Châu Giang

Châu Giang lies on the bank of the Hậu river, across the water from the town of Châu Đốc. Its people are Cham, Muslim since long ago, part of a community that settled along the Mekong’s upper branches over the past few centuries and kept its own language, dress and faith. The mosque, with its domes and minaret, is the centre of the village, and the weaving grew up around the household, made by women for the family and for trade along the river.

Today weaving here is a quieter business than it was. Fewer looms work, and much of the cloth sold in the area comes from elsewhere. But a number of households still weave sarongs, scarves and lengths of brocade on wooden frame looms, often under the house, which stands on stilts against the floods. The work is sold in small shops along the lane and at the riverside, and the patterns, mostly geometric, are passed between mothers and daughters.

In good Cham brocade the pattern is woven in, not printed or embroidered, so the back of the cloth shows its reverse rather than loose threads. The geometric motifs should be crisp, with diamonds and bands that meet cleanly at the edges. Colours are usually strong and the cloth fairly firm. Run a hand across it: a well-beaten weft feels dense and even, with no thin or slack patches along the length.