Mr. U Kyin Lam Mang
U Kyin Lam Mang (a.k.a. Pa Mang) belongs to a Chin ethnic group in Myanmar/Burma. He served as the Chairman of the Chin State Cooperative Federation in his thirties for four years. In 1998, he co-founded YOYAMAY, a family business that produces tradition-inspired contemporary designs and various ethnographic textiles. In 2009, he earned his Master of Research (M.Res) in Anthropology from Yangon University, studying the symbolic motifs of Asho-Chin textiles.
Within the past two decades, YOYAMAY has been collecting, conserving, and commissioning classic textiles of the Chin, Naga, Kachin and Karen peoples. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, YOYAMAY played a pivotal role in nurturing and promoting traditional weaving techniques among the Chin people.
In 2013, YOYAMAY began introducing Chin textile products to the world by participating in the International Folk Art Market (Santa Fe). Pa Mang envisions YOYAMAY's main mission as establishing a holistic development model that enhances the socio-economic and cultural well-being of the diverse Chin communities. As such, YOYAMAY empowers local artisan communities by providing support, training, and opportunities to showcase their skills.
​
Textiles of the Chin Peoples of Myanmar/Burma
The textiles of the Chin peoples are works of art. Since the late 1800s, international museums have collected Chin textiles from British colonial officials and American Baptist Missionaries. These acquisitions, however, not only disconnected Chin heirlooms from their communities, but the acquirers also failed to understand and celebrate the cultural heritage of Chin textiles. David and Barbara Fraser’s book entitled, Mantles of Merit (2005), became the first monograph that documents the historical and technical knowledge behind Chin textiles.
For the 9th ASEAN Traditional Textiles Symposium (ATTS 9), we present four textiles that illustrate the finest technical skills and the richest cultural heritage from the Chin communities. These four textiles are Can-lo Puan (Chieftain blanket), Zih Bok (Mithun blanket), Akhen (Breast cover), and Khrangimm (Tunic). The Can-lo Puan (Chieftain blanket) is considered the most important among the Lai-speaking Chin peoples because only the tribal leaders wear it. The Zih Bok (Mithun blanket) belongs to the Cho-speaking Chin peoples from Mindat and Kanpetlet, where it is a special blanket used in healing rituals. Akhen (Breast cover) is a unique piece of clothing because its patterns vary according to each Khami weaver who lives along the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Khrangimm (Tunic), a Laitu unisex cloth from northern Rakhine, is believed to provide safety and protection against illnesses.
Over the past two centuries, the culture that gave birth to these textiles has slowly been buried through colonial and nation-state-building processes. In presenting these four textiles, we invite the larger ASEAN community to join us in reviving the value of Chin textiles. YOYAMAY welcomes textile enthusiasts and experts in our journey of keeping the spirit of Chin culture alive.
