major ethnic groups in the region: Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Mien, Hmong, and Karen. These collections have appeared at the East-West Center, Hawaii; the Jim Thompson Center, Bangkok; the University of Mandalay, Myanmar; the Golden Triangle Gallery, Chicago; and the Chiang Mai Arts and Cultural Center.

http://www.tribalmusicasia.com/