Akha peh k’ah (Man’s jacket)

Unknown Akha designer, Rev. Nightingale's village, Thailand

ID # Anthr1995 004 0024 01

Gift of Ruth Sharp

Akha peh k’ah (Man’s jacket)

Unknown Akha designer, Kaiyeh, Thailand (Bought at Rev. Nightingale's)

ID # Anthr1995 004 0023 01

Gift of Ruth Sharp

Two jackets purchased by Sharp were acquired at the Reverend Peter Nightingale’s in Kaiyeh (also spelled Kayeh or Khaje). In addition, a bag was purchased from Kaiyeh, although it is not clear whether that transaction also involved the Reverend Nightingale.

In an article on Christian Akhas, the anthropologist Cornelia (Nina) Kammerer describes a conversation she held with Jean Nightingale on how Jean and her husband, Peter, had encouraged the Akha individuals they had converted to continue to wear Akha clothing and speak the Akha language, which the Nightingales believed allowed the Akha converts to preserve their cultural identity. The clothing which Jean was referring to includes those worn by Akha women, such as dark blue jackets, skirts, leggings, and sashes along with highly decorated headdresses. Clothing is embellished with beading, silver buttons or coins, colored cloth, and embroidery techniques. The men would wear decorated jackets, such as the two above, that were similar in style to the women’s ones.