Kmhmu

The Kmhmu are the second-largest ethnic group in Laos, whose ancestors are considered to be the original inhabitants of the country. The Kmhmu traditionally practice shifting cultivation of upland rice, and are known for their intimate knowledge of the forest and forest products.

Kmhmu men are skilled bamboo and rattan basket weavers, and most household tools can be made of these materials. Kmhmu women traditionally wove using backstrap looms, but this skills has largely died out. However, they still make bags using the strong liana vine, which they harvest from the wild, then dry, strip, twist into rope, and crochet.

The natural bags and pouches come to TAEC from Oudomxay Province, where a government project helps to train and coordinate the village producers.