Monthly Archives: December 2010

The New Year’s period is a time of celebration around the world. Although Songkran in April is the ‘traditional’ New Year in Thailand and is still celebrated in its own inimitable fashion, the transition from December 31st to January 1st is formally recognised as the start of the new year and is cause for parties, […]

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This is a wonderful time of year in Bangkok.  It is officially “Cool Season” [ฤดูหนาว], which means that most days you can walk around without breaking into an immediate sweat.  It is also the season of lights and decorations.  Some festive decorations go up for The King’s birthday on Dec 5th – then, although 94.6% […]

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“All objects, all phases of culture are alive. They have voices. They speak of their history and interrelatedness. And they are all talking at once!” Camille Paglia I grew up in North America where the artefacts of culture are relatively modern. By contrast, Asian cultural objects speak of time… endless time… with it’s ebb and […]

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Isn’t the English language wonderful?  In the title “Weaving Communities” you probably read ‘weaving’ as an adjective – that is, communities that exist about or for weaving.  But, weaving is more usually a verb: the art of forming something, (a fabric or a fabric item; a basket, a story, a rug, a community…) into a pattern by interlacing long threads […]

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The only downside, for me, of traveling to up-country Thailand, is that I end up with so many pictures I have trouble figuring out how to organise them! I spent last weekend in Northeast Thailand (Isaan): Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket and Surin.  I was with a group of women from all parts of the world who were […]

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