The Tai Lue are an ethnic group widely scattered throughout the rugged mountains of Northern Laos and across the borders with China, Myanmar and Thailand. Men traditionally fish and farm rice, and women are known for creating masterful silk and cotton textiles.
A Tai Lue woman from Laos wove this tube skirt as one of her prized possessions, filled with meaning and power. The lively colors and patterns communicated her ethnic group, social position, marital status and age. Its fine yarn, expensive dyes and complex designs were the ultimate expression of her weaving expertise and family wealth.
She likely wore this skirt during ceremonies and rituals to appease the spirits. The large zigzag design — created with supplementary-weft patterning — represents a mighty naga, or serpent. Nagas have the ability to protect individuals and help grant wishes for the future, such as many children or fertile fields.
In the late 1970s, large numbers of Tai Lue people began moving out of rural villages to urban areas. Lifestyle changes meant that women stopped weaving and disposed of heirloom textiles. In the 1980s the Lao government and United Nations began working to revitalize these sophisticated weaving skills and record traditional patterns.
