Cottage and Craft Industries

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Description: An ancient Burmese tradition faces decline... The fishermen of Inle Lake are not the only ones going through hard times. one of the area?s major handicraft businesses, making so-called ?flower-molded” Buddha figurines, is also in steep decline. Generations of craftsmen have been making the exquisite statuettes for centuries, molding them from the petals of dried flowers, mixed with powder, teak sawdust and resin. Figurines molded from the petals of flowers and donated to lakeside temples are invested with miraculous powers by the Pa-O, Shan and Intha people who live in the region. But they?re also sought after as souvenirs by tourists visiting the lake. The rising cost of the raw materials, particularly the teak sawdust and resin, and encroaching competition from manufacturers of cheap wooden and plastic Buddhas have brought the local handicraft business practically to a standstill, however..."
Creator/author: Kai Wai
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" Vol 15, No. 9
2007-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2008-04-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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