Sone-tu, Traditional Chin Backstrap Weaving
May Ni Ni Aung – Prospect Burma Alumni
Prospect Burma has for sale the three Sone-tu hand-woven Chin backstraps below, which are very high quality, have intricate designs and delightful colour combinations.
The Sonetu organization that May Ni Ni Aung founded works directly with different Chin ethnic group members to preserve a living cultural identity, believing that by providing economic opportunities and encouraging self-employment, the quality of life of both Sonetu individuals and the entire Chin community will benefit. The Sonetu organization believes that by preserving Chin cultural heritage and incorporating the Chin people’s traditional identity in the modern world, it can deconstruct perceptions that stereotype and discriminate against Chin people. At the same time, Sonetu inspires individuals unfamiliar with Chin ethnicity to both understand and respect Chin history, culture, and traditions.
May Ni Ni Aung has said that ‘The education I received and the contacts I made as a result of my Prospect Burma scholarship gave me opportunities that would not have been possible otherwise. The work at SOAS gave me a foundation upon which I was able to expand. In particular, I realized there were many ways that I could contribute to the development of my Chin ethnic group in a remote part of Rakhine State in Myanmar and also preserve the traditional backstrap weaving skills. This work could create employment opportunities for Chin women so that they could meet their basic needs and help support their families. My education has been essential in the work I do in Myanmar. I plan to continue to work in Myanmar for the improvement of the Chin people and to give them the education and skills needed in a modern Myanmar’.
