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| When I traveled to Muang Sing I was told that the guesthouse at Adima was a great place to stay. I chose to stay in town, but Tui took me to Adima first thing in the morning because that's where you can begin your trek through Akha and Mienh villages. In the restauarant at the Adima guesthouse I saw these three pages posted on the walls providing information about the Akha and Mienh. I asked if they had copies, but they didn't, so I photographed them as the information is particularly relevant. | ||
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| The Spiritual Gate before entering an Akha village 'setting' spiritual and physical limits between the world of humans, their souls and their spirits, and the vegetal and animal world. | These carved wooden guns hanging from the gate serve to diavert the outside malevolent spirits from entering the village. | Young Akha woman embroidering. Taking photos is tricky, most of the women do not want their pictures taken and for a portrait like this you may have to pay... |
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When we walked through this Akha village many of the men were carving wooden tops, similar to what I've seen in Hmong villages. They told Tui there was a special festival that afternoon (Is it a coincidence that it was Christmas day?) where they would spin the tops. |
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| Men carving tops. There were more women in this photo, but a boy seeing that I was going to take a photo "warned" the women who moved downhill. | A spiritual altar that contains rice kernals to help ensure a good harvest. | Akha woman and child shopping for warm clothes. While I was in Muang Sing the temperature dropped to 3 degrees centigrade in the morning and it was cold! |