Weaving woes -Cambodia’s silk sector faces possible extinction as economic realities force artisans to abandon the craft
In the not-so-distant past, visitors to Koh Dach, an island in the Mekong River about 15 kilometers outside of Phnom Penh, were often struck by the sound as well as the sights that met them there. Among the many crafts on display by local artisans, a constant, almost rhythmic beat could be heard—the click-clack of weavers’ looms. The sound of shuttles passing back and forth among silk yarn made up an almost musical background that permeated daily life. But now, it is a sound people rarely ear anymore. …
