Phatcharaphan

Artisan Organization: Phatcharaphan

Country: Thailand

"Hello! My name is Ger (Phatcharaphan). I was born in 1974 and am of the Hmong Hill Tribe from Nan province in Thailand. I met and married my ex-husband while living in Doi Pui (a famous Hmong Hill Tribe village in Chiang Mai). I began selling Hill Tribe products to tourists, but unfortunately, I divorced my husband and had to relocate to Chiang Mai with my four children.

"I began again by renting a small space in the Chiang Mai night bazaar to sell embroidery bags from a Hmong village, and I had the brilliant idea of having my sibling dye cloth and send it to me. So I started designing. Now I sell these items alongside my youngest daughter, who sells Hmong products and travel photo postcards that she enjoys.

"Most women my age are skilled in Hmong batik and embroidery. When I was a kid, our house had indigo plants in the back, so I could see how my grandparents did it. Our grandmother taught us everything, but the younger generation no longer wants to do it; they want to work in the city. Still, I want to preserve these traditional skills, so I ordered my siblings to pass on as many skills as possible.

"Following the pandemic, I can sense the positivity of many small traders in the market as we wait for more tourists to visit Chiang Mai. I don't have big dreams, but I want a better life for myself as I get older and a better income for my youngest daughter.""